Prehistoric Women: Not So Simple, Not So Strange

New Scientist ^ | 3-28-2007 | Germaine Greer

[mamelukesabre]

Yikes!

That's scary. Wouldn't wanna run into that in a dark alley.

[SunkenCiv]

I wonder if there were many surviving conjoined twins in prehistoric times? If so...

[gleeaikin]

"It would be wise to keep as many women pregnant as possible."

Maybe wise, but not so easy. Primative woman often nursed their babies until they were 4 or 5 years old. Nursing inhibits ovulation, so women were less likely to become pregnant more than every 3 or 4 years. By this time the little ones are probably becoming fairly decent foragers themselves, as well as being quite mobile. When my first baby went in for his 18 month checkup, my pediatrician warned me "and never underestimate their capacity to climb."

[gleeaikin]

"It would be wise to keep as many women pregnant as possible."

Maybe wise, but not so easy. Primative woman often nursed their babies until they were 4 or 5 years old. Nursing inhibits ovulation, so women were less likely to become pregnant more than every 3 or 4 years. By this time the little ones are probably becoming fairly decent foragers themselves, as well as being quite mobile. When my first baby went in for his 18 month checkup, my pediatrician warned me "and never underestimate their capacity to climb."

[blam]

"Maybe wise, but not so easy. Primative woman often nursed their babies until they were 4 or 5 years old. Nursing inhibits ovulation, so women were less likely to become pregnant more than every 3 or 4 years."

Nursing longer probably lessened infection for the baby from polluted water and food too.

[mamelukesabre]

Primitive?

According to my grandmother, that was the norm in this country among German and Italian immigrants.

But I've been told that lactating is a contraceptive only in some women.

[mamelukesabre]

Oh, also, my grandmother once told me that rich english men use to hire a "wet nurse" for their wives so that they could get pregnant faster.

[SunkenCiv]

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[afraidfortherepublic]

Germaine Greer? Is she still alive?