Well, this world never ceases to amaze me. The normal cut-off period is usual 12 to 15 months. Although I have the creeping suspicion there's alot more to the fetish. Without going too deep into psychology of those affect, one woman told me it keeps her breast perky and well defined.

http://tinyurl.com/brakldx

Is this the only reason? just to look youthful?

Your thoughts.

cc

Plant,

I think you're way off beam thinking that women just want to look youthful. Any woman who is fastidious about her figure in that respect is probably more likely to dispense with breastfeeding sooner rather than later.

Many women in the West experience great difficulty with breastfeeding. I didn't experience any difficulties. I breastfed both my children, one for fifteen months and the other a lot longer.
If breastfeeding goes well and mum and bub establish a good routine, it's the easiest thing in the world. Apart from nourishment, it's relaxing for both and establishes a healthy bond between mother and child.
By the time an infant is well-established on solids and is growing older, the act of breastfeeding becomes a more psychologically nurturing activity. After twelve months, both my children were more likely to feed to sleep as being close to mum and relaxing was the main benefit of the experience.
In traditional societies, infants usually stay at the breast until the next baby appears.

I sometimes think you guys don't get the breastfeeding thing - often seeming to read something selfish or sinister in the exercise.
Women have breasts in order to nurture their young, any sexual allure is an adjunct to their prime purpose.

Hell it's so convenient, I can't imagine why you would do it any other way.

When you are going somewhere for some hours, all you have to do is remember to take the wife, & that's it.

Using bottles you have to plan in advance to sterilise the bottles, teats & other paraphernalia, boil the water in advance, & let it cool, find the thing the teats are kept/carried in etc, & the formula, what a production. Much easier to gust grab the bird, as you pick up the kid.

Our eldest had sailed over 2000 nautical miles before her first birthday. We spent 8 days sheltering behind an island, about 70 miles from the nearest habitation, in a howling gale at one stage during one passage.

It would have been great to run out of formula, [plastic food we called it], for the baby during that time. Much easier to take the milk factory with you.

It's not so much that 'guys don't get the breastfeeding thing'... but, in my humble psychological opinion, more the chagrin of being unable to contribute, compounded by the presence of nipples as a constant reminder of what we are denied.

In any event, breastfeeding is definitely not a good look by the time any secondary teeth are erupting.

Hasbeen,

For once we agree! (will wonders never cease?)

The one thing that struck me when I had my first child, was the situation of interrupted sleep, followed shortly after by the realisation that all I had to do in the middle of the night was to get up, quickly change baby and then snuggle down and let the baby feed. No drama at all. Same with going places. It's possible to feed a bub inconspicuously even in public.

WmTrevor,

Talking of teeth in general when breastfeeding. Both my kids got their first teeth at around four months - and more as we went along. But the art of sucking breast milk doesn't require teeth or mastication, so the teeth remained unengaged in the proceedings - in the wings, so to speak.

I appreciate the information, Poirot… since I'm not an expert in dentition – better at mastication since I've had more years of practice.

My talking of breastfeeding in general when teething was addressing the issue of age appropriateness – I did say secondary, not primary tooth eruption.

Maybe I should have expressed it as not a good look when the child is still being breastfed at an age when it is able to do this whilst both mother and child are standing?