I was just reading The Nursing Mother's Guide to Weaning, which has an interesting introductory section on the age of weaning through history. This quote put the poster in context:
"...by 1915 [the recommended age of weaning] had declined to seven to eight months. Several trends coincided, moreover, to make many women wean earlier than recommended and others fail at breastfeeding or never even attempt it. First, women spent more time away from home; while the Industrial Revolution sent poor women into factories, some wealthy women entered professions, and even more joined volunteer organizations...At the same time, the extreme prudishness of Victorian culture made public breastfeeding inconceivable...
Thanks to Amanda for this one!
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