And to think I was about to go no-mail in order to get some writing done--I would have missed Laurie's very kind boost to my morale! I do want to clarify that I am not a psychologist, though I training and experience in the field of clinical psychology. I would need a Ph.D. to be called a psychologist and my little supervisor (i.e., almost-four-year-old daughter) has not granted approval for the necessary continued formal education yet. Not to mention, I would have to decide which of many very fascinating fields to continue on in... Can one get one Ph.D. in culture/lactation/psychology/and then some? For some unexplained reason, I did not receive the digest containing the weaning poem. "Extended" breastfeeding is a particularly difficult thing to do in the US. I've talked with many mothers who have become "closet nursers" as their nurslings have gotten older ("older" ranging from six months old and up). Many of these women have swung periodically between an intentional defiance of cultural norms that can so powerfully undermine breastfeeding and the fear that Laurie describes: that someone so uncomfortable and so uninformed about (biologically and psychologically) normal breastfeeding might contact child protection services with the result that an abrupt weaning occurs and mother and child are separated. Newspaper accounts (with incomplete coverage at best) of such events add fuel to this fear. I personally and professionally wish I knew what the actual risk of such an event is if the only "charge" were "extended" breastfeeding--though many who engage in "extended" breastfeeding are likely to also warrant "charges" of other culturally "abnormal" practices such as co-sleeping. Any thoughts? And some mothers have much more than the average reasons (which are incredible enough) to continue breastfeeding until their children outgrow their need: some children have a congenital disorder or other family health history that puts them at known higher risk for developing serious disorders that breastfeeding might prevent or reduce the impact of (e.g., cancer during childhood and/or adulthood). Cultural barriers to "extended" breastfeeding pose real hardship and risk to all mothers and their children. Regularly unwise, Cynthia Good Mojab, MS Clinical Psychology (Breastfeeding mother, advocate, independent [cross-cultural] researcher and author; LLL Leader and Research Associate in the LLLI Publications Department; and former psychotherapist currently busy nurturing her own little one.) Ammawell Email: [log in to unmask] Web site: http://ammawell.homepage.com *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html