uhh... breastfeeding an 8 year old??

[JASMAK]

Who cares if there is no visitors...now it is splattered across the internet and on national tv! I think it's damaging too. I have an almost 8 year old and just kissing me goodbye on the school grounds is a big no-no. Like it or not, we live in a society that does not support BFing at that age. That is the society these girls live in. It's time their mom did too. My son wanted to try some breastmilk, so I put it in a cup and he tried a sip. I would never offer him the breast. My eldest daughter either...she is 5. I don't know what age I would consider it innapropriate...but 8 definitely is. If she really wants her children to have breastmilk, say, over cows milk...why not a cup. We wouldn't give an 8 year old a bottle, or soother...and that's basically what this is then. I think this is more for the mother and her needs, rather than her children.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

I don't think it's the mum. She isn't offering the breast - her daughter asks. And she didn't force her eldest daughter to carry on past 5 when she self weaned.

 

[amygwen]

It is 100% completely the mom. She knows what she is doing, her daughter isn't old enough to decipher between right and wrong so she's going to continue BFing because she is used to it. It's sort of like, her mom should've stopped BFing in my opinion at most 3 years old.. no longer. Even then is a bit much. Her mother CLEARLY has attachment issues and because of that her daughter will suffer. I'm sure if you were to ask ANY doctor or ANY psychologist they will tell you that it's not normal and there's absolutely no need healthwise to continue BFing.

 

[BlackBerry25]

She probably wouldn't do it in front of other children, because maybe it wouldn't be appropriate to those kids parents for their child to be seeing a boob. I walk around naked in front of Helena, but I wouldn't do it infront of my friends kids or H's friends.
Doesn't mean I am ashamed or I "know" it's wrong...

I don't think it's psychologically damaging at all.

 

[BlackBerry25]

How is it CLEARLY and 100%? I guess you know this family?

 

[Dopeyjopey]

How is it CLEARLY and 100%? I guess you know this family?

That's exactly what i'm thinking. This was filmed a fair few years ago now. How i wish i could track down that little girl and see just how 'damaged' she is. I would put money on it that she's a perfectly healthy (mentally and physically) young lady who is thankful to her mum - just like the people in the article i posted

 

[Dopeyjopey]

And i'll say again - just because something isn't culturally normal it doesn't mean it is wrong. Amygwen, out of interest, do you BF? Just wondering as I do and I wouldn't ever push Albert to go for 8 years - i'm hoping my boobs will be mine again by then but if A wants to carry on then i'll see how i feel about it.

 

[JASMAK]

I breastfeed, and there is NO WAY IN HELL my child would BF that old. I plan on going to 2 years. Like I said, I don't know what age I would consider innapropriate, I am sure there are some that think 2 years is innapropriate, or those who don't like BFing at all...but, 8 years old, again, I think...too old, waaaaay too old to be sucking on a nipple. I would feel the same about a bottle, soother, or thumb. Put it in a cup.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

I can understand that jasmak - different strokes for different folks and all that.

Unrelated - i just got your username!

 

[amygwen]

How is it CLEARLY and 100%? I guess you know this family?

No, thank god I don't know this family. I would hate this woman with every fiber of my being. It's sort of like how you grow up, if your parents are religious you're more than likely going to be religious as well, UNTIL you're old enough to make your own decisions to choose which religion you want to be. OR if your parents are liberal or conservative you will go along with what they believe until you experience life and are able to make your own decisions.

This child is being breastfed because she is too young to understand that being breastfed at eight years old is not 'the norm'. Her mother KNOWS that it is not the 'norm' but she is choosing to do this to her own daughter. Therefore it's obviously the mother, not the child. I'm not saying the mother is forcing her daughter to do this, but the daughter doesn't really have a choice iykwim? Ew the thought of it makes me sick.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

That's a bit harsh amygwen. I think she seems like a very loving mother who has her childrens' best interests at heart.

 

[amygwen]

And i'll say again - just because something isn't culturally normal it doesn't mean it is wrong. Amygwen, out of interest, do you BF? Just wondering as I do and I wouldn't ever push Albert to go for 8 years - i'm hoping my boobs will be mine again by then but if A wants to carry on then i'll see how i feel about it.

Yes I do breastfeed. I am exactly the same way, I will carry on if LO wants to, but only to a certain point. I personally believe that 2.5 years old is the limit and by then they shouldn't be breastfed anymore.

 

[BlackBerry25]

You would hate this woman with every fibre of your being? Wow.

 

[amygwen]

She's a psychoooooooo

 

[Dopeyjopey]

And i'll say again - just because something isn't culturally normal it doesn't mean it is wrong. Amygwen, out of interest, do you BF? Just wondering as I do and I wouldn't ever push Albert to go for 8 years - i'm hoping my boobs will be mine again by then but if A wants to carry on then i'll see how i feel about it.

Yes I do breastfeed. I am exactly the same way, I will carry on if LO wants to, but only to a certain point. I personally believe that 2.5 years old is the limit and by then they shouldn't be breastfed anymore.

How would you feel if someone said to you that breastfeeding past 6 months is wrong because it's not 'normal' and that you were damaging your child? I said i would BF for 6 weeks... i'm at 5 months and don't see myself stopping at any time soon. It's why i don't put an age limit on it now!

 

[JASMAK]

I have to admit, but there is this woman I know, who still BF's her 5 1/2 year old daughter...and right in front of my kids. I don't hate her...but, I find her hard to hang out with. She's nice and all, but, well, I guess there is more to it than just the BFing, but she is VERY different in her parenting syle...she doesn't say no...EVER, to her children, and literally runs around the room after them...even mid-conversation, and then breastfeeds...ugh...it's annoying. I am usually not one to judge, but in my friend's circumstances...yeah, I think it's not helping her children in ANY way. Her children are the clingiest, unsocialized children I have ever met...I have met ALOT of children because I taught swim lessons for over 10 years.

 

[amygwen]

And i'll say again - just because something isn't culturally normal it doesn't mean it is wrong. Amygwen, out of interest, do you BF? Just wondering as I do and I wouldn't ever push Albert to go for 8 years - i'm hoping my boobs will be mine again by then but if A wants to carry on then i'll see how i feel about it.

Yes I do breastfeed. I am exactly the same way, I will carry on if LO wants to, but only to a certain point. I personally believe that 2.5 years old is the limit and by then they shouldn't be breastfed anymore.

How would you feel if someone said to you that breastfeeding past 6 months is wrong because it's not 'normal' and that you were damaging your child? I said i would BF for 6 weeks... i'm at 5 months and don't see myself stopping at any time soon. It's why i don't put an age limit on it now!

Well I would tell them they're stupid because breastfeeding is completely normal beyond six months. Breastfeeding at eight years old is not normal. It's a completely different scenerio. Good for you! That's great you've gone longer than you had planned.

Edit: Theres a certain point too that a child will remember things. A 6 month old will not remember breastfeeding but an 8 year old will.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

I suppose i'm failing to understand what you mean by 'normal'.

 

[freckleonear]

I don't think you can claim that extended breastfeeding is wrong, and I certainly don't think you can pull a number out of thin air and say that it is wrong past that age.

Anthropological evidence shows that the natural age for weaning is sometime between 4 and 7 years old. Many cultures across the world still practice natural breastfeeding, with the cut off age being when the children lose their milk teeth. The adults see breastfeeding as a very positive thing and certainly aren't traumatised by it!

If anything is wrong, it is the way breasts and breastfeeding are viewed in our culture. The WHO recommends breastfeeding for at least 2 years, which only happens for a tiny percentage of children in the western world. Of course we are completely used to the situation and view it as the norm, but biologically it is not normal!

I do agree to a certain extent that extended breastfeeding could potentially cause problems for a child in our culture. But that is not because extended breastfeeding itself is wrong, but rather because the way people view it is wrong!

Saying that you wouldn't do it is one thing but stating that it is wrong and harmful is just being blind to anything outside of our own culture.

 

[JASMAK]

I don't think you can claim that extended breastfeeding is wrong, and I certainly don't think you can pull a number out of thin air and say that it is wrong past that age.

Anthropological evidence shows that the natural age for weaning is sometime between 4 and 7 years old. Many cultures across the world still practice natural breastfeeding, with the cut off age being when the children lose their milk teeth. The adults see breastfeeding as a very positive thing and certainly aren't traumatised by it!

If anything is wrong, it is the way breasts and breastfeeding are viewed in our culture. The WHO recommends breastfeeding for at least 2 years, which only happens for a tiny percentage of children in the western world. Of course we are completely used to the situation and view it as the norm, but biologically it is not normal!

I do agree to a certain extent that extended breastfeeding could potentially cause problems for a child in our culture. But that is not because extended breastfeeding itself is wrong, but rather because the way people view it is wrong!

Saying that you wouldn't do it is one thing but stating that it is wrong and harmful is just being blind to anything outside of our own culture.

OK, true...for our culture it is not the 'norm'. It is normal for some cultures to wear a little piece of hide skin over their penis' and that's it...nothing else. It's not 'wrong', but do you think it would be harmful if someone dressed their kid that way, here? Probably mentally harmful. We do live in this society, and while I agree, that BFing should be viewed better in our society...BFing an 8 year old...even in your anthropology research, states that BFing is over by age 8...7 being the latest for the weaning. Let's not forget that we can all go to a grocery store and buy food, and we are not hindered by drought or famine here.