Extreme Breast Feeding ( until 7)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen this clip again and again - and each time I'm still shocked by the situation.

My son is 3; he did indeed self-wean at 6 months. My daughter is 7. I nursed her for three months. I look at her and cannot IMAGINE pulling out my breast for her comfort. It's absolutely disgusting. The mother in the clip is abusive, in my opinion.

As one PP said, we have clean water and a fairly good food supply. There's no need to go to these lengths to justify extended breastfeeding.

PP, this is sad and I mean that truly. If you want to be more successful nursing your next possibly child (if you have another), I hope you will consider examining your attitudes and misperceptions about nursing. They may be contributing to your stumbling blocks here.

Why do you think she was not successful? Ever occur to you that some women don't feel they have to nurse longer than a few days, weeks, or months?

She is not asking for nursing advice, she is just commenting on the very obvious surrounding these bizarre behavior of putting a breast in a grown child's mouth

The woman in the video was not asking for weaning advice, or advice on what a bunch of harpy housewives think is "normal," either. You have a right to pontificate, and I have the right to observe that a woman who thinks "pulling out her breast for her daughters comfort" is "disgusting" and she just "can't imagine" it, who also did not breastfeed past six months, probably has some hang ups that contributed to the truncated nursing relationship she had with her children.

So let me get this straight. It's not okay for breastfeeding advocates to encourage longer nursing, (even the benign, one year length recommended as the minimum by every reputable health organization out there), but it is perfectly okay for those creeped out by breastfeeding, generally, to pontificate on how abusive it is to breastfeed past a year or so?

Such a sad double standard. I've been part of the DCUM community for a long time. As much as formula feeders claim to be subject to breastfeeding zealots (or nazis, or lactivists, or whatever you preferred insulting nomenclature may be), I nearly always observe formula feeders who are absolutely antagonistic towards nursing moms, demean the importance of nursing, and call anyone who nurses past their own close-minded determination of an appropriate period of time freaks. You only further diminish your credibility by broadening your insults to include organic gardening, etc. Why do you have so much hate in your heart for people who do something different? It just seems so defensive.

I'll be perfectly honest that I was making a point at this woman's expense, pointing out her nursing shortcomings as I see them. I wouldn't have opened my mouth about it, though, had she not so aggressively attacked what I do (nursing my two year old, sometimes for "comfort") without stopping to think about how *I* might feel. It's not okay to be so nasty. You may think it is because you're right, but you're not. It's not okay.

Ah well. People are who they are, and many of you are nasty pieces of work.

For the record, I can guarantee I won't be nursing my kiddo at 7 years, but if it works for a handful of families, it's okay with me. (Of course, it doesn't have to be okay with me, or any of you, for them to do it, and thank goodness for that). Fortunately, your opinions about this don't matter, so I suppose I shouldn't be wasting my time trying to educate you. Blech.

What an awful judgmental cow you are.

I'm not into reading manifesto's, but cow, is utterly appropriate here.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read every post here but how about how the children interpret extended bf? My 8yr old step son tells me often he know his mom loves him more than other moms love their kids because he drank her milk until he was 4, and most moms stop feeding their kids at 1. I mean, I'm glad he feels so loved but I also think it is odd he so eagerly offers up this info and how he might feel about it in yrs to come. Also, pls no step mom bashing, I'm not judging rather wondering about long term effects for kids, if any.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read every post here but how about how the children interpret extended bf? My 8yr old step son tells me often he know his mom loves him more than other moms love their kids because he drank her milk until he was 4, and most moms stop feeding their kids at 1. I mean, I'm glad he feels so loved but I also think it is odd he so eagerly offers up this info and how he might feel about it in yrs to come. Also, pls no step mom bashing, I'm not judging rather wondering about long term effects for kids, if any.

OK - I'll judge, as I'm no step.

creepy

just plain creepy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read every post here but how about how the children interpret extended bf? My 8yr old step son tells me often he know his mom loves him more than other moms love their kids because he drank her milk until he was 4, and most moms stop feeding their kids at 1. I mean, I'm glad he feels so loved but I also think it is odd he so eagerly offers up this info and how he might feel about it in yrs to come. Also, pls no step mom bashing, I'm not judging rather wondering about long term effects for kids, if any.

OK - I'll judge, as I'm no step.

creepy

just plain creepy

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read every post here but how about how the children interpret extended bf? My 8yr old step son tells me often he know his mom loves him more than other moms love their kids because he drank her milk until he was 4, and most moms stop feeding their kids at 1. I mean, I'm glad he feels so loved but I also think it is odd he so eagerly offers up this info and how he might feel about it in yrs to come. Also, pls no step mom bashing, I'm not judging rather wondering about long term effects for kids, if any.

OK - I'll judge, as I'm no step.

creepy

just plain creepy

Agreed.

Agreed. Freaky and deeply troubled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not into reading manifesto's, but cow, is utterly appropriate here.

Manifesto's what? What belongs to the manifesto, and why aren't you into it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ever occur to you that some women don't feel they have to wean earlier than a few years?

Look, I know you guys think I'm unhinged. I assure you that I'm not. My daughter is 15 months. I don't plan to nurse her until she's in college. I don't think I really even plan to nurse her until she's in pre-school. I'm just saying that every time a conversation gets started about breastfeeding past the "acceptable" baby years, there is a vocal contingent who are saying things like "go munch on your granola" and "that's disgusting". It wasn't so long ago that they said the same thing about breastfeeding at all. When it wasn't considered normal or healthy to breastfeed even very young babies. When that was considered "bizarre behavior" and "possible child abuse" and any number of other things.

I don't disagree that there are probably a lot of extended breastfeeders who are the unhinged selfish weirdo y'all think I am. I know those people and I think I probably have a lot more in common personality-wise with you ladies than I do with them. I'm just saying that this isn't a one-size-fits-all issue and that if, like the PP is saying, it's okay for a woman to be done at 3 months, then there are also going to be times when a woman isn't ready to be done until 3 years or 5 years or however long. Is this "normal" behavior? No, of course not. Normal means most people do it and think nothing of it. I'm just saying that just because it's distasteful to you, just because you wouldn't do it, doesn't mean that everyone thinks and acts like you.

YES. I love you, PP. My mom went through this in the 70s when she chose to breastfeed me and my siblings. Apparently, only dirty hippies were willing to befoul their offspring with disgusting bodily fluids when scientifically-approved formula was available. Barbarism!

I get so annoyed by women who think breastfeeding longer than 3-6 months is "gross" like the PP you were responding to. Honey, you bleed out of your vagina every month. And if you've given birth, you must know that's an untidy business as well. You also vomit, urinate, defecate, spit, cough, sweat, and sneeze. Welcome to the human race. It's messy here and that messiness is the way we keep ourselves healthy. A little breastfeeding here and there into childhood is about the furtherest thing from "gross" on the list.

P.S. Breastfeeding 9-week-old DD right now. If I have my way, I will BF her until age 2, as per the WHO recommendations, or longer if she wants to *GASP!*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not into reading manifesto's, but cow, is utterly appropriate here.

I think you mean "udderly" appropriate. Har.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read every post here but how about how the children interpret extended bf? My 8yr old step son tells me often he know his mom loves him more than other moms love their kids because he drank her milk until he was 4, and most moms stop feeding their kids at 1. I mean, I'm glad he feels so loved but I also think it is odd he so eagerly offers up this info and how he might feel about it in yrs to come. Also, pls no step mom bashing, I'm not judging rather wondering about long term effects for kids, if any.

OK - I'll judge, as I'm no step.

creepy

just plain creepy

Agreed.

Agreed. Freaky and deeply troubled.

Another agreed. psycho creepy.

[Anonymous]

There's a reason they call it "extreme" breastfeeding. It's, well, extreme. I don't go for extreme behavior of any kind really. Extremism is just a symptom of other issues, and this is no different than other extreme behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ever occur to you that some women don't feel they have to wean earlier than a few years?

Look, I know you guys think I'm unhinged. I assure you that I'm not. My daughter is 15 months. I don't plan to nurse her until she's in college. I don't think I really even plan to nurse her until she's in pre-school. I'm just saying that every time a conversation gets started about breastfeeding past the "acceptable" baby years, there is a vocal contingent who are saying things like "go munch on your granola" and "that's disgusting". It wasn't so long ago that they said the same thing about breastfeeding at all. When it wasn't considered normal or healthy to breastfeed even very young babies. When that was considered "bizarre behavior" and "possible child abuse" and any number of other things.

I don't disagree that there are probably a lot of extended breastfeeders who are the unhinged selfish weirdo y'all think I am. I know those people and I think I probably have a lot more in common personality-wise with you ladies than I do with them. I'm just saying that this isn't a one-size-fits-all issue and that if, like the PP is saying, it's okay for a woman to be done at 3 months, then there are also going to be times when a woman isn't ready to be done until 3 years or 5 years or however long. Is this "normal" behavior? No, of course not. Normal means most people do it and think nothing of it. I'm just saying that just because it's distasteful to you, just because you wouldn't do it, doesn't mean that everyone thinks and acts like you.

YES. I love you, PP. My mom went through this in the 70s when she chose to breastfeed me and my siblings. Apparently, only dirty hippies were willing to befoul their offspring with disgusting bodily fluids when scientifically-approved formula was available. Barbarism!

I get so annoyed by women who think breastfeeding longer than 3-6 months is "gross" like the PP you were responding to. Honey, you bleed out of your vagina every month. And if you've given birth, you must know that's an untidy business as well. You also vomit, urinate, defecate, spit, cough, sweat, and sneeze. Welcome to the human race. It's messy here and that messiness is the way we keep ourselves healthy. A little breastfeeding here and there into childhood is about the furtherest thing from "gross" on the list.

P.S. Breastfeeding 9-week-old DD right now. If I have my way, I will BF her until age 2, as per the WHO recommendations, or longer if she wants to *GASP!*

Go for it! I am 1218 and 2016 in this thread.

Do what you think is best for you and your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ever occur to you that some women don't feel they have to wean earlier than a few years?

Look, I know you guys think I'm unhinged. I assure you that I'm not. My daughter is 15 months. I don't plan to nurse her until she's in college. I don't think I really even plan to nurse her until she's in pre-school. I'm just saying that every time a conversation gets started about breastfeeding past the "acceptable" baby years, there is a vocal contingent who are saying things like "go munch on your granola" and "that's disgusting". It wasn't so long ago that they said the same thing about breastfeeding at all. When it wasn't considered normal or healthy to breastfeed even very young babies. When that was considered "bizarre behavior" and "possible child abuse" and any number of other things.

I don't disagree that there are probably a lot of extended breastfeeders who are the unhinged selfish weirdo y'all think I am. I know those people and I think I probably have a lot more in common personality-wise with you ladies than I do with them. I'm just saying that this isn't a one-size-fits-all issue and that if, like the PP is saying, it's okay for a woman to be done at 3 months, then there are also going to be times when a woman isn't ready to be done until 3 years or 5 years or however long. Is this "normal" behavior? No, of course not. Normal means most people do it and think nothing of it. I'm just saying that just because it's distasteful to you, just because you wouldn't do it, doesn't mean that everyone thinks and acts like you.

YES. I love you, PP. My mom went through this in the 70s when she chose to breastfeed me and my siblings. Apparently, only dirty hippies were willing to befoul their offspring with disgusting bodily fluids when scientifically-approved formula was available. Barbarism!

I get so annoyed by women who think breastfeeding longer than 3-6 months is "gross" like the PP you were responding to. Honey, you bleed out of your vagina every month. And if you've given birth, you must know that's an untidy business as well. You also vomit, urinate, defecate, spit, cough, sweat, and sneeze. Welcome to the human race. It's messy here and that messiness is the way we keep ourselves healthy. A little breastfeeding here and there into childhood is about the furtherest thing from "gross" on the list.

P.S. Breastfeeding 9-week-old DD right now. If I have my way, I will BF her until age 2, as per the WHO recommendations, or longer if she wants to *GASP!*

Well, a brownie button for you. Look, you can BF until 2 if you want. Fine. But don't pretend it is for your child. It is as much for you. Also fine.
Not for me, but fine.

I find it amusing you are using defecation, urination, etc. in a comparison to BF, which usually the La Leche League people eschew. But whatever. It serves your purpose.

Most people -MOST- don't find nursing until 3-6 mos. (and longer) "gross." An odd minority. But you know that. The converse is not true. Those who have BF past 6 most and up to 2 years seem to LOVE to engage is mothering one-upmanship based on BF alone. So spare me your indignation. The scorn, judgment, etc. I received for my decisions were 10X what you have seen on here.

[Anonymous]

Weird and creepy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ever occur to you that some women don't feel they have to wean earlier than a few years?

Look, I know you guys think I'm unhinged. I assure you that I'm not. My daughter is 15 months. I don't plan to nurse her until she's in college. I don't think I really even plan to nurse her until she's in pre-school. I'm just saying that every time a conversation gets started about breastfeeding past the "acceptable" baby years, there is a vocal contingent who are saying things like "go munch on your granola" and "that's disgusting". It wasn't so long ago that they said the same thing about breastfeeding at all. When it wasn't considered normal or healthy to breastfeed even very young babies. When that was considered "bizarre behavior" and "possible child abuse" and any number of other things.

I don't disagree that there are probably a lot of extended breastfeeders who are the unhinged selfish weirdo y'all think I am. I know those people and I think I probably have a lot more in common personality-wise with you ladies than I do with them. I'm just saying that this isn't a one-size-fits-all issue and that if, like the PP is saying, it's okay for a woman to be done at 3 months, then there are also going to be times when a woman isn't ready to be done until 3 years or 5 years or however long. Is this "normal" behavior? No, of course not. Normal means most people do it and think nothing of it. I'm just saying that just because it's distasteful to you, just because you wouldn't do it, doesn't mean that everyone thinks and acts like you.

YES. I love you, PP. My mom went through this in the 70s when she chose to breastfeed me and my siblings. Apparently, only dirty hippies were willing to befoul their offspring with disgusting bodily fluids when scientifically-approved formula was available. Barbarism!

I get so annoyed by women who think breastfeeding longer than 3-6 months is "gross" like the PP you were responding to. Honey, you bleed out of your vagina every month. And if you've given birth, you must know that's an untidy business as well. You also vomit, urinate, defecate, spit, cough, sweat, and sneeze. Welcome to the human race. It's messy here and that messiness is the way we keep ourselves healthy. A little breastfeeding here and there into childhood is about the furtherest thing from "gross" on the list.

P.S. Breastfeeding 9-week-old DD right now. If I have my way, I will BF her until age 2, as per the WHO recommendations, or longer if she wants to *GASP!*

Well, a brownie button for you. Look, you can BF until 2 if you want. Fine. But don't pretend it is for your child. It is as much for you. Also fine.
Not for me, but fine.

I find it amusing you are using defecation, urination, etc. in a comparison to BF, which usually the La Leche League people eschew. But whatever. It serves your purpose.

Most people -MOST- don't find nursing until 3-6 mos. (and longer) "gross." An odd minority. But you know that. The converse is not true. Those who have BF past 6 most and up to 2 years seem to LOVE to engage is mothering one-upmanship based on BF alone. So spare me your indignation. The scorn, judgment, etc. I received for my decisions were 10X what you have seen on here.

Not a PP in either one of these posts, but eff off. Really.

One up manship?

You failed here.

Though you were trying hard.

The winners here are the mother and child. Their choices. Not your spew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it is wrong because it is sexual in that sense - I agree with the psoters who said it has nothing to do with the child and everything to do with the mother's needs. Holding your child back from progressing developmentally is wrong. I would feel the same way if the 7 year old was still using a highchair, wearing a bib, having monm changer her diapers, using a paci and bottle - so it isn't the breastfeeding - it is trying to keep the child as a baby who needs you, depends on you for basic needs . Job as parents is to help kids grow up not keep them babies forever.

I really don't see it this way at all. I am nursing my 16-month-old son and I agree with some of the PPs who say it's the right decision for the family.

Us? I will let my son decide for the most part. I don't really see myself nursing him much past school age (i.e., 5 years old) but who knows? I know it won't be frequent by then, but if he still finds comfort in it, then I just might. Although I would never say breastfeeding has been "easy" or "comfortable" for me, I do appreciate the benefits (both physical and emotional) for my son and our relationship enough to persevere even when it has been tough (and there are still times at 16 months when it is tough for me!).

Why not show your child that a hug can be comforting - the meeting your needs part is that you want your body to be his source of comfort and not to grow out of that at an age where developmentally most kids will have started to find a number of ways to find comfort. This is part of what prepares them ass they grow up, developing new skills. Again it is the same issue if the child finds it comforting to sit in a highchair and have mom feed him small bites when he is 7. I find that equally age inappropriate developmentally as a way of seeking comfort. Or maybe he still likes mom to rock him to sleep with a bottle. Again he and mom may find this comforting but coping / comfort skills should grow and develop.