Responding late to Morgan's post, and agreeing with previous comments
by others.
In my experience a typical breastfeeding three year old can handle
much longer gaps than 4 hours without the breastfeeding being
jeopardized.  I agree, keep the breastfeeding well out of the parents'
conflict.  The mother stands to gain nothing and possibly to lose more
if a judge starts interfering in the breastfeeding relationship
because it is perceived as an attempt to sabotage contact with the
father.
If there is another compelling reason why it would be bad for the
child to spend more than four hours once a week with his father, the
mother should say what that is and the discussion should be about
that, not about breastfeeding.  If the only reason she can come up
with to prevent the father and child being together is that it would
disrupt the child's 'regular breastfeeding at specific times' on
Saturdays, then I am almost tempted to say it's high time he was
allowed to deviate from the schedule.  I'm hoping this interpretation
was from the legal consultant and not the mother's own words.
Like Laurie, I know that there may be very good reasons for the mother
to oppose more contact between the father and the child but I think
she would be extremely unwise to use breastfeeding as an excuse,
because unless this child has very special needs (and he might well
have, I don't know) the breastfeeding would likely do just fine even
if he were to be away for a couple of days at a stretch.

From the forwarded info in Morgan's post:
'In particular, it is of great significance whether it is more important
for the child x to have regular breastfeeding at specific times on a
Saturday, rather than to have contact with his father for periods of
longer than four hours. In other words we need expert guidance on how
important it is to the child x for the breastfeeding to be maintained on
a Saturday.'

I hope they are able to find a solution that protects the child's best
interests, which would mean not depriving the child of getting to know
a father who wants to spend time with him, and not forcing the child
to wean.

Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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