Poirot,
I agree with you,(wonders will never cease), and Hasbeen.

Breast feeding is the most natural thing in the world. I do not understand how anyone could object to public nursing.

All women should breast feed for as long as they like or able.

I think it is other women that are more likely to object to public nursing, than men.

I further do not understand why some women have all sorts of problems. Is there not madications available that can induce milk production.

WmTrevor,

Yes, I did get the point to which you were alluding - just thought I'd mention my experience.

Banjo,

There are a few things that can go awry - cracked and sore nipples, mastitis, poor milk production, anxiety, etc...so I think you'd have to experience those things to understand why some women don't go on breastfeeding. Some women simply don't like the experience of breastfeeding.

Many women become over anxious at this time. The best thing is to relax and see how it goes. I had a very slight problem with one nipple after my second (many years after my first child), it was hardly anything but it made it almost impossible for my son to feed from that particular side - so I fed him the whole time from one side...no problems at all, but I think it's because I was relaxed about it.

Dear Poirot,

I'm one of those women of whom you speak.
I had a bugger of a time with breast-feeding.
Sore cracked nipples, bleeding, screaming babies,
and so on. My children were born in the US (Los
Angeles) where formula was the accepted way. I
remember the nurse in hospital telling me - "You
don't have to do this." And my telling her rather
feebly that I wanted to at least try. I had little
support for it though. I did persevere for three to five
months - and finally caved in to formula.

To-day, watching how easily my daughter-in-law does
it - I feel somewhat ashamed. But at that time I simply
wasn't able to cope very well on my own. Watching the
formula disappear quickly was somewhat reassuring,
and I knew exactly how much my child was getting. Still
if it was today - I think I'd do things differently.

Poirot,
Thanks for that. I am aware of the physical things such as cracked and sore nipples and mastitas.

However I was thinking more about poor milk production.

Is it genetic? In animals poor milk supply means the young die and the line dies out and only those mothers with good milk supply get to raise their young.

I would have thought that modern day medicine would be able to stimulate the milk supply. Or do medicos simply say that is bad luck, feed the infant formula. Mothers in third world countries do not have that option.

I truly think breast feeding is better for both.
This however needs a better look at why a 3 year old is being breast fed still.
Not a fetish, a belief that closeness between mum and child is better for both.
That the child will be less aggressive.
My view is at that age different ways can be found to do that, not breast feeding.
I applaud the post 1960,s parents,those who care, many do not at all.
My childhood, well loved but not well cared for, saw kids treated not as well.
But I do not agree with women who want to take the man out of boys.
Our whole travel, from cave to today, has seen that man needed, to defend us all.
One woman I knew crafted a motherly love plan for those in her care,and unable to handle the real world every one crashed and burned there.

Lexi,

You should never feel ashamed, you gave it a go. I'm trying to imagine having sore and cracked nipples, and having a baby latch on and suck vigorously. OUCH! What happens then is that every time the mother tries to feed, she tenses up to prepare for the pain and then stays tense while she endures the pain. The baby picks up on that and becomes tense and fractious also. In that case, I would recommend switching to a bottle.

Well yeah, Belly, I get what you are saying. My little guy was going on three when we finally called it a day. He was mainly doing it for comfort by then once or twice a day. But the thing was that it didn't seem to be harming him. He wasn't overly clingy, or clingy at all, so we just sort of trundled on because we were happy. So far so good, he's still a confident young man.

Banjo,

I don't know what they can do for poor milk production as it wasn't part of my experience. I suppose people in traditional societies just have to persevere with feeding difficulties, but then the womenfolk do gather round with advice and help. We're a bit more isolating in the West.