Susan: One article that might answer your question is by Molbak, K et al. "Prolonged breastfeeding, diarrhoeal disease, and survival of children in Guinea-Bissau," BMJ 1994; 308: 1403-06. From the LLLI 1995 Fact Sheet: "Though children who are partially breastfed in the second and third years of life may have a lower energy intake than the weaned ones, the benefit in terms of lower morbidity may be more important for child survival in places with a high morbidity from diarrhoea and with high mortality; children aged 12-35 months who were not breastfed had a 3.5 TIMES higher mortality than breastfed children." : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) ***CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!!!*** : )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC email: [log in to unmask] : ) : )Accredited LLL Leader fax1: 541-967-2401 : )Coordinator, Research Review Committee fax2: 541 753 7340 call 1st : ) : )La Leche League International voice: 541 753-7340 : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )