Breast Feeding-Love it or Hate it?

[flatlander13]

How do you feel about breast feeding? That was the question one of my neighbor’s “friendsâ€

[Elderberry]

I believe the world average age for weining children is something like seven years of age. The longer a child is breast fed, the better. Only in this country is it too inconvenient and frowned upon. Oh, 35 is too old and your neighbor's friend needs to get a sense of humor.

JK

[misfit]

7- too old
35- not too old

[Fire_Moose]

but if you eat them there won't be any left

[theCryptofishist]

World average 7? Not likely. somewhere in the 2 to 4 range seems to be "normal" for hunter/gatherers. As if we had any idea. In Britain's National Health 6 months seems to be the aimed for time. They can eat solid foods then.

[misfit]

probably when the first teeth come in its time to ween, before the biting starts,,, unless your into that... biting is fun.

[theCryptofishist]

It's complicated. Mother and baby may have different agendas (baby's being to suckle as long as *it* possibly can, probably, and mother's could run a gamut.) And children can certainly suck and chew when they get to the teethed stage. Nursing is a natural (although not infaliable) birth control method. And social norms will affect the mother's choices, and through that the baby's.

fun, fun, fun

[Trishntek]

Birds do it,,,, bees do it,,,,, errrrrr nope not that song,,,, hmmmmm
Anyway, breast feeding is the best way to immunize a child and build a healthy appreciation for the female body. That's my opinion and should not be understood to be an authoritative recommendation.

[oneeyeddick]

I was breast fed until I graduated high school at the age of 22.

[ygmir]

How'd you make it through all 6 years of high school?

[oneeyeddick]

It was especially hard when I brought a date home to meet the parents.

[youtube][/youtube]

[ibdave]

So, how do you feel about breast feeding? Is 7 too old, how about 35?

Flatlander, I Happen to know for a fact that your over 50.....

[ygmir]

So, how do you feel about breast feeding? Is 7 too old, how about 35?

Flatlander, I Happen to know for a fact that your over 50.....

now, see, IBD.........I could see you saying that you know for a fact he's over 6 maybe..............

[ygmir]

It was especially hard when I brought a date home to meet the parents.

[youtube][/youtube]

OED:
there are times I do love you...................

(edit to try not to embarrass myself quite so bad, but, I really to admire him......)

[gyre]

[quote="flatlander13"]How do you feel about breast feeding? That was the question one of my neighbor’s “friendsâ€

[Edana]

Natural weaning age for humans left to their own devises is between 2.5 years and 7 years, with most weaning between ages 3 and 4.

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html

When a baby is fed formula, the age at which most Drs say they can transition to cows milk is at 1 yr. While they begin to eat solid foods at around 6 months, their primary source of nutrition is and should still be formula. This also applies to breastfed babies. 1 yr is the MINIMUM suggested weaning age for breastfed babies.

It is not possible to force a child to breastfeed, nor is it possible to force a mother to nurse her child. Any breastfeeding relationship is a RELATIONSHIP, and extended nursing can not happen without the willingness of both participants. What goes on between a mother and child is NONE of your business (assuming of course it is not illegal, abusive, or dangerous).

The US has seriously screwed up perceptions of breastfeeding, so while it may seem odd to you to see a 5yr old nursing, that is YOUR issue, not the mother or childs.

There are a bunch of reasons to breastfeed for longer than 1 year, but for brevity's sake I won't list them all here. Look up "Benefits of extended breastfeeding" if you're interested.

The WHO recommends breastmilk only till 6 months of age, and then breastfeeding with complementary solid foods up t 2 years of age OR BEYOND.

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.

(from http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/ )

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:

Exclusive breastfeeding for approximately the first six months and support for breastfeeding for the first year and beyond as long as mutually desired by mother and child.

(from http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/fe ... eeding.htm )

Please note the last phrase "as long as mutually desired by mother and child".

While nursing till 7 is certainly very unusual in our society, it is not wrong, disgusting, immoral, or abusive.

And yes, I am a member of a breastfeeding "cult" - where we help women who want to breastfeed, offer support for breastfeeding women who live in a society that still thinks it is disgusting, and help mothers reach their own personal breastfeeding goals - whether they be 6 weeks or 6 years.

I proudly nursed my oldest till the day before she turned 4, and my youngest is almost completely weaned now (nurses once every other day or so) at 3.5yrs old.

[Edana]

probably when the first teeth come in its time to ween, before the biting starts

What about those babies who are born with teeth? (Yes, it does happen).

To get technical, it is physically impossible for a baby to be properly latched on and biting at the same time. If they bite, it is usually at the end of a nursing session when their attention starts to wander. There are various techniques a mom can use to prevent biting. It is also usually just a short phase the baby goes through while they're trying to figure out these new hard things in their mouth.

[ragabashpup]

My ex husband was born with teeth. I remember time and time again his mother told me. I hope the baby isnt born with teeth! His bit her numerous times and drew blood so she stopped breast feeding him at 1 mo. and swtiched him to formula.
My daughter never had an interest in breast feeding. She was 5 weeks premature and the breast nazis at the hospital kept trying to FORCE her to the boob. I finally told them to stop after the 2nd day of this bullshit. I pumped and fed her that way for the first 6 months. Then switched to formula.
Breast feed dont breast feed. Whatever floats your boat.
Also if you are for or against have a sense of humor about it...and dont be a breast nazi.

[Fire_Moose]

Mein Cup!

[Trishntek]

Breast, bread and bed,,,, ahhhh the life of a child,,,,, sighhhhhhhhh

[teardropper]

Get over it and stay out of it. It doesn't hurt anyone to breast feed a child beyond what you may think is reasonable. Six months ain't it. I was thinking more like two, but some like to go longer. Seven is a long time, but not unheard of, especially for those in the Le Leche League.

My cousin was one of those, and her children are fine.

[theCryptofishist]

FWIW, I wasn't suggesting six months. My sister works for national health and was kvetching about certain practices there and that was part of the conversation. She breast fed her daughter until she was four.
(I never had children; if I had, I'd have done the best to breast feed the spawn. I don't know to what extent I can have a dog in this fight, but I figure I'm allowed my opinions, up to the point where expertise is called for.)

[Edana]

FWIW, I wasn't suggesting six months. My sister works for national health and was kvetching about certain practices there and that was part of the conversation. She breast fed her daughter until she was four.
(I never had children; if I had, I'd have done the best to breast feed the spawn. I don't know to what extent I can have a dog in this fight, but I figure I'm allowed my opinions, up to the point where expertise is called for.)

I didn't take your post as suggesting 6 months

[teardropper]

Yeah, I thought you were quoting a study. And my comments weren't directed at anyone.

[epic_elite]

my child will not be breast fed until 7... I am independant and i don't want to raise dependant children.

i support breast feeding as it delivers antibodies into the childs system that lasts it's entire life that it would otherwise not have if not breastfed.

also, i support it as long as it is done in the appropriate context. I do not wanna see the woman with her blouse pulled down in the food court at the mall... i feel for the individual that has to explain female anatomy to thier child over Panda Express...

[Edana]

also, i support it as long as it is done in the appropriate context. I do not wanna see the woman with her blouse pulled down in the food court at the mall... i feel for the individual that has to explain female anatomy to thier child over Panda Express...

Honestly, you see more of the female anatomy in the window of Victoria's Secret. Nursing moms tend to be pretty discreet and do not have their boobs flapping everywhere for all to see.

Witness this:



Compared to this:


or



or even this:

[ragabashpup]

also, i support it as long as it is done in the appropriate context. I do not wanna see the woman with her blouse pulled down in the food court at the mall... i feel for the individual that has to explain female anatomy to thier child over Panda Express...

I don't mind it at all. I mean where else are you going to go in that situation to the mall bathroom..that idea makes me vomit a bit in my throat.

[dr.placebo]

Most of the "debate" around breast feeding is based on the sexualization of the female breast. Take that away (or at least reduce it and acknowledge it) and the rest of the issues become far less charged and far more relevant.

How long to breast feed? In most cases the child weans himself/herself. In some cases the breast milk just stops, or there is too little to be useful. In some cases the mother has to work (or wants to work) and the arrangements become too difficult. It's not a public matter, it's a private matter.

You don't like to see breast feeding? Don't look. I don't like to see certain eating habits of adults or children, but I'm not really forced to watch, and I'm not going to insist on legal barriers.

Two of the years I've been at Burning Man we've had breastfeeding in camp. In both cases it simply was not a big deal. Nor was it a big deal when my daughter was nursing her two boys. The breast came out, the child latched on, and conversation continued without a pause. Not that all women should go this route; they may choose to be private, and that's their option. But in no case should women be made to feel bad for breastfeeding, even in plain sight.

More info than most would possibly need:

Breastfeeding Answers from La Leche League

[rodiponer]

BBC video about an her eight year old who breastfeeds.
[youtube][/youtube]

I think we are too hard on each other. As a parent I've had more people judge me and feel entitled to share their unwanted opinions than in any other role in my life.

I wonder if it is our British cultural roots have caused this. ? I don't see people being this openly judgmental in Spanish speaking countries, though maybe this is because I am an outsider there. I saw it to a much greater extent in Australia and South Africa, especially with children, which is why I suspect the British root.

I feel like La Leche League is good, but it would be better if their message was more about parents making their own parenting choices rather than just defining breastfeeding as good. They do not seem to discourage judging parents who do not breastfeed.

[AntiM]

Oh, there's plenty of uproar about Victoria's Secret.... VS stores in Utah have been asked more than once to change their displays because they are too racy. Not the only state to have the problem as a quick Google showed me. The Decency League is on it!

I don't care if women choose to breast feed in public. In Japan, the big department stores have nice areas set aside so women can feed their children in a clean and comfortable place, not a bathroom. But then, Japan is culturally more accepting public nudity in context.