Article: Medieval babes 'thrived because of breastfeeding'

(The Telegraph, London, 23 August 2003 - old article but I hadn't read it
before)

Medieval babes 'thrived because of breastfeeding'
By Roger Highfield and Paul Stokes

Babies in medieval England fared as well as their modern counterparts
because of extended breastfeeding by their mothers, according to tests on
bones found in an abandoned village.

Lengthy breastfeeding was recommended by the classical Roman writer Soranus
in the 1st century AD, which influenced medieval physicians.

Now it seems this advice was heeded by medieval mothers in Yorkshire who
shielded their young from early death by suckling them for up to 18 months.

The first scientific study of breastfeeding habits in medieval England has
found that otherwise malnourished peasants used breastfeeding to avoid
contaminated food and water, and this also helped the babies' immune
systems.

Dr Simon May, of English Heritage's Centre for Archaeology, Portsmouth, led
the research using bones excavated at Wharram Percy in the Yorkshire Wolds,
one of about 3,000 villages abandoned between the 11th and 18th centuries.

He said: "Peasants faced a terrible daily struggle for existence, yet
extended breastfeeding shielded children from the very high levels of infant
mortality we might otherwise expect to see. Infant mortality at Wharram
Percy was much lower than one might expect.
"Indeed, while being breastfed they grew as well as modern babies. But when
it stopped, the environment made its baleful impact, producing slow growth
and widespread disease."
Researchers at Bradford and Oxford universities have used new techniques to
analyse nitrogen isotopes in the bones. Breast milk contains specific
amounts of these, compared with other foods. Using the bones of 80
individuals, they were able to deduce the length and extent of weaning.

By the age of about six to nine months, with mothers incapable of producing
sufficient milk, babies' diets were supplemented by solid foods.
Nevertheless, partial breastfeeding mitigated against the effects of
contaminated food and water until children were over 18 months old.

Dr May added: "Stunted growth really started after this point." Growth rates
of children at Wharram Percy suggest conditions were worse than those of
Victorian workhouse children. Earlier studies revealed that the population
was afflicted by Black Death, rickets and leprosy.

"Rosie" wrote in message
...
(The Telegraph, London, 23 August 2003 - old article but I hadn't read it
before)

Medieval babes 'thrived because of breastfeeding'
By Roger Highfield and Paul Stokes

Babies in medieval England fared as well as their modern counterparts
because of extended breastfeeding by their mothers, according to tests on
bones found in an abandoned village.

Lengthy breastfeeding was recommended by the classical Roman writer
Soranus
in the 1st century AD, which influenced medieval physicians.

Now it seems this advice was heeded by medieval mothers in Yorkshire who
shielded their young from early death by suckling them for up to 18
months.

The first scientific study of breastfeeding habits in medieval England has
found that otherwise malnourished peasants used breastfeeding to avoid
contaminated food and water, and this also helped the babies' immune
systems.

Dr Simon May, of English Heritage's Centre for Archaeology, Portsmouth,
led
the research using bones excavated at Wharram Percy in the Yorkshire
Wolds,
one of about 3,000 villages abandoned between the 11th and 18th centuries.

He said: "Peasants faced a terrible daily struggle for existence, yet
extended breastfeeding shielded children from the very high levels of
infant
mortality we might otherwise expect to see. Infant mortality at Wharram
Percy was much lower than one might expect.
"Indeed, while being breastfed they grew as well as modern babies. But
when
it stopped, the environment made its baleful impact, producing slow growth
and widespread disease."
Researchers at Bradford and Oxford universities have used new techniques
to
analyse nitrogen isotopes in the bones. Breast milk contains specific
amounts of these, compared with other foods. Using the bones of 80
individuals, they were able to deduce the length and extent of weaning.

By the age of about six to nine months, with mothers incapable of
producing
sufficient milk, babies' diets were supplemented by solid foods.
Nevertheless, partial breastfeeding mitigated against the effects of
contaminated food and water until children were over 18 months old.

Dr May added: "Stunted growth really started after this point." Growth
rates
of children at Wharram Percy suggest conditions were worse than those of
Victorian workhouse children. Earlier studies revealed that the population
was afflicted by Black Death, rickets and leprosy.



Cool! I thought this was about the group, Medieval Babes... but interesting
none the less

Lina wrote:

Cool! I thought this was about the group, Medieval Babes... but
interesting none the less

Glad I'm not the only one : )

--
tristyn
www.tristyn.net
"i have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
i do not think that they will sing to me."

"iphigenia" wrote in message
...
Lina wrote:

Cool! I thought this was about the group, Medieval Babes... but
interesting none the less

Glad I'm not the only one : )

--
This made me dig out my albums... lady I miss those girls