It helps us to feel close and loving, which can be especially helpful in weathering the irrational demands and emotional upheavals of toddlers. No matter how tense I feel when I sit down to nurse my youngest child, almost invariably we both get up feeling relaxed and cheerful. Cultural Attitudes . Apparently not, because there is no indication that nursing beyond one year has any negative effects, and there is ample evidence of its benefits. There are probably several factors involved.
Doctors are subject to trends in cultural thinking like everyone else.
And the trend in parenting these days seems to be toward expecting precocious development and early independence in children. An emphasis on early weaning seems to fit in with the overall trend toward encouraging early independence. Ironically, early forced weaning may actually hinder emotional development and increase dependency needs, in the opinion of Dr. Waletzky and many others. Another influence on attitudes toward weaning may be the hurried pace of our society. Unrestricted nursing is not thought to be compatible with modern lifestyles.