TIME magazine and breast feeding a 4 year old

It's a mother breastfeeding her child. That is certainly not "disturbing" or "disgusting." I find it sad that so many people have that reaction.

All I know is, that woman is HOTTTTTTTTTTTT

I don't like the way TIME portraited it. No one feeds their 3 yr old like that. My son is 4 in a few months and we still have loads of cuddle sessions and I could see feeding him still at night. I was ready to stop at 13 months, that's just me. I have friends who have tandem fed and the oldest was 4 1/2 when he naturally weaned. I don't see the issue with it. It is totally natural.

TIME wanted attention and TIME got it. I am not judging how anyone raises their children. Breastfeed or don't. Attachment parent or don't. I am no expert. I am plugging along like most in being a parent and just trying to raise my kids the best way I know how.

What offends me is that TIME chose to put this out there and didn't consider the fact that my 7 year old would be standing in the grocery line. He saw me nursing my twins because he was 5 at the time, but he was a little surprised that the kid looked close to his age and he was latched on.

Ew. I could only breastfeed for a few weeks until my milk dried up. Did it give me a special bond when I did breastfeed? No more than my son and husband had together. You have a bond no matter what you're feeding your child. I breastfed for his health; the bond came naturally.

I don't understand what the debate is for. I get really annoyed at a lot of the replies in topics like these.

"It's disgusting" and "once your child gets teeth/starts walking/starts talking (whatever) you need to stop breastfeeding!" "You're a horrible mother if you choose not to breastfeed" Ummm how about it's none of your business how long other mothers breastfeed their children? And why do you care?

Do I support breastfeeding: Yes
Do I support bottlefeeding: Yes
Do I support breastfeeding until toddler or older: Yes, whatever works for you and your child!
Should you breastfeeding your child affect me in anyway: No, it's between you and your child (and maybe spouse and family)
Should you bottlefeeding your child affect me in anyway: Same as above
Do I think the Time picture is creepy: Yes

I have encountered plenty of people though who are willing to tell you that if you are not doing it their way, then you are wrong. (This includes both breast and bottle moms, I'm not discriminating) This is the thing that gets under my skin the most. I have a son. Regardless of how he was fed from the time of birth, he is a normal (sometimes obnoxious) 13 year old. I am comfortable with the feeding decisions I made and don't need anyone's acceptance or approval about it. I also won't tell you what you should do with your child. What works for you and your child is a personal decision, so don't force the issue on me.

Happy Mothers Day weekend to all the moms here!

I guess I'm of the mind that it's less than natural to NOT wean a child before THEY decide.

Animals do it. They'll be quite aggressive to get the message across to their young that it's time to stop.

A 4 year old does not need the breast. They have teeth in order to chew solid foods. They don't need breastmilk at all. Breast milk is designed specifically for human consumption, so why not make the argument that a 40 year old man should still breastfeed from his mother? I'm 100% positive that it would be nutritionally beneficial to him. Breastmilk would likely be good for humans of any age. That is simply NOT the point.

Do the natural thing...wean your child. Or deal with people giving you weird looks. We're as free to do that as you are to defend your choice.

There's a strong argument that the whole naturalistic parenting movement sets women back from being fully active members of working society, too. How the hell are you going to advance a career if you attempt to do 4 years of breastfeeding and "elimination communication" and all of the attendant BS prescribed by attachment parenting? The short answer is that you're not, of course. You simply cannot do both to full effectiveness.

As for part two, pumping does take time, but my god sons mother would pump and I dont remember it ever taking that long? Maybe it was the type of machine?

I used a Medela Freestyle, and that's the Cadillac of personal use machines. It depends on a lot of things as for how long it will take. How established the supply would be is a big one. Breast milk works on a supply/demand system. If you need a bigger supply, you pump more (or nurse your child more) to get your body to start producing more. And, as previously mentioned up thread, it's not as efficient as nursing the child directly from the breast.

I've had times during pumping where it was a struggle to get an ounce, but towards the end when I was weaning myself from pumping (and anyone who says "just quit cold turkey" doesn't necessarily realize that can hurt and possibly even cause an infection in the breast from engorgement) with my first, I got 17 ounces in an hour. That's a lot when one has a one month old who is only taking in about 20 ounces in a day.

All pumping situations are not the same, simply because all boobs don't produce at the same rate. Some women who can breastfeed successfully can't get more than an ounce out of a hospital grade pump.

I had long pumping sessions because I was prolific. I have two letdowns every session. I was so fortunate I was able to donate over 300 ounces to the regional milk bank. On top of that I could feed my child. we are each so different!

I found the cover pic to be inappropriate and a bit tasteless. I thought it came off looking sensual and just plain creepy. I think this shock value picture will just make it harder for women who do BF and when they have to do so in public (even when in the bathrooms or covered up...they still get plenty of *kitten* from people).

I personally don't care what a mother chooses to do regarding BF.

Do not need any "statistical data" to back up my opinion.... it's plain and obvious to see.... ask any husband (one with a spine) about how much he enjoys co-sleeping/parenting... lol

I have a spine and my child co-sleeps. He's five. I wouldn't change a thing.

Now what?

I think it's hilarious, reminds me of that movie Grown Ups, the lady is breast feeding the child, while he is standing up. Sandler asks Kevin James, how old the kid it, he says....ummm 48 months...hahahaha, so damn funny. But seriously, who gives a ****, live your own goddamn lives, if you don't like it, don't read the ****in magazine...

I breast fed my son, but still believe 2 should be the absolute max! If it can talk, walk and has teeth it probably can handle drinking regular whole milk instead of breast milk.

i was breastfeed up until i was 3-4 i dont see how thats disturbing or even disgusting, breast milk is the best milk you can give your kids. Why is it so disgusting for some to see a mother breastfeeding her kids but its not disgusting for people to consume milk from an animal. I dont get it, so cow milk is not gross and does a body good but human milk and breastfeeding is disgusting?

I'm against Time Magazine for pitting mothers against each other. And doing it on Mother's Day.

^^^^This^^^^