Elisheva's post set me musing....

Is weaning at 2.5 years of age any more "normal" than weaning at an earlier
age?

It strikes me that almost all breastfeeding in Western cultures is some kind
of compromise between the biological needs of the child and cultural
influences stressing autonomy.

We all shake our heads when we hear a mother swear her baby "self-weaned" at
5 months, because we know  she either misread her baby's interest in her
surroundings, or gave up in the face of what was  a nursing strike.

Most of us recognize that a mother who gives solids before breastfeeding for
all meals and snacks has contributed to the weaning of her 15 month old,
although mom reports"he just gradually lost interest in nursing and weaned
himself."

I'm just wondering how many 2.5 year olds are really "self-weaning" versus
the dyad being influenced by societal norms and taboos.

Kathy D. or others who work in non-Western cultures, is  self-weaning common
as early as 2.5?  I would speculate not(if co-sleeping and given continued
access to the breast)  But perhaps that's just my own bias.

Curious in Philadelphia,

Karen Kavesh....Speech-Language Pathologist, breastfeeding enthusiast, mom of
2

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