For those wishing to read an informal, laywoman's survey of nursing babies
past one year which evolved on one of the newsgroups, see the following
information.

Misc.kids Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
BREASTFEEDING PAST THE FIRST YEAR
Archive-name: misc-kids/breastfeeding/toddlers
Collection maintained by: Kim Smith <[log in to unmask]>
Last updated: 3-23-95
==================================================================

Pam Wilson compiled this compendium of advice on nursing
(and eventually weaning) toddlers from responses received to a
query Pam posted on misc.kids in late August, 1993, when her son
(Nolan Timothy Wilson Smith) had his first birthday.  They were separated
into a survey questionnaire format.  The original questions are listed
below, followed by responses grouped by question.

The questions in the FAQ are arranged as follows:

A. How long did you (or do you plan to) breastfeed your child?

B. After the first year, how frequently did you nurse? Were you on a
     regular schedule, or not?

C. After the first year, did you nurse on demand, whenever the child
     requested, or only when you wanted to?

D. When did you stop, and why?  Was it your initiative, or the child's?
     -If the child inititiated cutting back, how did this happen?
     -If you initiated weaning, how did you satisfy the child's
          emotional needs?

E. About breastfeeding moms: When did your period return? How long
     were you able to go without feeding (eg on a trip away from
     the baby) without problems?

F. In what ways do you feel that you and/or your child have benefitted
     from long-term breastfeeding? Why would you encourage someone to
     continue past the first year?

G. How has breastfeeding affected you (the mother) physically?
     (eg, side effects, weight gain or loss, increased or decreased
     appetite, energy level, sex drive, etc.)

H. Anything else I left out?

To contribute to this collection, please send e-mail to the address given
above, and ask me to add your comments to the FAQ file on "Breastfeeding Past
the First Year."  Please try to be as concise as possible, as these FAQ files
tend to be quite long as it is.  And, unless otherwise requested, your name
and e-mail address will remain in the file, so that interested readers may
follow-up directly for more information/discussion.

For a list of other FAQ topics, check out misc.kids.info or news.answers


Also appended to this FAQ are (1) a summary compiled by Laura Dolson
<[log in to unmask]> which deals with issues of long-term breastfeeding; (2)
additional questions compiled by Elizabeth Gene <[log in to unmask]> on
tandem nursing and code words used in public; and (3) a compilation by
Marilyn Walker <[log in to unmask]> on pumping past the first year
and "olympic freestyle" nursers.



[log in to unmask] (Arly Helm, LC)