I recall reading that the average (global) age of weaning is
several months longer for boys than girls. Perhaps due to
boys maturing a bit later? Or boys wanting to cling to mommy
longer? Or boys being bigger and hungrier? Or moms wanting to
"hold on" to their boys longer? Or worrying that nursing baby
girls will turn them into lesbians?

Sheesh! The whole thought process on nursing babies different
amounts of time based on gender seems silly to me! Treat each
baby as an individual and let them set their own pace. Even
my genetically identical twin boys naturally weaned 6 weeks
apart! The bigger (and first-born) one weaned first....but I
don't think that had anything to do with it!

My twin boys--now 5 1/2 yrs old--who led their own weaning
(just before their 4th birthdays), still have general recall
of nursing. They remember that they did nurse and have
associations such as "warm, happy, sleepy".
However, this doesn't stop them from giggling, pointing and
shouting, "nipples!" if they see my breasts (or anyone else's
for that matter!). Not in a sexual way, but just in realizing
what it usually covered in public places and what isn't. It's
just as amusing as farts, burps, rear-ends, underwear and all
the other rude things that make kids go into hysterical fits!

I can't quite explain this, as their exposure to mainstream
US culture is extremely limited. (Homeschooled, no TV, we
live in a yurt, for goodness sakes!)

But the boys and their 9 year old sister today had a lovely
discussion about whose nipples and breasts would get bigger
when they were "grown-up". And my daughter firmly stated that
hers "had to get bigger" because she was going to use them to
make milk for her babies! The boys decided it was just fine
if theirs stayed "flat like Daddy's".

Make way for the next generation of breastfeeding advocates!

~Virginia Bobro
IBCLC, CD (DONA)
Maine



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