I was struck by Lana's comment about the term "extended" breastfeeding making it sound like this is "beyond the normal course" of nursing. This reminds me of the JHL editorial "Watch your language" which cautioned us that when we speak of the "benefits" of BF or the "decrease" in SIDS, we obscure the fact that nursing is what a human child requires and expects (physiologically speaking) , and what we mean is that ABM has risks, is sub-standard, and INCREASES a child's risk for SIDS. Maybe we should refer to moms who nurse beyond a year, or whatever, as moving along "the nursing curve". All children move along statistical curves as they walk and talk. These are normal human behaviors which occur in their time, with various levels of outside encouragement from grown-ups. Weaning, whether as the intro of solids at the appropriate time, or the cessation of nursing, is a human developmental milestone as well. Under normal circumstanes it should not be forced. Skill aquisition differs from child to child, but occurs somewhere along the statistical curve, at the place that is right for the individual. Most parents do not force their child to walk at 12 months, no on can force a child to speak til he's ready, and many have realized that toilet learning come in its own time as well. Society needs to be constantly reminded that the 2 year old nursling is the human NORM, not the abberation. There is little to gain,( that ole perception of freedom?) and much to lose from premature weaning. Ms. Dettwyler should be required reading for all MDs and their families, to try to normalize the horribly skewed cultural perspective they take for reality. As a normal human skill and behavior nursing ends when it is time for it to end. I tell parents that developmental skills, like weaning, are like opening a door. Some children will run over to the door, throw it open and run through- others need us to open the door for them., stand in the doorway, or begin to walk through saying" gee it looke nice out there. shall we go there together?" Eventually all children will cross through. People are so used to hands-off parenting, and they hear its' "Benefits" everywhere, that seeing a normal, close, mother-child bond looks weird to them , oppressive, "Too much mother" as Gloria Steinam said. We just have to keep on saying and showing what human norms actually are. Even amongst ourselves, comments in a recent post such as that a mother/ child wouldn't get any"longevity awards in the LLL-IBCLC crowd" for their length of nursing lose sight of this as a DEVELOPMENTAL skill, not a race where the longest nurser wins. The way our children "win" is when we respect their path and pace, and encourage/support them in whatever way they require. I call this "Developmental Parenting". Thanks to JHL and Ms. Dettwyler, and others for reminding us what being human is really like. Judy, Brooklyn, NY PS. Russell Stover makes some delicious dark chocolate, dairyless, Easter eggs, and peeps- if you don't mind the gelatin-, are usually dairy free as well. (Peeps are those yellow chicks in the packages...) Kosher holiday foods can make choices easy as well. Happy HolyDay eating.