Des risques de la petite enfance à la fin du XVIIe siècle. Gestation, allaitement et mortalité

Abstract

The sexual taboo during breast-feeding which avoids, as pregnant woman's milk is reputed harmful to the suckling, to wean him pre- maturely and to put his life in danger, would express this renewal of attention to the young child in the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries. A study of births and children's deaths succession in rural families of the Ancien Regime doesn't confirm the respect of this interdict. And yet, among the infants who are faced with the trial of a younger pregnancy, very few died. The demographie incidence on mortality of children till four is insignificant. Then, we must accept that the pregnant mother does not generally keep her child away from a yet bountiful breast, unless lactation were superseded by bottle-feeding, which is closely subjected to the household cattle.