Have been fascinated by this thread . . . since literature/reading is one of
my other passions, I have sort of informally collected a few quotes
re:breastfeeding.  One of my earliest memories of breastfeeding is one in A
Tree Grows in Brooklyn, it was brought up in my Creative Writing class as a
senior in high school, it is a rather negative quote regarding a 5 year old
who still nurses, it evoked quite a lot of discussion.  There were only 11
students in the class, so our discussions got quite personal at times, I
still remember some of the 'disgusted' feelings of some of my fellow
students.  Since longterm breastfeeding is part of my family history, my
great-grandmother nursing her 2 youngest until they were 6 or 7 years old, I
found the quote disgusting but not the behavior, so found myself being a
dissenting voice.  I remember comparing nursing long term to my using a
pacifier to go to sleep till I was 5 or 6, and my uncle sucking his thumb
till he was 18 y/o and joined the army.  However, I can't find the direct
quote, I'm thumbing through my copy of the book, so unless someone else finds
it first I will post it when I find it.

Here are some of the quotes I can find:

The babe at first feeds upon the mother's bosom, but it is always on her
heart. - - Henry Ward Beecher

A few from Shakespeare:

'Cleopatra:  Peace!  peace!  Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, that
sucks the nurse asleep?'

Lady Macbeth:  I have given such, and know how tender 'tis to love the babe
that milks me:  I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my
nipple from his boneless gums, And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as
you Have done to this.'

the Nurse from Romeo & Juliet: . . .On Lammas-eve at night shall she be
fourteen;  That shall she, marry; I remember it well.  'Tis since the
earthquake now eleven years; And she was wean'd, - - I never shall forget it,
- Of all the days of the year, upon that day:  For I had then laid wormwood
to my dug, Sitting in the sun under the dove-house wall;  My lord and you
were then at Mantua:  Nay, I do bear a brain: - but, as I said When it did
taste the wormwood on the nipple of my dug, and felt it bitter, pretty fool,
To see it tetchy, and fall out with the dug! . . .'

Winston Churchhill:  There is no finer investment for any community than
putting milk into babies."  Radio Broad cast, 21 March 1943  (Actually I
don't know that this refers to breastfeeding, but it was my understanding
that other baby milks were scarce during WWII, and I think this would make a
great rallying cry for breastfeeding.)

Song of Solomon:  'O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of
my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should
not be despised.  I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house.'

Kathe Catone  ([log in to unmask])