At least he will have some pleasant memories for when he gets older.
The picture looks so, so wrong. The child will be mortified when he's older.
There really is no need to breastfeed at that age and I feel it's more the mother proving a point, or trying to be different.
When my older son was about 14, he asked if he'd been breastfed. I said "no" because he hadn't.
His reaction was "thank god for that"!!
I know he was only saying it as he was a teenager and pretty much everything is embarrassing to a teenager but I can only imagine the horror the child in the picture would feel in years to come :eek:
Seems a bit weird to me :eek: I was bottlefed but apparently I chose to give up the bottle myself. I was taken out one day and I left it at home and that was the end of it
There is a school of thought that breast feeding creates more of a bond between mother and child.
I was breast fed, the OH wasn't. I would take a bullet for my mum, the OH squabbles with hers.
Clearly the above is not scientific proof:p
The 'Little Britain' sketch was rather clever in knowing and blowing this to absurd proportions.
The magazine picture was weird and looked a bit ikky, but looking at it from the little lads point of view, if he finds comfort from it and his mum is responsible enough to know when 'enough is enough' then I see no harm.
The picture looks so, so wrong. The child will be mortified when he's older.
Based on what evidence? Sorry, but that's a speculation too far. That child is only 3.
There really is no need to breastfeed at that age and I feel it's more the mother proving a point, or trying to be different.
Again, your opinion. That child is 3, and well within the acceptable 'window' for breastfeeding.
When my older son was about 14, he asked if he'd been breastfed. I said "no" because he hadn't.
His reaction was "thank god for that"!!
I know he was only saying it as he was a teenager and pretty much everything is embarrassing to a teenager but I can only imagine the horror the child in the picture would feel in years to come :eek:
Interesting, that. I wonder why a 14 year-old would have that attitude.
I can't imagine where his horror came from, since he wasn't breastfed like the 3 year old child in the picture. Perhaps he's inherited some hang-ups?
Based on what evidence? Sorry, but that's a speculation too far. That child is only 3.
Again, your opinion. That child is 3, and well within the acceptable 'window' for breastfeeding.
Interesting, that. I wonder why a 14 year-old would have that attitude.
I can't imagine where his horror came from, since he wasn't breastfed like the 3 year old child in the picture. Perhaps he's inherited some hang-ups?
At that child's age breast feeding is completely unnecessary, in developing countries where children have poor diets and limited access to medical resources breast feeding for longer is encouraged because it helps their poor immune system. In western countries where children have good diets and access to medicine and vaccines etc it is completely unnecessary to breastfeed a child for this long. The child may want to carry on breastfeeding for comfort, but a child will continue doing a lot of things that only infants should do if allowed or encouraged. Things like sucking on dummies, staying in nappies, sleeping in mum and dad's bed, being carried everywhere etc. Just because a child likes to do something it doesn't mean they should. Physically there may be no harm from continuing to breastfeed until 3 or 6 or even 12 etc, but allowing a child to continue with infantile behaviour in which they are essentially pretending they are still a baby for comfort may have consequences. There has been little to no research into the effects of prolonged breastfeeding so this is all just speculation, none of us know whether it is beneficial or detrimental.
At that child's age breast feeding is completely unnecessary, in developing countries where children have poor diets and limited access to medical resources breast feeding for longer is encouraged because it helps their poor immune system. In western countries where children have good diets and access to medicine and vaccines etc it is completely unnecessary to breastfeed a child for this long. The child may want to carry on breastfeeding for comfort, but a child will continue doing a lot of things that only infants should do if allowed or encouraged. Things like sucking on dummies, staying in nappies, sleeping in mum and dad's bed, being carried everywhere etc. Just because a child likes to do something it doesn't mean they should. Physically there may be no harm from continuing to breastfeed until 3 or 6 or even 12 etc, but allowing a child to continue with infantile behaviour in which they are essentially pretending they are still a baby for comfort may have consequences. There has been little to no research into the effects of prolonged breastfeeding so this is all just speculation, none of us know whether it is beneficial or detrimental.
If you're looking for research into the subject this book is a good place to start
Personally I think the mother is continuing to breast feed for purely selfish reasons, she probably feels the bond she has with her child will be broken when she stops, obviously you create new ways of bonding with each stage of your child growing, right up to adulthood, I fail to see the benefits of feeding this long, it just feels unfair to deliberately make your child different to the norm
Personally I think the mother is continuing to breast feed for purely selfish reasons, she probably feels the bond she has with her child will be broken when she stops, obviously you create new ways of bonding with each stage of your child growing, right up to adulthood, I fail to see the benefits of feeding this long, it just feels unfair to deliberately make your child different to the norm
I agree especially once the child is attending school etc. The benefits of breastfeeding are fantastic but there's a limit.
As recommended by the WHO, breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement.69 It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years.70 Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection,71 better social adjustment,72 and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer.73 Mothers who have immigrated from cultures in which breastfeeding beyond infancy is routine should be encouraged to continue this tradition. There is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman's personal decision. If the child is younger than two years, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child.
I wouldn't do it personally and I find it a bit odd but to say it's abuse or any such thing is just ludicrous.
I'm a big supporter of breastfeeding and find a lot of the attitude to it in the UK sad but there's a big difference between the WHO recommendation of continuing to age 2 and still continuing once the child is at school.
Hopwever, if mother and child are both happy with the situation, then it;s no ones business but their own
Comments
The picture looks so, so wrong. The child will be mortified when he's older.
There really is no need to breastfeed at that age and I feel it's more the mother proving a point, or trying to be different.
When my older son was about 14, he asked if he'd been breastfed. I said "no" because he hadn't.
His reaction was "thank god for that"!!
I know he was only saying it as he was a teenager and pretty much everything is embarrassing to a teenager but I can only imagine the horror the child in the picture would feel in years to come :eek:
ETA lol at the post above mine! :eek::D
Lucky? Weird?
It's so easy to confuse the two.
Unless you're one of those lucky folk.
Agreed.
Nope, you're still confusing weird and lucky.
I was breast fed, the OH wasn't. I would take a bullet for my mum, the OH squabbles with hers.
Clearly the above is not scientific proof:p
The 'Little Britain' sketch was rather clever in knowing and blowing this to absurd proportions.
The magazine picture was weird and looked a bit ikky, but looking at it from the little lads point of view, if he finds comfort from it and his mum is responsible enough to know when 'enough is enough' then I see no harm.
Based on what evidence? Sorry, but that's a speculation too far. That child is only 3.
Again, your opinion. That child is 3, and well within the acceptable 'window' for breastfeeding.
Interesting, that. I wonder why a 14 year-old would have that attitude.
I can't imagine where his horror came from, since he wasn't breastfed like the 3 year old child in the picture. Perhaps he's inherited some hang-ups?
Michael Jordan was breastfed until the age of 3 and Pele breastfed until he was 5 years old. They are happy for the world to know about it too
At that child's age breast feeding is completely unnecessary, in developing countries where children have poor diets and limited access to medical resources breast feeding for longer is encouraged because it helps their poor immune system. In western countries where children have good diets and access to medicine and vaccines etc it is completely unnecessary to breastfeed a child for this long. The child may want to carry on breastfeeding for comfort, but a child will continue doing a lot of things that only infants should do if allowed or encouraged. Things like sucking on dummies, staying in nappies, sleeping in mum and dad's bed, being carried everywhere etc. Just because a child likes to do something it doesn't mean they should. Physically there may be no harm from continuing to breastfeed until 3 or 6 or even 12 etc, but allowing a child to continue with infantile behaviour in which they are essentially pretending they are still a baby for comfort may have consequences. There has been little to no research into the effects of prolonged breastfeeding so this is all just speculation, none of us know whether it is beneficial or detrimental.
He was 3 yesterday, poor soul, at this rate he will be 60 by Monday and his mum will be younger than him.
If you're looking for research into the subject this book is a good place to start
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breastfeeding-Older-Children-Ann-Sinnott/dp/1853439398
Still breastfeeding at 13.
http://www.eatliver.com/i.php?n=7466
And when, in YOUR opinion, does it become unacceptable?
Well, I suppose when the child or mother doesn't wish to continue with it.
How about you?
I would agree with you up to a point. But don't you think its just a bit odd after, well lets say 4 when they go to school?
I mean some mothers would breastfeed the poor child into their 20's if they thought they could get away with it!
Odd, yes. Not something to condemn though, if the child gets some comfort from it and the mother is happy to continue.
Using emotive language is unhelpful, as is exclusively blaming the mother - I would expect the 'poor child' would wish to stop before then.
Although I see where you're coming from.
Edit: It's amazing how some topics just suck you in, isn't it.
Indeed an awesome pun
I agree especially once the child is attending school etc. The benefits of breastfeeding are fantastic but there's a limit.
There was also that quote from the AAFP earlier in the thread: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/b/breastfeedingpositionpaper.html
As recommended by the WHO, breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement.69 It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years.70 Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection,71 better social adjustment,72 and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer.73 Mothers who have immigrated from cultures in which breastfeeding beyond infancy is routine should be encouraged to continue this tradition. There is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman's personal decision. If the child is younger than two years, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child.
I'm a big supporter of breastfeeding and find a lot of the attitude to it in the UK sad but there's a big difference between the WHO recommendation of continuing to age 2 and still continuing once the child is at school.
Hopwever, if mother and child are both happy with the situation, then it;s no ones business but their own