How old is to old?

[strmrdr]

This thread does remind me of a funny event involving a friend of mine....

He was 14 or so and watching his sisters daughter and she was fussy and hungry.
So he warmed up a bottle.... and tested the temp on his arm like he had been shown...
he decided to lick it off and he liked it so he did it again.
His sister came around the corner about then and said...
You do know that is boob milk don''t you?
He turned all shades of green.
Everyone cracked up and teased him about it for weeks.
I still crack up thinking about the look on his face LOL

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 1/3/2009 4:48:50 PM
Author: Addy
I see nothing wrong in breastfeeding for an extended time, but when the child is old enough, emotionally, socially, and biologically, that they are breastfeeding for the comfort that it provides rather than the nutrition, I think it''s time to wean and help the child to bond and get comfort from other sources.

Well said IMO.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 1/3/2009 5:03:31 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 1/3/2009 4:48:50 PM
Author: Addy
I see nothing wrong in breastfeeding for an extended time, but when the child is old enough, emotionally, socially, and biologically, that they are breastfeeding for the comfort that it provides rather than the nutrition, I think it''s time to wean and help the child to bond and get comfort from other sources.

Well said IMO.

Sums it up for me.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 1/3/2009 5:05:22 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 1/3/2009 5:03:31 PM

Author: neatfreak

Date: 1/3/2009 4:48:50 PM

Author: Addy

I see nothing wrong in breastfeeding for an extended time, but when the child is old enough, emotionally, socially, and biologically, that they are breastfeeding for the comfort that it provides rather than the nutrition, I think it''s time to wean and help the child to bond and get comfort from other sources.

Well said IMO.

Sums it up for me.

I agree.

 

[WishfulThinking]

Date: 1/3/2009 4:48:50 PM
Author: Addy
I see nothing wrong in breastfeeding for an extended time, but when the child is old enough, emotionally, socially, and biologically, that they are breastfeeding for the comfort that it provides rather than the nutrition, I think it''s time to wean and help the child to bond and get comfort from other sources.

I''ll throw in my agreement with this as well.

My mom is an avid proponent of breast feeding, and breast fed both my sister and me. I am pretty sure I was done around 1 1/2 years, but my sister breast fed until she was almost 3. My mom knew it wasn''t harmful to her so let her keep going. After a certain point the dynamic changed a bit, and my sister got pushy about it; it was clear she was using breast feeding as an emotional comfort, sort of like a blankie or pacifier or something. So my mom gave her the choice of continuing to breast feed OR doing what my sister had expressed an interest in doing, which was to start preschool [my mom was a teacher there]. She told my sister that if she wanted to go to preschool with the rest of the children she would have to give up breast feeding, and my sister agreed. That didn''t stop her from crawling into bed with my mom sometimes and begging for it, or kicking her and throwing a tantrum when she was denied, but both those behaviors reinforced my mom''s idea that she needed to let go of breast feeding as an emotional crutch.

My sister''s a brilliant kid [ha, she''s 20 now] and well-adjusted. I am not sure, though, where some of the info in this thread about acceptable limits on breast feeding are coming from, especially as medical information points to the benefits of at least slightly "extended" breast feeding. People should do what is right for them and their children, and part of that to me is listening to the people who know the most about it and are professionally trained.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/3/2009 3:08:38 PM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
What does disturb me is the family who agreed to participate in the TV show, presumably knowing they would attract criticism (informed and otherwise) and that their children would be held up as examples of somthing strange, for entertainment. While I don''t know what motivated that decision, I find it less than child-friendly and that''s what would concern me about their parenting, not the breastfeeding.

Agreed. She put that kid up on national TV where all his classmates could see (as well as his older brother and sister). Does she not realize that (right or wrong) his classmates and their parents would most likely view this as weird? She even let them get shots of him BFing.

It may be OK in some societies, but nursing a 7 or 8 year old is seen as strange in ours. If these mothers think they are going to get on national TV and change people''s minds on this subject, they are deluded and IMHO not quite all there.

Would it be nice if our society made it easier for women to BF past the age of 2 (or even at all for that matter!)? Yes. But at the time of this story, it is what it is, which is why I think these women are a bit off their rocker.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I found a piece about this on YouTube from 20/20, though I think it may be older than what started this thread, as it was posted several months ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muOfUOTva_k

 

[snlee]

Date: 1/3/2009 5:25:33 PM
Author: mrssalvo

Date: 1/3/2009 5:05:22 PM

Author: Kaleigh

Date: 1/3/2009 5:03:31 PM

Author: neatfreak

Date: 1/3/2009 4:48:50 PM

Author: Addy

I see nothing wrong in breastfeeding for an extended time, but when the child is old enough, emotionally, socially, and biologically, that they are breastfeeding for the comfort that it provides rather than the nutrition, I think it's time to wean and help the child to bond and get comfort from other sources.

Well said IMO.

Sums it up for me.

I agree.

I also agree.

 

[vespergirl]

I don''t mean to judge anyone, but for me, I would not BF for more than one year. I was only able to BF my son until 3 months for medical reasons. I know that the WHO recommends BFing until age 2, and I think that''s the best source of nutrition for children in developing countries without other food options, but I understand that women who do extended BFing in this country (past one year) need to give their children vitamin supplements, which tells me that they need more than breastmilk by that age.

I know a woman who BFed both her kids until age 4, and the whole family is a little strange. The kids are super-attached to their parents and don''t function socially normally with anyone except the members of their immediate family. This family also practices "family bed," and both children (a boy & a girl) slept in bed with their parents until ages 7 and 4, respectively. That''s just one family, so it doesn''t say anything about everyone who believes in these practices, but I think it''s a little too close for comfort for me.

The 20/20 show reported that there haven''t been any studies done on the long-term affects, but I wonder if there could be any sexual dysfunction or fetishism showing up down the line in children who BF for so long in Western cultures. I agree that breasts'' primary function is to feed, but in our culture they are also sexual objects, so I wonder if some of these kids will experience any issues down the road because of that ...

 

[Pandora II]

I''m planning on aiming for a minimum of 6 months and a year if I can, but wouldn''t beyond that for my own selfish reasons of wanting to go back to work!

I''m also delighted that it is now legal to breastfeed anywhere you like in public in the UK. Hooray!

As to when is too old... I''d probably raise an eyebrow if the child was 3ish or older. But ultimately it''s up to the individual - there are far worse things happening to kids everyday. Far more bizarre is wanting to talk about it on TV.

 

[vslover]

Seriously...those who haven''t nursed or had children really shouldn''t even weigh in on discussions like this. Until you''ve had a baby and nursed that child and experienced that bond...you haven''t a clue. I think past age 4 would be out of my comfort zone, but up until that...there are lots of reasons for nursing OTHER THAN nutrition. My son nursed until he was 2 and we''d have gone longer but he was ready to be done. It''s really not gross. It''s beautiful.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I BFed my daughter (so I understand the bond) and disagree. Up to 18 months/2 years does not bother me but I don''t think there is a reason to BF beyond that. I wonder what the average weening age would be in ONLY western countries? I think vesper brought up some great points that in some third world country breast milk might be the best nutrition for children. Thank goodness we don''t live like that (obviously for larger reasons than this!) I think it is interesting that those who are okay with this are pulling the judgment card on those who aren''t. Honestly everyone who responded to this thread is *judging*. I think as parents (for those of you who are) we only want the BEST for our kids. However I believe moms who BF their kids in situation like the one on 20/20 are misguided horribly.

 

[packrat]

Pandora, I didn''t know it used to be illegal to breastfeed in public there. I think you''ll be surprised once the baby is here and you''re nursing, you may want to continue past a year! I was so completely selfish when it came to breastfeeding in that I hardly ever let anyone give London a bottle b/c I wanted to do it all myself. And Trapper never had a bottle at all. I cried the last night I nursed each of the kids b/c I loved it so much..even tho they were both ready to be done.

 

[kennedy]

Date: 1/3/2009 7:03:36 PM
Author: vespergirl
I don't mean to judge anyone, but for me, I would not BF for more than one year. I was only able to BF my son until 3 months for medical reasons. I know that the WHO recommends BFing until age 2, and I think that's the best source of nutrition for children in developing countries without other food options, but I understand that women who do extended BFing in this country (past one year) need to give their children vitamin supplements, which tells me that they need more than breastmilk by that age.

Just to clarify, the WHO doesn't recommend EXCLUSIVE breastfeeding into the second year; of course a child needs more than breastmilk by the time it reaches two and I doubt anyone would argue differently.

I've never heard of an across the board recommendation to give vitamin supplements to children who breastfeed past a year. Most children over a year eat a variety of table foods in addition to some kind of milk source (breast, formula, cow's milk). Are you suggesting that drinking breastmilk past a year creates some kind of vitamin deficiency? I've never heard of such a thing and it certainly doesn't make any sense from a biological standpoint given that babies are designed to breastfeed past a year. I do know that many doctors recommend giving breastfed babies iron supplements starting at birth, but there is a fair amount of controversy surrounding this recommendation. Honestly, I think it would be very difficult to argue that infant formula and/or cow's milk is somehow more nutrtitious for a baby or toddler than breastmilk.

Is it very unusual in our culture to see a 7 year old breastfeeding? Yes. Does the mere fact that a 7 year old is breastfed mean that the family is dysfunctional? No. It may well be that the family on 20/20 was somehow off and that the child is indeed suffering in some way, but it seems really extreme to say that breastfeeding an older child is necessarily perverted and unhealthy. If the worldwide age of weaning is 4, that means there are plenty of women breastfeeding longer than that, especially since the average surely includes the many women who never breastfeed at all. As a mental health professional, I know how important it is to look at the whole picture rather than making a snap judgement based on one bit of information. There's plenty of judgement to go around when it comes to motherhood and breastfeeding -- mothers who don't breastfeed are made to feel guilty and mothers who breastfeed too long are made to feel like freaks. Either way, I think it's unfortunate -- being a mother is hard enough without all the guilt and judgement.

ETA It's my understanding that breastfeeding rates in many third world countries are not very high at all because of the formula industry's massive marketing campaigns to convince mothers (mostly uneducated) that science can do better than their own bodies. The WHO and other humanitarian organizations are currently working very hard to reverse this way of thinking as lower breastfeeding rates, especially in underdeveloped countries, have very serious public health implications.

 

[Octavia]

Date: 1/3/2009 8:04:49 PM
Author: packrat
Pandora, I didn''t know it used to be illegal to breastfeed in public there. I think you''ll be surprised once the baby is here and you''re nursing, you may want to continue past a year! I was so completely selfish when it came to breastfeeding in that I hardly ever let anyone give London a bottle b/c I wanted to do it all myself. And Trapper never had a bottle at all. I cried the last night I nursed each of the kids b/c I loved it so much..even tho they were both ready to be done.

Until 2007, women didn''t have a legal right to breastfeed in public in Pennsylvania, and it''s still not guaranteed in several US states. There''s an interesting summary of breastfeeding laws
here -- though I wish it had stated more clearly which states do not support the right to breastfeed in any place a woman chooses/finds necessary.

As for the original question, I think Addy''s response eloquently states my opinion, as well.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 1/3/2009 12:34:09 PM
Author: kennedy

Date: 1/3/2009 12:01:09 PM
Author: Jas12
I would not BF for that long--it does seem a little weird to me, but i also recognize that it seems weird b/c we don''t value BF as much as other countries--we associate sex with boobs and have trouble thinking about BF from a basic, nutritional standpoint. Someone mentioned that babies don''t *need* it past a certain age--well they don''t need it to survive, that is right (formula does provide nutrition) but it is of HUGE, uncomparable value--even well past a year. A mom''s milk changes from month to month and after 12 months is some of the *most* valuable stuff for preventing allergies and cancers. It is a shame, IMO that may think BF a 1 year old, or older, is gross when there are so many benefits to it.

Ditto!

I find it interesting how quick people are to criticize women who breastfeed past a certain age (did someone really suggest weaning at 9 months!?!) despite the overwhelming and irrefutable scientific evidence that breastfeeding is far superior to formula feeding and that the benefits continue well into the second year. As Dreamer mentioned, both the World Health Organization and Health Canada recommend breastfeeding till at least the age of two.

For those who are so worried about the psychological effects of breastfeeding past infancy, what about the very tangible negative effects of NOT breastfeeding? Perhaps it would be useful to examine WHY people have such a kneejerk negative reaction to breasfeeding a toddler. I would imagine it''s rooted much more in culture than it is in biology or psychology. I didn''t see the 20/20 piece, but I''m quite certain it was intended to shock rather than to educate. I find that very unfortunate as the appallingly low breastfeeding rates in the US and many other developed countries is a real public health issue. Studies have found infants in developed countries who consume formula are at increased risk for acute otitis media, non-specific gastroenteritis, severe lower respiratory tract infections, atopic dermatitis, asthma, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), eczema, and necrotizing enterocolitis compared to infants who are breastfed.

Finally, can someone please explain to me why it is somehow wrong or gross to breastfeed a child who is able to ask for it? I hear that argument a lot and have never understood what the problem is. My daughter could ask for milk by about 14 months. Why would I wean her just because she could say ''milk''?

What about the mothers that cannot breastfeed? My son was born early and was sent directly to the NICU. I tried breastfeeding him only to find that I had no milk. I managed to pump 1.5oz with a hospital pump and that was the end of that. James has been on formula basically since birth and has only had one measly cold and he''s 6 months old now. I guess he''s the extreme exception? There are also plenty of us on this board who were forumla fed and were perfectly normal children that turned into perfectly normal adults.

Moms get enough slack for everything! We just can''t do anything right, can we?

 

[kennedy]

Date: 1/3/2009 4:48:50 PM
Author: Addy
I see nothing wrong in breastfeeding for an extended time, but when the child is old enough, emotionally, socially, and biologically, that they are breastfeeding for the comfort that it provides rather than the nutrition, I think it''s time to wean and help the child to bond and get comfort from other sources.

I agree with this as well.

Here''s my question: Is it possible that, for some children, this means breastfeeding until 5, 6, or 7? Are there some children for whom very extended breastfeeding truly is the best choice?

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 1/3/2009 7:50:15 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I BFed my daughter (so I understand the bond) and disagree. Up to 18 months/2 years does not bother me but I don''t think there is a reason to BF beyond that. I wonder what the average weening age would be in ONLY western countries? I think vesper brought up some great points that in some third world country breast milk might be the best nutrition for children. Thank goodness we don''t live like that (obviously for larger reasons than this!) I think it is interesting that those who are okay with this are pulling the judgment card on those who aren''t. Honestly everyone who responded to this thread is *judging*. I think as parents (for those of you who are) we only want the BEST for our kids. However I believe moms who BF their kids in situation like the one on 20/20 are misguided horribly.

Thank you, Tacori!

 

[kennedy]

Date: 1/3/2009 9:00:40 PM
Author: DivaDiamond007

Date: 1/3/2009 12:34:09 PM

Author: kennedy

Date: 1/3/2009 12:01:09 PM

Author: Jas12

I would not BF for that long--it does seem a little weird to me, but i also recognize that it seems weird b/c we don''t value BF as much as other countries--we associate sex with boobs and have trouble thinking about BF from a basic, nutritional standpoint. Someone mentioned that babies don''t *need* it past a certain age--well they don''t need it to survive, that is right (formula does provide nutrition) but it is of HUGE, uncomparable value--even well past a year. A mom''s milk changes from month to month and after 12 months is some of the *most* valuable stuff for preventing allergies and cancers. It is a shame, IMO that may think BF a 1 year old, or older, is gross when there are so many benefits to it.

Ditto!


I find it interesting how quick people are to criticize women who breastfeed past a certain age (did someone really suggest weaning at 9 months!?!) despite the overwhelming and irrefutable scientific evidence that breastfeeding is far superior to formula feeding and that the benefits continue well into the second year. As Dreamer mentioned, both the World Health Organization and Health Canada recommend breastfeeding till at least the age of two.


For those who are so worried about the psychological effects of breastfeeding past infancy, what about the very tangible negative effects of NOT breastfeeding? Perhaps it would be useful to examine WHY people have such a kneejerk negative reaction to breasfeeding a toddler. I would imagine it''s rooted much more in culture than it is in biology or psychology. I didn''t see the 20/20 piece, but I''m quite certain it was intended to shock rather than to educate. I find that very unfortunate as the appallingly low breastfeeding rates in the US and many other developed countries is a real public health issue. Studies have found infants in developed countries who consume formula are at increased risk for acute otitis media, non-specific gastroenteritis, severe lower respiratory tract infections, atopic dermatitis, asthma, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), eczema, and necrotizing enterocolitis compared to infants who are breastfed.



Finally, can someone please explain to me why it is somehow wrong or gross to breastfeed a child who is able to ask for it? I hear that argument a lot and have never understood what the problem is. My daughter could ask for milk by about 14 months. Why would I wean her just because she could say ''milk''?

What about the mothers that cannot breastfeed? My son was born early and was sent directly to the NICU. I tried breastfeeding him only to find that I had no milk. I managed to pump 1.5oz with a hospital pump and that was the end of that. James has been on formula basically since birth and has only had one measly cold and he''s 6 months old now. I guess he''s the extreme exception? There are also plenty of us on this board who were forumla fed and were perfectly normal children that turned into perfectly normal adults.


Moms get enough slack for everything! We just can''t do anything right, can we?

I''m sorry if you interpreted my post to say that moms who can''t breastfeed are doing something wrong. In fact, if you read most of my posts in this thread, I''m arguing that judging moms for any behavior around breastfeeding isn''t especially productive. I mentioned the health benefits as a response to the many posters who were saying that there''s really no reason, biological or otherwise, to breastfeed past infancy.

 

[packrat]

Octavia, thanks for that link-I had to check Iowa first to see what we have..It''s pretty sad to me that we have to have laws specifying we''re "allowed" to do what our bodies are designed to do. Ha, I just figured it was my right as a woman and mommy to nurse in public (discretely of course, not whipping my shirt off and yelling woo hoo look at these big uns!).

 

[DiamanteBlu]

I have not read all of the posts so if I am repeating comments or missing something I have to apologize.

DD started walking at 7 months [yup, no crawling, she just stood up and took off!]. She stopped breast feeing at about the same time.

I guess it in an independence thing. She hung on to a bottle after that but gave it up when she was 2 or so. Then it was the tippie cup and then the glass.

You might want to consider correlating independence with weaning off the breast.

Note: Breast feeding a 7 year old is waaaayyyyyy too old. I''d say that anything after 2 is too much.

 

[Jas12]

Going back to the original question...

Interesting article about sustained BF (past 12 mos) --esp. interesting the bit about the anthropological research looking to determine the ''natural weaning age'' of humans if free from cultural influence (which of course is near impossible to study well)


Linky

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 1/3/2009 9:12:01 PM
Author: kennedy

Date: 1/3/2009 9:00:40 PM
Author: DivaDiamond007

Date: 1/3/2009 12:34:09 PM

Author: kennedy

Date: 1/3/2009 12:01:09 PM

Author: Jas12

I would not BF for that long--it does seem a little weird to me, but i also recognize that it seems weird b/c we don''t value BF as much as other countries--we associate sex with boobs and have trouble thinking about BF from a basic, nutritional standpoint. Someone mentioned that babies don''t *need* it past a certain age--well they don''t need it to survive, that is right (formula does provide nutrition) but it is of HUGE, uncomparable value--even well past a year. A mom''s milk changes from month to month and after 12 months is some of the *most* valuable stuff for preventing allergies and cancers. It is a shame, IMO that may think BF a 1 year old, or older, is gross when there are so many benefits to it.

Ditto!


I find it interesting how quick people are to criticize women who breastfeed past a certain age (did someone really suggest weaning at 9 months!?!) despite the overwhelming and irrefutable scientific evidence that breastfeeding is far superior to formula feeding and that the benefits continue well into the second year. As Dreamer mentioned, both the World Health Organization and Health Canada recommend breastfeeding till at least the age of two.


For those who are so worried about the psychological effects of breastfeeding past infancy, what about the very tangible negative effects of NOT breastfeeding? Perhaps it would be useful to examine WHY people have such a kneejerk negative reaction to breasfeeding a toddler. I would imagine it''s rooted much more in culture than it is in biology or psychology. I didn''t see the 20/20 piece, but I''m quite certain it was intended to shock rather than to educate. I find that very unfortunate as the appallingly low breastfeeding rates in the US and many other developed countries is a real public health issue. Studies have found infants in developed countries who consume formula are at increased risk for acute otitis media, non-specific gastroenteritis, severe lower respiratory tract infections, atopic dermatitis, asthma, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), eczema, and necrotizing enterocolitis compared to infants who are breastfed.



Finally, can someone please explain to me why it is somehow wrong or gross to breastfeed a child who is able to ask for it? I hear that argument a lot and have never understood what the problem is. My daughter could ask for milk by about 14 months. Why would I wean her just because she could say ''milk''?

What about the mothers that cannot breastfeed? My son was born early and was sent directly to the NICU. I tried breastfeeding him only to find that I had no milk. I managed to pump 1.5oz with a hospital pump and that was the end of that. James has been on formula basically since birth and has only had one measly cold and he''s 6 months old now. I guess he''s the extreme exception? There are also plenty of us on this board who were forumla fed and were perfectly normal children that turned into perfectly normal adults.


Moms get enough slack for everything! We just can''t do anything right, can we?

I''m sorry if you interpreted my post to say that moms who can''t breastfeed are doing something wrong. In fact, if you read most of my posts in this thread, I''m arguing that judging moms for any behavior around breastfeeding isn''t especially productive. I mentioned the health benefits as a response to the many posters who were saying that there''s really no reason, biological or otherwise, to breastfeed past infancy.

Kennedy - I didn''t interpret your post that way at all - I just wanted to point out that not all moms who want to breastfeed can and that not all formula-fed babies are sickly.

I think that a mother needs to do what''s best for her and her family - just like you do. Personally, I do believe that breastfeeding is best, nutritionally speaking.

 

[mia1181]

Well I''m not a parent to I guess I''m not allowed to weigh in....

Although I do plan (sure hope I am able to) to BF my children and I will shoot for a year of age. I believe strongly in the benefits and yes I believe that it is the way nature intended.

But even though I haven''t eperienced BFing myself I am a nanny, I help raise children and I am always interested in anything relating to babies/children/developmental psychology. I''ve read lots on Breast Feeding and I get it.

I feel sorry that some people on here feel that if you think breast feeding an older child should probably not be done, it makes you anti-breastfeeding. That is not what this thread is about. I don''t think anyone here would have a leg to stand on if they felt breastfeeding in general is not good for babies. Also yes, it is a shame that society is uncomfortable with public BF, but that''s another thread.

Ask yourself this.... would you be a bit unsettled to see a 7 year old walking around with a pacifier in his mouth? What about drinking from a bottle? What if you saw one whose parents carried them around and pushed them in a stroller all day? (obviosuly not talking about special needs kids here) Sure, you may not be "disturbed" by it, you probably wouldn''t stare or make a rude comment to the parents, but would you think it was odd? Of course it is, because at that age it simply isn''t necessary to be doing those things.

 

[steph72276]

Date: 1/3/2009 10:36:16 PM
Author: mia1181
Well I''m not a parent to I guess I''m not allowed to weigh in....


Although I do plan (sure hope I am able to) to BF my children and I will shoot for a year of age. I believe strongly in the benefits and yes I believe that it is the way nature intended.


But even though I haven''t eperienced BFing myself I am a nanny, I help raise children and I am always interested in anything relating to babies/children/developmental psychology. I''ve read lots on Breast Feeding and I get it.


I feel sorry that some people on here feel that if you think breast feeding an older child should probably not be done, it makes you anti-breastfeeding. That is not what this thread is about. I don''t think anyone here would have a leg to stand on if they felt breastfeeding in general is not good for babies. Also yes, it is a shame that society is uncomfortable with public BF, but that''s another thread.


Ask yourself this.... would you be a bit unsettled to see a 7 year old walking around with a pacifier in his mouth? What about drinking from a bottle? What if you saw one whose parents carried them around and pushed them in a stroller all day? (obviosuly not talking about special needs kids here) Sure, you may not be ''disturbed'' by it, you probably wouldn''t stare or make a rude comment to the parents, but would you think it was odd? Of course it is, because at that age it simply isn''t necessary to be doing those things.

Well said!!!

 

[mia1181]

Date: 1/3/2009 8:08:30 PM
Author: kennedy
ETA It''s my understanding that breastfeeding rates in many third world countries are not very high at all because of the formula industry''s massive marketing campaigns to convince mothers (mostly uneducated) that science can do better than their own bodies. The WHO and other humanitarian organizations are currently working very hard to reverse this way of thinking as lower breastfeeding rates, especially in underdeveloped countries, have very serious public health implications.

I''d like to see some information on this. It doesn''t seem realistic that all the millions of impoverished mothers in China and Africa trek to the market to buy formula for their babies with the little money they have. It seems much more realistic that they eat and feed their children breastmilk as much as possible. Anyway, if you can point me to this info I''d really be interested to read.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

mia, I think I would stare if I saw my 7 year old neighbor coming over with a paci and a bottle.

I am not anti BFing AT ALL! I did it with DD and will BF with any future child. But I do think it is okay to have an opinion when BFing is no longer in the best interest for the child (think of ALL parts of a child''s life). No need to feel sorry for me

 

[mia1181]

Tacori that daughter of yours is adorable!!!!!!!! I could never feel sorry for you! She could be a baby gap model!

 

[diamondfan]

Honestly, to me, past about 9 months to a year it is too much. I know someone who breastfed a child in kinder with teeth who was potty trained. He would tell her he needed to nurse . WAY too old in my view. All the nutritional benefits occur within the first year so beyond that I find it personally a bit odd.

 

[kennedy]

Date: 1/3/2009 10:41:38 PM
Author: mia1181

Date: 1/3/2009 8:08:30 PM

Author: kennedy

ETA It's my understanding that breastfeeding rates in many third world countries are not very high at all because of the formula industry's massive marketing campaigns to convince mothers (mostly uneducated) that science can do better than their own bodies. The WHO and other humanitarian organizations are currently working very hard to reverse this way of thinking as lower breastfeeding rates, especially in underdeveloped countries, have very serious public health implications.

I'd like to see some information on this. It doesn't seem realistic that all the millions of impoverished mothers in China and Africa trek to the market to buy formula for their babies with the little money they have. It seems much more realistic that they eat and feed their children breastmilk as much as possible. Anyway, if you can point me to this info I'd really be interested to read.

Sure, there's lots of info on this. Look up The Nestle Boycott and you'll find tons more. It's hard to believe companies can be this evil, but it really is true.

Here are a few articles from reputable sources:

NY Times article from '81

2007 article from The Gaurdian -- Nestle up to its old tricks!

Link

ETA Changed a couple of the links. Hope they still work.