I remember reading the Fildes book about this, some of the reasons to not
breastfeed did come from the churches.  Not so much from the writings but
more of a social idea that the clergy supported.  While most people who
study religious writings will note that toddler nursing is considered the
norm and what good mothers do, cultural changes and ideas can seep in.

What I remember most (it's been awhile since I read the book and it is now
in storage during our remodel) was the idea of upper class people should
have more children since they would "further society" (in other words they
were the doctors, teachers, etc) and extended breastfeeding lowered
fertility.  Also some areas and times had the concept of milk purity or
richness (talks about the tests for a good wet nurse, if the milk was thick
enough to stay on the fingernail, what she ate, her personality traits, how
she lived her life, etc) and the idea was being sexually active while
nursing "ruined" the milk for the baby and since nice upper class men
shouldn't have to wait months or years to have sex with their wives (and
good wives knew it was their duty) they should have wet nurses.  Many
clergymen knowing this was the predominant idea would occassionaly add these
ideas in their sermons - making people think it was religious doctrine.

What I found most interesting in the section about the good qualities of a
wet nurse, the author wondered how many people followed the no sex while
breastfeeding ideal since the main reason for firing the wet nurse and
looking for another was that the wet nurse was pregnant again!  If you can
find a copy of this book (now out of print) it was very interesting since
while not nursing your own child was common in certain areas/times most wet
nurses where employeed for years by the same family and talked of how
devastated some children were when the wet nurse was let go.

Felicia Henry
CBE, exam '05 hopeful and when time permits a big reader

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