HIT: Calico Captive

[Karen DeFrank <defrank@VOICENET.COM>]

Hello, Friends,

I received a few answers about Calico Captive.  I had asked if anyone knew
why the mother did not nurse her brand new baby during the journey with the
Indians from New Hampshire to Montreal.
Now I am wondering...is Elizabeth Speare still living?  Does anyone have an
address for her?  If not, I may write to her in care of the publisher....
Following are the answers I received...
* * * * * * * *
What little I know about the Puritans, they have really gotten "bad
press" over the years.  We blame them for a lot of prudish behavior that
they wouldn't know what we were talking about.  I feel that nursing your
baby was probably completely natural with them.
I wonder if the mother didn't have milk because of the harsh conditions
she was under.  Being captured and made to march many miles with little
food, water, rest, etc. probably made her milk stop.
* * * * * * * *
Is it possible it was written during a time when breast feeding wasn't
popular.  My mother laments that "it wasn't the thing to do" when I was a
baby (mid 50's).  Speare may have felt she was protecting readers from an
"unsuitable" practice
* * * * * * * *
I doubt that Puritans considered it indecent - many historical novels or
references mention "wetnurses" as sort of a profession - women who were
hired to nurse an infant when the mother couldn't or (in the case of a
noblewoman) preferred to get back into society/courtlife rather than
continue nursing. Most infants were probably nursed a minimum of a year, so
this could put a big dent in one's social life. . . As for the average
family, (mother) nursing was certainly the norm.  Religious views
notwithstanding, something as natural as nursing (and certainly biblically
endorsed!) would not have been offensive to them.
I didn't read the book, but during a tramatic incident like being taken
captive, it could certainly caused her to dry up, especially if food or
water were in short supply for everyone. A nursing mother uses
(approximately) an additional 700 calories per day in order to nurse
sufficiently.
It's also quite possible that the author just didn't want to speak of it
(nursing) or felt that it might have repercussions in an elementary school
setting. . .
* * * * * * * *
I imagine that the woman who delivered the baby couldn't make milk for
her baby. This could happen from the stress of the capture, the harsh
conditions of the travel, as well as not eating enough milk, and
nourishing foods herself.


Karen DeFrank
Bullock Elementary School
Glassboro, NJ  08028-3008
"I'll die broke, but well read."  Ken Umbach

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