Diane W. wrote: But what about the one
who weans at 14 months?  Was the weaning influenced by bfing management?
Cultural expectations?  The way solids were introduced or sleep was
structured?  Was it a perfectly normal weaning and I needn't give it another
thought?  What's a problem we can help a mother avoid and what's just a
combination of normal events and personalities that represents one end of
the bell curve?


Would any of the people on the list who had children who weaned "early" (for
example, younger than 2.5 years) care to contribute some data on this?
Looking back, can you see any factors which might have contributed or
problems that might have been influential? Or does it seem to you to have
had more to do with personality than anything else? I suggest this not in
terms of being critical of anyone's parenting, breastfeeding or anything
else - but just as a way of gathering data that might be useful in the
future.

My eldest, for example, was just under 2.5 years when he weaned. I think
that some of it was personality - he was a relatively independent little guy
from quite early on, more interested in exploring the neighbourhood than
cuddling up to nurse. While I was pregnant, he got to like the slow flow of
milk, and complained a lot after his sister was born that there was too much
milk. He wanted to nurse only on fairly empty breasts. This was especially a
problem for him at night, when he didn't want to be gulping down large
quantities of milk as he nursed to sleep. He weaned completely by the time
she was four or five months old.

But I can also see other factors. I certainly started him on solids earlier
than any of my others (5 months) and also gave him lots of other drinks
starting at 6 months or so - mostly juices as I was concerned about milk
allergies. He guzzled large amounts of orange juice (always from a cup) in
particular.

My others started on solids much later and I didn't give them any drinks
other than my milk for at least the first year. Then I started with a little
water if they wanted. Small amounts of diluted juice at around 18 months or
so.

Probably other factors, too, if I think about it more.

Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario

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