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Weaning in rats: I. Maternal behavior
Author(s) -
Cramer Catherine P.,
Thiels Edda,
Alberts Jeffrey R.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.420230604
Subject(s) - weaning , lactation , zoology , maternal deprivation , nursing , biology , medicine , pregnancy , endocrinology , genetics
Maternal behavior during the weaning period (postpartum Days 14–35) was described from continuous timelapse videorecordings of Norway rat dams and their litters. Time spent nursing declined steadily after Day 20 but presisted until Day 34, about a week longer than suggested by reports of milk transfer. Most of the decline innursing was due to progressively fewer nursing bouts per day; milk letdowns per day were consequently diminished. Although a private feeding chamber was available to the dams, they did not use this chamber to spend more time away from the pups as weaning progressed. Instead, the dams remained with the pups in the nesting chamber but devoted increasingly less time to nursing. Subtle, progressive changes in maternal behavior are closely orchestrated and coordinated with pup development.