Strictly anecdotally, I will say that nursing children seem to latch 
ever less effectively and/or less comfortably throughout the toddler 
and preschool years.  The style of nursing definitely changes over 
time.  Mothers who tandem nurse find that it feels weird when the 
older child is at the breast, compared to the relative naturalness of 
the baby's suckling.  This gradual decline of suckling proficiency in 
older children could be considered slow atrophy, I suppose.

Something that points more clearly toward atrophy is that older 
children seem to forget very quickly how to nurse, once they are 
weaned.  When a weaned child who nursed for years and years wants to 
suckle again, it can be shocking to find that s/he no longer knows 
how.  This can happen in just a few weeks' time.  I've known a number 
of mothers who were very surprised by this, myself included.

Interesting question!

Margaret
Longmont, CO


At 7:30 PM +0100 6/17/08, Morgan Gallagher wrote:
>
>So, in other words, a huge big puzzle!  With no doubt, no research 
>in any direction.
>
>Pour your wisdom and references upon me wise ones! Does this house 
>believe in a natural atrophy point, or not?  And if it does, how 
>does it happen?  One wonders how/when primates wean....
>
>Morgan Gallagher

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