I am involved in a comparative research project that is applying "hard-core
demographic history techniques," and the effects that Kristen describes are
quite strong. Breastfeeding did lengthen birth intervals and reduce overall
fertility. Also, longer birth intervals increased the survival chances of
infants.
However, it is much more difficult to say whether mothers increased the
duration of breastfeeding with the intention of reducing family size. The
quantitative evidence does not provide a clear answer to that kind of
question. In the area that I study (Eastern Belgium in the 19th century),
birth intervals actually became shorter in the mid-nineteenth century.
(Knodel sees the same thing in Germany.) We think that this was probably due
to an improvement in nutrition rather than a change in breastfeeding, but
its hard to be sure.
My own view is that changes in breastfeeding were probably more related to
the widespread debate about its effects on infant health (e.g. Rousseau). As
Lloyd points out, the dramatic differences in wetnursing behavior across
Europe raise important historical questions.
George Alter
Indiana University
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