Breastfeeding 1-2-3 » bats http://www.blisstree.com/breastfeeding123 Breastfeeding 1-2-3: A Blog for Breastfeeding Tips and Support Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:49:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Holy Bat Breasts, Batman! http://www.blisstree.com/breastfeeding123/holy-bat-breasts-batman/ http://www.blisstree.com/breastfeeding123/holy-bat-breasts-batman/#comments Sat, 07 Oct 2006 18:15:20 +0000 Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor http://breastfeeding123.com/holy-bat-breasts-batman/ Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

]]> I recently witnessed a live-bat program sponsored by the Organization for Bat Conservation. As my daughters and I marveled at the tiny fruit bat cradled before us, the presenter mentioned that bats are mammals. In fact, they are the only mammals that can fly (not counting flying squirrels or flying lemurs, which actually glide rather than fly). The fact that bats are mammals also means that they have mammary glands and nurse their pups up to six months of age. Studies of fruit bats show that

 

“pups nurse until they are 95% of adult skeletal size (Kurta and Kunz 1987, Barclay 1995) and during that time the female provides their total nutrition through extended lactation.”

Perhaps the bats have been listening to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding up to at least six months of age?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

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