I enjoyed Kathy Dettwyler's  enlightening post about "normal" times
for life events. Indeed, we do have "normal" ranges for gestation,
teeth erupting, etc., and I think it would behoove all of us to
follow her lead in thinking this way.

I just had a parent raise an interesting question to me, however. The
dad said that the AAP's guideline to have *exclusive*  breastfeeding
for the first 6 months wasn't right; he insisted that as soon as the
infant extends his hand when the food is on the parents' table, the
infant is ready to eat other foods.

I was stumped, and could only repeat the AAP's stance. Kathy, do you
have any thoughts on this? Does this fit with the anthropologist's
view?

>
>The posting to LactNet about normal weaning ages being 2.5 years to 7.0
>years is based on my research.  If you have not read it, I highly recommend
>you do so!  You can find it as chapter 2 of "Breastfeeding: Biocultural
>Perspectives."
>
>Saying that there is a normal range for weaning in humans is no different
>from saying there is a normal range of length of gestation, a normal range
>for age at eruption of the first permanent molars, or a normal range for
>first menstruation.  Weaning is a BIOLOGICAL variable.
--
--
Marie Biancuzzo
Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist
[log in to unmask]
Resources to simplify breastfeeding management are available at
http://www.wmc-worldwide.com

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