By
The Associated Press
URBANA, Ill. - A 6-year-old boy who was removed from his home last year because his mother had not stopped breast-feeding him will be allowed to stay with his mother.
The boy returned home earlier this month, and a judge extended the arrangement Wednesday.
The mother is not breast-feeding and the two are making progress toward ''an appropriate level of independence,'' Judge Ann Einhorn said.
The boy was placed in foster care in July, when he was 5.
A sitter told child welfare officials the mother had forced the boy to nurse against his wishes. The mother, whose name is not being used to protect the boy's identity, has said she practices ''child-led weaning'' and said the boy never indicated he wanted to stop nursing.
The family will be supervised by counselors, and their progress will be reviewed at an April hearing. The woman and all attorneys were not allowed to comment about the case because of a gag order.
