A Hindu woman will normally suckle her child for two to three years
after its birth, and even beyond this up to six years if it sleeps
with her. But they think that the child becomes short of breath if
suckled for so long, and advise the mother to wean it. And if she
becomes pregnant again, when she has been three or four months in this
condition, she will wean the child by putting _nim_ leaves or some
other bitter thing on her breasts. A Hindu should not visit his wife
for the last six months of her pregnancy nor until the child has been
fed with grain for the first time six months after its birth. During
the former period such action is thought to be a sin, while during
the latter it may have the effect of rendering the mother pregnant
again too quickly, and hence may not allow her a sufficiently long
period to suckle the first child.