Hello All,

In this interesting new study, anthropologists examined infant bones from a 19th-century rural Dutch dairy farming community, finding little to no evidence of breastfeeding.    

Title:  Isotopic reconstruction of short to absent breastfeeding in a 19th century rural Dutch community.

In:  PLOS One April 13, 2022.   https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265821

Authors:  Andrea L. Waters-Rist, Kees de Groot, Menno L. P. Hoogland.

Abstract:  "Artificial feeding of young infants is considered a modern phenomenon. However, historical sources note its practice in some past European populations. This research explores factors that contributed to a short to absent period of breastfeeding in pre-modern Netherlands. Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis is undertaken on 277 19th century individuals from Beemster, a, rural, mainly Protestant, dairy farming community. An intra-individual sampling approach for ≤6 year-olds compares newer metaphyseal to older diaphyseal long bone collagen to classify feeding status at death. Archivally identified individuals permit analyses of sex and year-of-death. Few infants have isotopic evidence for breastfeeding and, if present, it was likely of short duration or a minor source of dietary protein. From only a few weeks to months of age infants were fed cow’s milk and paps with sugar. There is broad dietary homogeneity with no sex or temporal isotopic differences, but young infants (1–11 months) have the most ẟ15N and ẟ13C variation highlighting the effect of multiple dietary and physiological processes. Beemster had many factors associated with high rates of breastfeeding in other Dutch communities, yet most mothers did not breastfeed, or not for long, showing that regional variation in infant feeding is influenced by community values and traditions. On top of child rearing and domestic chores, female dairy farmers were in charge of milking cattle and dairy production, an important income source, suggesting high workload was also a factor in short or absent breastfeeding periods, aided by the constant supply of fresh milk that could be fed to an infant by an older sibling."

Open access:  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265821

News release from Western University includes comments from senior author Angela L. Waters-Rist, an anthropology professor and expert in human osteoarchaeology:  https://news.westernu.ca/2022/04/busy-mothers-breastfeeding/

With kind regards,

Debbie

Debra Swank, RN BSN IBCLC
Program Director
More Than Reflexes Education
Elkins, West Virginia USA
http://www.MoreThanReflexes.org

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