People Magazine Article about Breastfeeding after 12 Months

[cabanafrau]

I don't really care how long a mom breastfeeds for--for me personally, between 12-18 months is a good time to wrap things up in that department. There are some women that have a real "look at me! I'm "normalizing" breastfeeding" type mentality and love sharing photos of themselves breastfeeding, be it Facebook or that magazine. That is SO not me and something I don't relate too. And yes, I do think those photos will embarrass the children when they are older.

I don't understand the need to "normalize" breastfeeding. In the 1960s and 70s, I could understand the need for a wake up call (sans photos), but I breastfed my eldest without stigma or need to promote it almost 22 years ago now. IMO this isn't about feeding babies, simply a very twisted public version of baby journalling.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I don't understand the need to "normalize" breastfeeding. In the 1960s and 70s, I could understand the need for a wake up call (sans photos), but I breastfed my eldest without stigma or need to promote it almost 22 years ago now. IMO this isn't about feeding babies, simply a very twisted public version of baby journalling.

I don't understand it either. I both nurse and bottle feed and I've never been given flack about either--no one has given a care about how I feed my baby. Some women feel that nursing in public or nursing older babies has been "shamed" in some way so they want to take a stance in public by nursing without a cover (fine by me but not my preference for when I'm nursing) in open places or posting lots of photos of themselves nursing.

 

[Turn the Page]

I don't understand the need to "normalize" breastfeeding. In the 1960s and 70s, I could understand the need for a wake up call (sans photos), but I breastfed my eldest without stigma or need to promote it almost 22 years ago now. IMO this isn't about feeding babies, simply a very twisted public version of baby journalling.

I see your point but sadly I think there is still a bit of a stigma against breastfeeding. Hopefully this video isn't too risque for the dis but I saw this floating around facebook a couple weeks ago and thought it was very interesting.

 

[gwynne]

I don't understand the need to "normalize" breastfeeding. In the 1960s and 70s, I could understand the need for a wake up call (sans photos), but I breastfed my eldest without stigma or need to promote it almost 22 years ago now. IMO this isn't about feeding babies, simply a very twisted public version of baby journalling.

Same here, but 33 years ago. I BF'ed lots of places while living in Europe. It really wasn't a big deal, I found a relatively quiet spot (not a bathroom...) wherever we were and fed my baby. I did the exact same thing when we made trips back to the US. I never felt any stigma about breastfeeding either overseas or in the US back then.
I've always been very supportive of BFing, but I never saw it as a lifestyle. It was a convenient way to feed my baby, especially because we were often on the go.

 

[pryncess527]

I don't understand the need to "normalize" breastfeeding. In the 1960s and 70s, I could understand the need for a wake up call (sans photos), but I breastfed my eldest without stigma or need to promote it almost 22 years ago now. IMO this isn't about feeding babies, simply a very twisted public version of baby journalling.

While I wish there were no stigma, I still see it. I don't have kids, but I have heard numerous stories, and witnessed more than one incident where a good friend was harassed, chastised, or flat out told to leave for breastfeeding in public. and I'm talking about breastfeeding infants, not 2-3 year olds. I think acceptance might vary greatly by area. "Modesty" is prized where I live and too many people refuse to accept that a breasts primary function is not sexual.

 

[tzolkin]

There are definitely still many who have had negative feedback for breastfeeding infants and I can assure you nearly everyone who breastfeeds a child over a year does so on a regular basis.

All sorts of assumptions are made about how there must be something "wrong" with any mother who breastfeeds for an extended amount of time: she's seeking attention, looking for a crusade, not thinking about the best interest of her child, raising a spoiled brat, etc. Not to mention how many people insinuate something sexual. I have known many people working in healthcare (mostly nurses) who truly believe there is something "sick" about any woman who breastfeeds beyond 12 months and have no issue judging, being rude, and expressing that opinion both to their patients and coworkers.

I am glad that there are places where people have had exclusively positive experiences with breastfeeding, but in my experience the negative comments and interactions were about an even 50/50 split with the positive (during the infant stage). Beyond that I honestly didn't usually even have people aware of the fact that I was "still" breastfeeding because I heard so many horrible comments directed at other people or even just the idea in general. (For some reason it seems to come up in most breastfeeding conversations... "I support breastfeeding, but once they're old enough to...or whatever age... that's just unacceptable")

 

[Gumbo4x4]

My 15-year-old doesn't get to decide 100% of everything in her life today. She darn sure didn't get to make all the decisions at 15 months.

 

[roseaster]

Just to present the flip side, and I know this is a contentious topic, I bottle fed all my kids. I have had a LOT of criticism about that from friends and strangers.

I had to threaten to call security on a "lactation consultant" in the hospital. I had nurses (and I am a nurse) lecture me on the "advantages" of breastfeeding, I practically had to beg for one to bring me formula. I have had friends do the same. I have been accused of being "vain" and "lazy" because I bottle fed.

I even had a complete stranger in WDW lecture me about bottle feeding my infant son.

I think mothers need to do what is best for them and let others do the same.

Personally, I wouldn't have taken those pictures, I think that they would be embarrassing to the child, even if the child isn't personally embarrassed about nursing, I imagine if one of their friends or classmates saw them they would be tortured in school. I'm not saying that that is right, but unfortunately, it is probably true.

 

[Turn the Page]

Just to present the flip side, and I know this is a contentious topic, I bottle fed all my kids. I have had a LOT of criticism about that from friends and strangers.

I had to threaten to call security on a "lactation consultant" in the hospital. I had nurses (and I am a nurse) lecture me on the "advantages" of breastfeeding, I practically had to beg for one to bring me formula. I have had friends do the same. I have been accused of being "vain" and "lazy" because I bottle fed.

I even had a complete stranger in WDW lecture me about bottle feeding my infant son.

I think mothers need to do what is best for them and let others do the same.

Personally, I wouldn't have taken those pictures, I think that they would be embarrassing to the child, even if the child isn't personally embarrassed about nursing, I imagine if one of their friends or classmates saw them they would be tortured in school. I'm not saying that that is right, but unfortunately, it is probably true.

I was having great success BFing DD9 for the first three weeks but then I landed back in the hospital with blood clots and couldn't nurse while I was in there and my supply went away. I spend about 4 months trying to get it back and it just didn't work. A few years ago a girl I knew from high school, during a discussion about bottle feeding vs breastfeeding, informed me that the only reason I didn't BF was because I was too lazy to do it and there is no medical reason that she knows of why a mom can't BF and even giving me the benefit of the doubt that I did in fact have a medical reason why I couldn't do it I was still poisoning my baby and I should have used homemade formula.

Yeah, she's speshul.

 

[tzolkin]

Personally, I wouldn't have taken those pictures, I think that they would be embarrassing to the child, even if the child isn't personally embarrassed about nursing, I imagine if one of their friends or classmates saw them they would be tortured in school. I'm not saying that that is right, but unfortunately, it is probably true.

I know the article and the OP mentioned breastfeeding "school aged" children, but the oldest child depicted was 4 (stated in the linked photo project website-- the mother is quoted as saying they discussed stopping when the child reached her 5th birthday). When I think of school age kids, I picture like 7-11 year olds not mostly two year olds with one or two four year olds.

And, yes, I understand that their classmates could tease them later in life but I really don't think anyone is going to remember this article and be able to pick out the kids in it to make fun of them several years from now.

I doubt the moms thought the photos were going to be featured a year later in People magazine when they agreed to participate in the project. In that respect I can understand the reservation about taking photos like these-- you never know how long they will be around and who they will be viewed by. I just don't think their original intention when they agreed to be a part of the photo shoot was to be as "in your face"/ "making a statement" as most people seem to believe.

They also have a photo series of mothers bottle feeding and an emphasis on avoiding the stigma/judgment women face about that, so this is certainly not a pro-breastfeeding only site. The point is to show that different things can be beautiful and that we shouldn't judge other mothers for their choices.

http://thehonestbodyproject.com/?tag=bottle-feeding

 

[bookgirl]

I breast fed my children. I am a strong supporter of breast feeding. But taking pictures of "school aged" children in their underwear while sucking on their mother's breast is just wrong to me.

I think People dropped the ball here.

http://www.people.com/article/moms-breastfeeding-after-12-months

People keep saying that there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding in public, that it's beautiful, and that it's only the people who see it as wrong that have a problem.

I guess I feel like if it's okay to public breastfeed then it should be okay to print tastefully done pictures in a magazine about extended breastfeeding. Or if you support breastfeeding then you should support the right to have the pictures taken and printed with the mothers consent.

So no I don't think People Magazine is out of line.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I think that just like we as parents decide when to wean from the pacifier, the supply cup, the pureed foods, etc, we need to decide when to wean the breast. If giving your 5 year old breast milk is so important then pump and put it in his cereal. I'm all for breastfeeding. I breastfed DD for almost exactly 12 months, until one morning about a week before her 1st birthday, she refused and that was it. We had been training her on a straw cup and at that point she decided she liked the speed that the cup delivered her milk.

I just don't understand how the moms can think it's a normal thing to breastfeed a 4 year old. These same special snowflakes will need unique and overly complicated accommodations their whole lives thanks to their smothers.

 

[CPanther95]

Now I have that scene from Grown Ups running through my head where the kid comes up to the mom and says he wants milk so the mom whips out her boob and starts nursing him right there and all the dad's friends are asking how old the kid is and express shock when Kevin James says he is 48 months.

Makes me think of the Eyrie in Game of Thrones.

 

[Turn the Page]

Makes me think of the Eyrie in Game of Thrones.

Yeah, that too.

 

[CPanther95]

When they want it frothed to put in their cappuccino, it's definitely time to cut them off.

 

[Madame]

I know the article and the OP mentioned breastfeeding "school aged" children, but the oldest child depicted was 4 (stated in the linked photo project website-- the mother is quoted as saying they discussed stopping when the child reached her 5th birthday). When I think of school age kids, I picture like 7-11 year olds not mostly two year olds with one or two four year olds.

This is going to vary though. Here JK kids are 4 when they start school. If their birthday falls between Sept & Dec 31 they are actually 3 when beginning JK.

Our kids needed to be potty trained etc for JK as the teachers & ECEs are not supposed to help them get cleaned up from an accident. One of my twins was 'resistent' to potty training & my DH had to leave work several times to help him get cleaned up.

So for me 4 *is* school aged.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

 

[Tink415]

I think that just like we as parents decide when to wean from the pacifier, the supply cup, the pureed foods, etc, we need to decide when to wean the breast. If giving your 5 year old breast milk is so important then pump and put it in his cereal. I'm all for breastfeeding. I breastfed DD for almost exactly 12 months, until one morning about a week before her 1st birthday, she refused and that was it. We had been training her on a straw cup and at that point she decided she liked the speed that the cup delivered her milk.

I just don't understand how the moms can think it's a normal thing to breastfeed a 4 year old. These same special snowflakes will need unique and overly complicated accommodations their whole lives thanks to their smothers.

If I understand what you wrote correctly, it seems your dd self weaned right before 12 months. My 1st baby self weaned right before 24 months and my 2nd at 8 months. Personally I think 12 months is just an arbitrary number and there isn't a perfect age for all.

 

[roseaster]

I know the article and the OP mentioned breastfeeding "school aged" children, but the oldest child depicted was 4 (stated in the linked photo project website-- the mother is quoted as saying they discussed stopping when the child reached her 5th birthday). When I think of school age kids, I picture like 7-11 year olds not mostly two year olds with one or two four year olds.

And, yes, I understand that their classmates could tease them later in life but I really don't think anyone is going to remember this article and be able to pick out the kids in it to make fun of them several years from now.

I doubt the moms thought the photos were going to be featured a year later in People magazine when they agreed to participate in the project. In that respect I can understand the reservation about taking photos like these-- you never know how long they will be around and who they will be viewed by. I just don't think their original intention when they agreed to be a part of the photo shoot was to be as "in your face"/ "making a statement" as most people seem to believe.

They also have a photo series of mothers bottle feeding and an emphasis on avoiding the stigma/judgment women face about that, so this is certainly not a pro-breastfeeding only site. The point is to show that different things can be beautiful and that we shouldn't judge other mothers for their choices.

http://thehonestbodyproject.com/?tag=bottle-feeding

FTR, I don't care how other people feed their kids, or for how long. I am just saying that, personally, I would have not taken the photos. If other people are comfortable with them, that's fine, no matter what the intention of the photos is or was.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

If I understand what you wrote correctly, it seems your dd self weaned right before 12 months. My 1st baby self weaned right before 24 months and my 2nd at 8 months. Personally I think 12 months is just an arbitrary number and there isn't a perfect age for all.

I don't recall saying there was a number, but at some point it starts getting into creepy mommy issues territory.