I read the most disturbing article on the headlines today. Not about Obama, not about the war, not about a rapist or murderer... it was about breastfeeding. Now that I write that it seems so petty, but let me tell you, this was disturbing on so many levels.I am not a mother, but I know many mothers, I have friends and family that are mothers. Oh yes, and I have a mother. Some may say I have no room to talk and those people are probably breastfeeding their school aged child. Is this a normal thing mothers do? According to the statistics it is... most mothers breastfeed until the age of 4 1/2 - 7 years of age. I don't know any women that breastfed their child after 2 1/2 years old. Just because I didn't breastfeed (me and my mama) until I was in elementary school doesn't mean I don't have a bond with my mother or am sick and missing certain nutrients, right? What is going through someones head when their 8 year old is in their lap breastfeeding. Uh uh.
If and when I were to have children, I would want to breastfeed but NOT until my kid can tie their own shoe or get on a school bus.
What are your thoughts on this? **Deb removing herself from the soapbox**
4 comments:
*climbing the soapbox*
THAT IS JUST SO WRONG! I breastfed all my kids, the longest being 15 months. Connor just turned seven, and let me just say how WRONG that would be. He's in school, growing up, starting to realize boys and girls are different. I hardly think coming home, talking about his school day and then having a drink of milk FROM ME would be sooooo gross and....WRONG! I think those women have some serious psyche problems.
*stepping off the soapbox*
I so agree. Wrong, wrong, WRONG!
I breastfed both my boys, and would NEVER have dreamt of letting it go this long (Jeff would have had a problem with things going on that long, too, because we're raising MEN, not mama's boys, lol.)
My grandma and my mom were both strong proponets for breastfeeding, but were both known to say, "When a baby starts getting teeth (and biting mama), they're ready to start chewing table food."
However, I understand from folks I know that have been missionaries in places like the Philippines, China, Africa and down in very poor parts of Latin and South America, that many moms there breastfeed their babies far longer than in the U.S. (usually to around 3 or 4 years) out of necessity. Often they live hand-to-mouth existences, and so the mom will eat any food she gets, and then nurse her toddlers and young children so they all get nourishment from their meager fare.
In any case, there should come a natural point where the child becomes more independant, wanting table foods and mom realizes, "Okay...enough is enough" and weans the child.
My SIL had a friend that nursed her youngest daughter until 5. My SIL found it very wrong that the daughter came in from playing outside with her two children, went up and slapped her mom's breast and said, "Nur-Nurs, mommy." Her horrified expression must have made that woman feel funny about it, because she quit shortly thereafter. The daughter is a well-adjusted Christian girl of about 14 today, and I doubt that it caused any lasting problems for her...but that still would have been pretty awkward to have to explain to her kindergarten teachers, you know?
So I'm not crazy... lol Or at least about this.
About the whole other countries in need breastfeeding - could not agree more. If that is the only way those children will be nourished then it must be done. But if a parents is able to provide food on the table... another story. lol
Okay, so this afternoon I watched a movie someone told me they thought was hilarious (it was okay...I'm not a big Tina Fey fan), but I did laugh my head off at one of the deleted scenes, which contained a lamaze type instructor that commented, "I believe you should bweastfeed until the child tells you they're done..." ...and of course I immediately thought of this posting, lol.
Renting the movie was worth it for that scene alone, but I must warn you...DISTURBING!
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