Breast feeding and sexual intercourse in medieval Norway.

Abstract

A historian asserted in 1986 that couples in medieval Norway had to practice sexual abstinence for 22.5-34.5 months postpartum during lactation. This excused lactating women from fasting during 2 Lents. Fasting constituted no consumption of meat and medieval Norwegians protein sources were cereals milk products and fish therefore fasting could not adversely effect the nurslings. She also claimed that Christianity introduced this taboo to Norway and that it was reinforced in the Borgarthing Law (primarily the 11th century) of southeastern Norway. An opposing historical researcher purported that no data exists to support her claim. For example she said that sexual abstinence during lactation can be traced to the Old Testament yet he claimed that the Bible does not address it anywhere. She then provided the biblical origins (Leviticus 12:1-5 and Maccabees 7:27). Further she reported that this law came about because mens sexual drive is stronger than that of women and men would not allow for a longer period of abstinence. He countered by saying that the law existed because men were the legal guardians of their wives and it forced them to take responsibility for the actions of their wives. She answered this agrument by claiming her personal opinion was irrelevant. He demonstrated that a taboo on sexual abstinence during lactation is more likely to occur in tropical and subtropical climates where protein food sources are limited and carbohydrates dominate. In these societies to protect a breast feeding child from developing kwashiorkor or other forms of malnutrition mothers choose not to have sexual intercourse. Yet medieval Norwegians practiced animal husbandry thereby providing animal proteins in the diet of children.