I found this interesting article about weaning: Natural Age of Weaning. The author has looked into variables that affect weaning in other animals (especially primates), and then made predictions on when a human’s natural age of weaning would be based on those. She also discusses the benefits of extended nursing. Now obviously humans are different than animals, even primates, but it’s definitely a point of view I hadn’t considered before and the research is a good read. I’m a scientist at heart. I love researching and reading and so things like this are right up my alley.
I’ve always planned on nursing to at least two years. After that, we’ll see. I can’t see myself ever forcefully weaning for any reason. Though thinking of nursing a four year old seems odd to me too, but I think that’s more because of the society I grew up in and not because I think there’s anything wrong with it. Most people know that the WHO recommends breastfeeding to at least age two. I’ve heard various arguments against that, the most common being that other countries don’t have clean water, but here in North America we don’t have to worry about that. Health Canada and Breastfeeding Committee for Canada both recommend breastfeeding to two years or longer though, so that argument doesn’t make sense. (Both Canada and the US should have longer maternity leaves if they want mothers to realistically meet these recommendations though, and should also make information about delaying solids and baby-led introduction to solids much more available. I think even making it to a year in the US is something to be proud of these days.) If you read the article I linked above, she discusses studies that have shown clear benefits to breastfeeding for two years or longer.
Meredith is still nursing as much as ever (if not more, as she gets bigger). Considering that when she was younger she seemed so interested in solids that I was worried she would wean early, now she barely touches anything besides breast milk some days.
Speaking of animals and weaning, my mom has a cat who had kittens last year. Two of the kittens lived at their house for over six months. (One is still there.) Both of those kittens would still nurse occasionally at 5 months old (when they were bigger than their mom), which is the equivalent of a 6 year old human child.
Aristotle at 5 months with his mom Kat
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No wonder Aris is so Cr-Azy! (Just kidding – I heart him) and those two are adorable!
[...] while ago, I posted an article about the Natural Age of Weaning by Dr. Katherine Dettwyler. I recently found another article by the same person about childhood [...]