Extended Breastfeeding?
North American society seams to have the additude that breasts are sexual purposes and that breastfeeding is obscene however breastfeeding is a natural biological process that can not be duplicated by any arificifical substance.
How long should a mother breastfeed for the greatest benefit for the child?
Should we be more conserned about what is best for the child or society’s discomfort with a womans breast providing nutrition and comfort for her child(ren) as nature intended them to?
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July 14 2009 05:05 am | Natural Nutrition Benefit
Anonymous on 14 Jul 2009 at 7:52 am #
I breastfed my son until he was 4. I only stopped because he wanted to. I would have breastfed him for as long as he wanted. Breastfeeding should be done as long as it is mutually desired. I wouldn’t trade that special bonding time for anything. Anyone who had a problem with it were told to ‘get lost’ and ‘mind your own business’. I fed my son milk from his own species. People would say ‘eww’ while drinking a class of cows milk. At least I know what’s in my milk and where my body has been.
gemini22 on 14 Jul 2009 at 11:39 am #
As long as you want!
Anonymous on 14 Jul 2009 at 6:03 pm #
A year is recommended, but I see nothing wrong with going for two.
yungcoun on 14 Jul 2009 at 7:26 pm #
my son took himself off when he was 4 months. i tried and tried to convince him to go back on. my plan was to go untill he started getting teeth, LOL. one day, while breast feeding in the womans bathroom. i notised the women younger than me (i’m 30) looked at me in discust, and the older ones just with a smile. you can breast feed as long as you and baby want too. who cares what anyone else thinks. your body makes it special for your baby. it is “the good stuff”. at first i use to excuse myself into the other room, but what a pain. i got to just warning people around me it was “feeding” time. watch or don’t watch, you can’t be shy when breast feeding.
☼Pleasan on 14 Jul 2009 at 9:49 pm #
I think it is absurd that society puts some arbitrary age limit on breastfeeding.
I got into SO many arguments with friends/family when I continued to nurse my daughter well past the age of 1. I think when you combine our societies lack of exposure to extended nursing, sexualization of the breast, and the fact that most babies are no longer supposed to have a “bottle” past the age of one, most people just cannot fathom the concept of extended nursing as acceptable . . . even though it has been scientifically proven to be GREAT for a toddler.
Even in the face of ALL the evidence and official information from credible sources that I would always provide, and their complete lack of any credible reason for their being so disturbed, some could just not accept that I was doing it. I hate to say it, but weaker minded people will often be incapable of escaping what has been culturally engraved into them, no matter how illogical it is.
In the end I would just say, “if you feel the need to force me to choose between what is best for my daughter, and making the general public feel most comfortable, my daughter needs will always win, hands down.”
jenn78 on 15 Jul 2009 at 4:27 am #
I think breastfeeding is great!! My daughter only breastfed till she was 7 months old because the doctors said she was too small for her age. Which I wish I didn’t listen too because it made no difference she still stayed on the same growth curve, she is just a small little girl.
I think that breastfeeding till around 2 is a good age. Obviously you feed them there regular meals as well.But it’s great for nutrition and for the immune system.
Dawn on 15 Jul 2009 at 4:46 am #
I nursed my daughter until she was 4, though I hadn’t originally planned on continuing past 1 year. But a year came and went, and it seemed so arbitrary just to wean suddenly when she was still nursing 3-4 times per day. As she gradually decreased the amount of time on her own, it became once a day, once every few days, a few times a month. I lost my milk supply completely long before she “finished”, but there seemed to be no reason to cut of this comfort source for her. Weaning was so gradual I don’t really remember a “last time” that she nursed. It simply became a non-issue, something unimportant over time.
My son only nursed for 18 months, then he was done. He also was down to only every few days toward the end. He just decided much sooner that he had outgrown the need. Every child is different, and I don’t worry about what other people think. It was between me and my children.
♥Tessa♥ on 15 Jul 2009 at 11:43 am #
1 year. after that the kids need to get their nutrition from actual food. and its really gross to see children sucking on their moms breasts.