[lettie]

Personally I think that breastfeeding up to 2 years old is perfectly acceptable. Many babies after the age of 12 months only require a night feed.

There are many countries where breastfeeding older children is part of the culture and considered normal. Here in the West we have other options and are lucky in that respect.

In Nepal it is customary for the Grandmother to breastfeed the baby while the mother works. Here it would be considered sick and wrong but over there it is normal practise. Women in Scandinavia are often seen feeding toddlers and older children in public places. Breastfeeding is the norm over there, women are paid and given more time off work in order to do it and nobody bats an eyelid because it is normal.

Bear in mind that exclusive breastfeeding delays ovulation and for some women, especially in the Third World, it is their only form of contraception. Women have no power in these countries and cannot insist that their husband use a condom. Many of these women have no access to the pill, femidom, diaphragm, sponge or depo-provera.

Personally I would have to draw the line at feeding an older child, but that is my own personal preference.