This message is in response to the recent post about a child's day care
provider suggesting weaning for a breastfed toddler who was sticking his
hands down her shirt.  This is normal toddler behavior!  I've seen it in
other day care kids (breast and bottle fed). My two older children (now 6
and 4) still find comfort in laying their head on my chest.  My four year
old son still pats my breasts before he lays his head down on them for
comforting (he weaned at 8 months).  He sometimes wants to play with the
buttons on my shirt.  That is his signal to me that he wants to be held. He
has seen his baby sister nurtured at the breast since the day she was born.
 My little guy will know from an early age about what breasts are really
for.

My point is that these children find comfort and love at their mother's
breast, even when they aren't breastfed.  They want to be comforted in the
arms of someone they care about.  In this situation, it is the arms and
breasts of his caregivers.  If messing around with their shirts bothers
them so, they can say no!  He's trying to tell them he's needing some
comforting.  How unfortunate that they don't see it that way.

Maurenne Griese

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