I agree with Liz Baldwin's post, that extended breastfeeding will never
become the norm if we all hide it.  However, I also understand the fear the
average mother has of having her child taken away from her -- even if only
for a few short hours.

That is why I have asked (based on a suggestion from Rhoda Taylor of Canada)
that people whose children are now grown be willing to speak up on any and
all occasions about how long their children nursed.  It has been my
privelege to receive lots of stories in addition to the answers to the
survey questions for my extended breastfeeding survey, and it really saddens
me to receive surveys from several people in the same city who are nursing
beyond 3 years who say they feel isolated, alone, afraid, because they are
the only person they know who is breastfeeding this many years.  I long to
be able to put them in contact with one another, but cannot, because I
promised everyone confidentiality.

I have myself nursed a big child in public and have *never* been hassled.
On Easter morning, 1994, I nursed Alex (almost 3 years old and BIG for his
age) at the Denver Zoo, sitting on a bench inside the pyramid/rain forest
exhibit, with lots of people walking by.  Three different zoo employees came
over and sat down next to me over the course of an hour, and none of them
said anything about Alex nursing.

I do agree with Liz that those of us who *can* have an obligation to behave
and speak out about the normality of children nursing for many years.  It
*is* possible to teach children to be non-racist in a racist society, to
teach them to be non-sexist in a sexist society, and to support
species-normal behaviors such as extended breastfeeding in a society that
defines it as bizarre and unhealthy.  We just have to keep fighting, and not
be quiet and polite and discreet about it.






Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University