In a message dated 5/28/01 8:32:26 AM Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


> http://www.onebox.com/p/n4GfJcQKA32i83blIOWaEAAGAAEACQAACdk@/

Thanks Betsy for your comments!

While working with La Leche League and the Mississippi WIC Breastfeeding
Program, I had several opportunities to question my own preference to nurse
my older "babies" (3 years and over) in private. (They would happily nurse
ANYWHERE!)

 I finally reached the personal conclusion, that it is not always necessary
to actually do the nursing in public. It is however, sometimes appropriate to
mention that I am still nursing. How is a mother to know that this is a
legitimate option if she is unaware that it is being done?

 So, my personal decision was to mention, [especially to mothers who
indicated that their baby (1yr, 18 months, 20 months) still really needed to
nurse] that many children continue to nurse to 3, 4 or even 5 years. That
this option is OK, as long as the mother is comfortable with it. That as a
child matures, his need to nurse can be only a nip a day ... and that all
children do wean.

I agree that being too blatant with public nursing of older children can turn
some mothers away. I have seen this happen in La Leche League. Mothers who
attend meetings pregnant, who state a desire to breastfeed, then change their
mind when they see a 3 year old still nursing. It seems some mothers do not
"get it" that they can Breasted and make their own decisions about weaning
their child, or letting the child wean himself.

Laura Wright
Jackson, MS

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html