[Finny]

Good post -- I hadn't thought of the advantages of breasteeding in order to avoid pregnancy! I just re-read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last year, A very moving and informative book. Even there, though, it boils down to the parent lacking the moxie to exercise proper discipline of the kid. And somehow, I doubt very much that toddler breastfeeding was common or accepted in public places. Certainly in the days and circles of Jane Austen, in the early 1800s, public breastfeeding would have been vulgar beyond words. And again, in the Pioneer West, where women were busy with crucial chores from morning 'til night, I imagine it was a slovenly mother who would tolerate it, and an exhibitionist who would breastfeed toddlers in public, when standards of modesty were much more strict than today.

Discreet public breastfeeding of a babe in arms is one thing. Allowing a 3-year-old to bully a woman into exposing herself in public was probably as indicative of bad priorities then as it is now.

[miss marmelstein]

I agree that public breastfeeding was probably very discreet in the past - especially in Anglo-Saxon cultures. In fact, during my years of interest in fashion, I remember seeing many beautiful bibs for concealing women’s breasts.

As far as the American West (and agricultural life in general) is concerned, one of the reasons they had big families was to aid in the taking care of those crucial chores. It probably freed up some of mom’s time to feed her kiddies.

If I can recommend another book to you about this: try a beautiful book called “Larkrise to Candleford.” It’s about rural life in England during the 1880s. One of the most wonderful books I have ever read.

But I guess we can agree that the Time cover was disgusting!