I was under the impression that the increase in birthrate was an
"industrial" rather than "agricultural" change, i.e., that the birthrate
increased in the last 200 or 300 years, not 8000 to 10,000 years ago.  I
also have read that this change was primarily due to the move away from
long-term breast feeding, for the same reasons Hans cites.  Sorry, no
sources to back this up, just poorly remembered hearsay.

Robert

>
> On Wed, 15 Dec 1999, Hans Kylberg wrote:
>
> > A diet low in carbos and low in energy ("calories"), as it
> usually is
> > among H/Gs, together with breastfeading for 3-5 years, supresses
> > ovulation, which does not start until there is a sufficient fat
> > reserve for another pregnancy.
>
> Well, breastfeeding has been the norm among agriculturalists as
> well as paleolithic people until rather recently, so that
> wouldn't account for a change in birth rate during the paleo-neo
> transition.  I am aware that a diet that is rather sharply
> restricted in calories can suppress ovulation, probably by
> reducing body fat to extremely low levels, but I am not aware
> that the typical paleodiet is so hypocaloric.
>
> Todd Moody
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>