Is long-term breastfeeding nature's way or an unhealthy practice? Is it a form of sexual abuse? Do controlling mothers coerce children into continuing, or are they meeting the child's innate need? Does sustained breastfeeding impact negatively on child physical and emotional health, or does it have a positive effect? Do mothers pay a price? Does the practice affect the couple relationship? Does truncated breastfeeding leave emotional wounds, and do men especially suffer? When did early earning become established practice in the weatern world? Is sustained breastfeeding a feminist issue?

Drawing on child development therories, neuroscience research, archaeological and anthropological findings, Breastfeeding Older Children explore the myths and reality of this taboo practice. In survey questionnaire extracts, from 48 countries, the voices of mothers, father and children also speak out.

Breastfeeding Older Children will appeal to all concerned with infant feeding and child health, as wll as those with an interest in prehistory and the origins of western culture.

Ann Sinnott has written on health and children's issues for national newspapers and magazines. In 1994, she was accepted into leader training with La Leche League. She lives in Cambridge with her 17 year-old daughter.