i totally agree. there's no need to breastfeed a child at that age, but as far as I know, there's no harm in it.
btw, my daughter was breastfed until she was 3. she just stopped wanting it.
My daughter stopped at 16 months. She turns 2 next month and has had one cold, one stomach virus , and no ear infections so far. I believe this strong immunity came from the breastfeeding (plus my wife has one kickass immune system herself).
I wonder if that woman breastfed like that from her mom until she was 8.
The natural urge of my niece the other day was to run as fast as she could down the steps... that doesn't mean that her parents were wrong in stopping her.
I just can't see how this woman doesn't have some psychological issues...
Well, yeah...there's harm in falling down steps. Where is the harm in this situation, other than it being rare and not something society would call 'normal'? Just because it seems so odd to you doesn't mean there is any problem with those girls breastfeeding longer than most.
Did you see any psychological issues? They seemed quite smart to me and the woman seemed pretty sane to me. Just because people choose to live in a way that may make you uncomfortable or a way that is very different than the paths most choose to take, doesn't inherently mean the person has mental problems. There were no signs of any such problems but because this was so out of the ordinary you automatically want to assume there has to exist some underlying issues present. I view that as arrogant and close minded but not intentionally just due to conditioning.
If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
how has the mother been producing so much milk so after the fact? Ive known mothers who couldnt 'produce" that much after just a few months .. much less almost a decade!! Doesnt make any sense..
as long as the stimulation is there, the breast will produce milk. Wet nurses were women who would breast feed the children of the wealthy and prominent as far back as biblical times.
Is it "normal"? Not by most peoples standards. Is is "unhealthy"? Not by medical standards. As for psychological issues, if the child is not being forced to do this, there is very little likelihood that there will be any psychological reprocussions from it. Actually, she will probably be far more balanced than other kids her age simply because she had less stress in her early life.
Breastfeeding is a bond like no other. This child obviously feels safe and secure. Not any different than if she had a blankie or favorite toy she snuggled for comfort. It is unlikely that she will continue on much longer. She is at an age where natural separation from the parent begins.
Across the world, the average breastfeeding time is 2-4 years. Some tribal communities still breastfeed even longer to promote healthier children since food is scarce.
That said, I breastfed both of my children. My oldest daughter quit on her own at 3 months. My youngest was forced to quit at 16 months due to my having pneumonia. I was devistated and would have liked to continue longer with both of them. I also have a friend who nursed her sons until they were 6 ish. They have turned out to be very well balanced young adults. Quite smart and not a hint of any negative reprocussions from the extended breastfeeding.
I wasnt breast fed.... u sayin im all warped and affected? lol
You're right.... breastfeeding is great, it is natural.. 8 IMO is way too old though... I know squat about breast feeding, but it seems very un natural.. i mean, how has the mother been producing so much milk so after the fact? Ive known mothers who couldnt 'produce" that much after just a few months .. much less almost a decade!! Doesnt make any sense..
Women will produce breast milk as long as there is a demand for it. The more a baby is fed, the more milk is produced. Milk production is hormone led, via positive feedback. The nipple stimulation releases a hormone called prolactin, which stimulates further milk production. It's a little more complex than that, but thats the simplified version.
When you say you've known mothers who couldn't produce milk after the first few months, this is actually not true. So many women are told or believe that their milk "dried up", which is utter bullshit. There are different stages of growth and development in an infant, and at certain times their demands increase to match that growth, and it takes a day or two for the milk supply to increase in response to this. The basic rule of thumb for successful breast feeding are : 4 to 6 wet nappies a day, and a baby who is maintaining or gaining weight.
Baby health nurses and the like are geared towards seeing babies gain weight at the rate of a bottle fed baby. In the breast fed baby, you just don't see these huge, regular weight gains. They fluctuate and vary from week to week, as as long as a baby isn't consistently losing weight, then he is fine. Women and their partners need to be prepared for the fact that at time, breast feeding can consume 70 to 80 hours a week, especially in the first few months. I think a lot of the time, if a baby is crying and wanting to be fed every hour or two, a lot of women just assume they don't have enough milk and give up. It's a real shame.
As for this women........... 8 years? I dunno how I feel about that. I guess it's her choice at the end of the day. How much nutritional value breast milk offers to a child of this age, I don't know. The natural order of things would have a child weaned at around 3- 4 years, about the time another baby would come into the picture. In our society though, we don't pop out kids every couple of years.
Interesting story, whatever the case.
I As for psychological issues, if the child is not being forced to do this, there is very little likelihood that there will be any psychological reprocussions from it. Actually, she will probably be far more balanced than other kids her age simply because she had less stress in her early life.
Shouldn't kids experience "stress" as part of their development?
I agree with everyone who says that a practice shouldn't be condemned just because it is unusual, however, I have my doubts that breast feeding by age 8 has no negative consequences. Seems like the "bond" everyone speaks of could be too strong by then, you know, the child being too dependent on the parent...seems like it could cause some psychological effects and impede some aspects of development. as kids grow they should gain independence.
Shouldn't kids experience "stress" as part of their development?
I agree with everyone who says that a practice shouldn't be condemned just because it is unusual, however, I have my doubts that breast feeding by age 8 has no negative consequences. Seems like the "bond" everyone speaks of could be too strong by then, you know, the child being too dependent on the parent...seems like it could cause some psychological effects and impede some aspects of development. as kids grow they should gain independence.
yes stress is a part of life and the child in this case is learning to destress and cope by self soothing. We all do it in various ways. Hers is to nurse. If it weren't that, she would have another mechanism be it a toy, blankie, or other activity. All children have one. If the child were particularly clingy or disinterested in age appropriate activities, this could be a problem. Although it may have nothing to do with the breastfeeding. The story however doesn't address her personality. So we don't know in this case.
As for impeding development, this argument is also used for children who are forced to potty train by 2 or sometimes even earlier. This is rediculous. The child will train when they are ready. Just as a child will naturally wean from the breast when they are ready. Most children however wean off the breast because the mother no longer wants to breastfeed. Which is why we see a younger trend.
Just as a child will naturally wean from the breast when they are ready. Most children however wean off the breast because the mother no longer wants to breastfeed. Which is why we see a younger trend.
couldn't someone then breastfeed way into adolescence or adulthood then?
I don't understand why anyone would find this as disgusting or repulsive.
I don't get it.
It's a natural as it gets.
It's actually a very physically healthy approach for the kids, as well as emotionally healthy. And there have been many studies that show kids breastfed for several years are healthier in both the physical and emotional sense.
Gotta' love this woman and her doing what she feels is right and not giving a crap what other people think.
BTW, this is not in way, shape or form a sexual act or linked to sexuality. Breastfeeding is not sexual. Only someone with a twisted mind would consider breastfeeding as sexuality.
Breastfeeding a kid that is eight years of age is gross.....something is deeply wrong with the mother...:mad:
Nah, just something wrong in the way your mind percieves it. I think it's obvious you're attatching something else to the act of breastfeeding; which is not there. It's in your head.
A breast actually has a very important function to perform in the life of a child.
While I certainly enjoy breasts for pleasure, I'm well aware of the significant role the breast plays in the nourishment of a child.
I don't understand why anyone would find this as disgusting or repulsive.
I don't get it.
It's a natural as it gets.
Only someone with a twisted mind would consider breastfeeding as sexuality.
I think you can find this unnatural without having to consider the sexual part. Obviously breatfeeding 8 years old is not a medical/biological necessity, and if it's not necessary why is she still doing it? I'd like to hear a non awkward answer this question.
I just meant women ive personally known... but i see what your saying.. that makes sense.
The visuals are what makes this story so odd... Plus , i thought the rule was when teeth start to grow, the feeding has to go.. or some shit like that lol
Its completely natural for the children to be curious about their mother's breast but the fact that the children seem almost obsessed with them strikes me as odd.
Well, personally I BF my kids for a little over two years, they definitely had teeth long before then. And man, those lil critters hurt when they bite!! And I didn't mean any offense by my comments, just that so many women are misinformed about all kinds of things, including breastfeeding. It really is sad.
It some cultures it is not that uncommon for mothers to nurse their children until 7 or 8. I'm not necessarily condoning it, especially in the United States. i'm only saying that cultures are different and there are factors that need to be considered. In many of these cultures where it is common to nurse babies for amounts of time we see as inappropriate, food is not always, shall we say, readily accesible. Nursing is a guaranteed way to provide fairly inexpensive nourishment to the child.
Again, i agree that in the United States, there is no reason to nurse a child past the point where they could bite off a nipple, but in some other cultures, it just isn't that uncommon for several reasons.
"When all your friends and sedatives mean well but make it worse... better find yourself a place to level out."
It some cultures it is not that uncommon for mothers to nurse their children until 7 or 8. I'm not necessarily condoning it, especially in the United States. i'm only saying that cultures are different and there are factors that need to be considered. In many of these cultures where it is common to nurse babies for amounts of time we see as inappropriate, food is not always, shall we say, readily accesible. Nursing is a guaranteed way to provide fairly inexpensive nourishment to the child.
Again, i agree that in the United States, there is no reason to nurse a child past the point where they could bite off a nipple, but in some other cultures, it just isn't that uncommon for several reasons.
What is really interesting, is that while so many would condemn breastfeeding a child beyond 12 months, in our society it is completely acceptable to then feed that same 12 month old baby with cows milk. We are the only species on the planet who firstly, wean their young before they are ready to, and then supply them with the milk of another animal. I just don't get this.
People would be outraged if a woman was expressing milk from a cat/dog/pig/horse, or any other mammal to give her child. They are appalled by a woman providing the milk that was designed for her child, her own, beyond a certain "acceptable" age. And she gets a pat on the back for filling her child up on "nourishing" cows breastmilk. And if she decides NOT to do this, and lives a vegan lifestyle and refuses to feed her child with anything that nature didn't intend for it to have, she is condemned and told she's irresponsible and depriving her child of valuable vitamins and minerals.
What is really interesting, is that while so many would condemn breastfeeding a child beyond 12 months, in our society it is completely acceptable to then feed that same 12 month old baby with cows milk. We are the only species on the planet who firstly, wean their young before they are ready to, and then supply them with the milk of another animal. I just don't get this.
People would be outraged if a woman was expressing milk from a cat/dog/pig/horse, or any other mammal to give her child. They are appalled by a woman providing the milk that was designed for her child, her own, beyond a certain "acceptable" age. And she gets a pat on the back for filling her child up on "nourishing" cows breastmilk. And if she decides NOT to do this, and lives a vegan lifestyle and refuses to feed her child with anything that nature didn't intend for it to have, she is condemned and told she's irresponsible and depriving her child of valuable vitamins and minerals.
Very true! Cow's milk isn't even the closest compatible mammal milk for human digestion! It often causes problems for lots of people during digestion. Society has it's priorities mixed up too often and has gripes with stuff that isn't all that bad if at all and then accepts tons of crap that should be concerning.
If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
And if she decides NOT to do this, and lives a vegan lifestyle and refuses to feed her child with anything that nature didn't intend for it to have, she is condemned and told she's irresponsible and depriving her child of valuable vitamins and minerals.
A vegan diet isn't necessarily "refusing anything that nature didn't intend it to have". Humans have been omnivores since the caveman days, so it's not like we were never intended to have meat.
But I do agree with your point about substituting cows milk for breast milk for kids. Although I do enjoy a cold glass of milk once in a while
My whole life
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
A vegan diet isn't necessarily "refusing anything that nature didn't intend it to have". Humans have been omnivores since the caveman days, so it's not like we were never intended to have meat.
But I do agree with your point about substituting cows milk for breast milk for kids. Although I do enjoy a cold glass of milk once in a while
True what you say about the vegan diet. And it's quite possible that those who eat meat can see the pointlessness of giving other mammalian milk to a youngster after weaning. As for the human being omnivore, thats a huge debate. There are those who think human are omnivorous, those who think we're herbivores, and yet others who believe we're frugivores. To look at our biology, as in our teeth, our gastrointestinal tract etc, it appears we're put together to be mostly vegetarian. I personally don't think we need the amounts of meat in our diet that so called nutritionists tell us we do.
Looking at our closest animal relatives, the chimpanzee, they've been known to kill and eat meat in the wild, but it's a rare occurrence and seems to be something they need only from time to time.
The iron we are supposed to get from red meat is hardly utilised by the human body. We absorb iron from vegetables a lot better than we do with meat because our digestive system isn't built to consume large amounts of it. Thats from one side of the fence anyway. There are plenty who believe the complete opposite and they're entitled to.
There are plenty who believe the complete opposite and they're entitled to.
If we're able to eat and digest meat it means that we were intended to, at least our ancestors worked for that - though we definitely eat far too much of that stuff. But, without going through specie comparison, I seriously doubt the mothers approach, she isn't doing that out of a physiological need but out of psychological necessity. And that just feels weird.
I haven't read through all of the thread, so I'm sure someone else has already said this, but I think the fact the child is still being breast fed at age 8, is far more to do with the mother's attachment than it is to do with the child's.
I understand that some people think that it's cool that some people don't care what society thinks, but, as others have pointed out, there is no benefit in breast feeding a child past infancy. It is also important that children develop a real sense of independence from this age too, which could be hindered from such an intimate bond. Couple that with the bullying or social stigma that would go along with breast feeding at such an old age, and you have to ask the question: who is actually benefitting from it? Attachment parenting truly frightens me.
What is really interesting, is that while so many would condemn breastfeeding a child beyond 12 months, in our society it is completely acceptable to then feed that same 12 month old baby with cows milk. We are the only species on the planet who firstly, wean their young before they are ready to, and then supply them with the milk of another animal. I just don't get this.
People would be outraged if a woman was expressing milk from a cat/dog/pig/horse, or any other mammal to give her child. They are appalled by a woman providing the milk that was designed for her child, her own, beyond a certain "acceptable" age. And she gets a pat on the back for filling her child up on "nourishing" cows breastmilk. And if she decides NOT to do this, and lives a vegan lifestyle and refuses to feed her child with anything that nature didn't intend for it to have, she is condemned and told she's irresponsible and depriving her child of valuable vitamins and minerals.
Couple that with the bullying or social stigma that would go along with breast feeding at such an old age,
I believe that when there is a social stigma attached to something just because it's different, that it is society's responsibility to change, not the victim's. That being said, I can't IMAGINE being the one 8 year old in town who's breastfed. I mean, can you IMAGINE what the kid must go through with other kids once they find out?? She must get her ass kicked on a daily basis.
Also I have a question that no one has addressed, and I sort of got to earlier: if you go this far with breast feeding, when do you stop? In high school? when they leave for college? Like where is the line drawn? I mean in a couple years the daughter will be in puberty.
Comments
"What a stupid lamb."
"What a sick, masochistic lion."
My daughter stopped at 16 months. She turns 2 next month and has had one cold, one stomach virus , and no ear infections so far. I believe this strong immunity came from the breastfeeding (plus my wife has one kickass immune system herself).
I wonder if that woman breastfed like that from her mom until she was 8.
Well, yeah...there's harm in falling down steps. Where is the harm in this situation, other than it being rare and not something society would call 'normal'? Just because it seems so odd to you doesn't mean there is any problem with those girls breastfeeding longer than most.
Did you see any psychological issues? They seemed quite smart to me and the woman seemed pretty sane to me. Just because people choose to live in a way that may make you uncomfortable or a way that is very different than the paths most choose to take, doesn't inherently mean the person has mental problems. There were no signs of any such problems but because this was so out of the ordinary you automatically want to assume there has to exist some underlying issues present. I view that as arrogant and close minded but not intentionally just due to conditioning.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
Breastfeeding is a bond like no other. This child obviously feels safe and secure. Not any different than if she had a blankie or favorite toy she snuggled for comfort. It is unlikely that she will continue on much longer. She is at an age where natural separation from the parent begins.
Across the world, the average breastfeeding time is 2-4 years. Some tribal communities still breastfeed even longer to promote healthier children since food is scarce.
That said, I breastfed both of my children. My oldest daughter quit on her own at 3 months. My youngest was forced to quit at 16 months due to my having pneumonia. I was devistated and would have liked to continue longer with both of them. I also have a friend who nursed her sons until they were 6 ish. They have turned out to be very well balanced young adults. Quite smart and not a hint of any negative reprocussions from the extended breastfeeding.
http://www.flowgo.com/funny/1279_groovin-granny.html
Women will produce breast milk as long as there is a demand for it. The more a baby is fed, the more milk is produced. Milk production is hormone led, via positive feedback. The nipple stimulation releases a hormone called prolactin, which stimulates further milk production. It's a little more complex than that, but thats the simplified version.
When you say you've known mothers who couldn't produce milk after the first few months, this is actually not true. So many women are told or believe that their milk "dried up", which is utter bullshit. There are different stages of growth and development in an infant, and at certain times their demands increase to match that growth, and it takes a day or two for the milk supply to increase in response to this. The basic rule of thumb for successful breast feeding are : 4 to 6 wet nappies a day, and a baby who is maintaining or gaining weight.
Baby health nurses and the like are geared towards seeing babies gain weight at the rate of a bottle fed baby. In the breast fed baby, you just don't see these huge, regular weight gains. They fluctuate and vary from week to week, as as long as a baby isn't consistently losing weight, then he is fine. Women and their partners need to be prepared for the fact that at time, breast feeding can consume 70 to 80 hours a week, especially in the first few months. I think a lot of the time, if a baby is crying and wanting to be fed every hour or two, a lot of women just assume they don't have enough milk and give up. It's a real shame.
As for this women........... 8 years? I dunno how I feel about that. I guess it's her choice at the end of the day. How much nutritional value breast milk offers to a child of this age, I don't know. The natural order of things would have a child weaned at around 3- 4 years, about the time another baby would come into the picture. In our society though, we don't pop out kids every couple of years.
Interesting story, whatever the case.
Shouldn't kids experience "stress" as part of their development?
I agree with everyone who says that a practice shouldn't be condemned just because it is unusual, however, I have my doubts that breast feeding by age 8 has no negative consequences. Seems like the "bond" everyone speaks of could be too strong by then, you know, the child being too dependent on the parent...seems like it could cause some psychological effects and impede some aspects of development. as kids grow they should gain independence.
As for impeding development, this argument is also used for children who are forced to potty train by 2 or sometimes even earlier. This is rediculous. The child will train when they are ready. Just as a child will naturally wean from the breast when they are ready. Most children however wean off the breast because the mother no longer wants to breastfeed. Which is why we see a younger trend.
couldn't someone then breastfeed way into adolescence or adulthood then?
I don't get it.
It's a natural as it gets.
It's actually a very physically healthy approach for the kids, as well as emotionally healthy. And there have been many studies that show kids breastfed for several years are healthier in both the physical and emotional sense.
Gotta' love this woman and her doing what she feels is right and not giving a crap what other people think.
BTW, this is not in way, shape or form a sexual act or linked to sexuality. Breastfeeding is not sexual. Only someone with a twisted mind would consider breastfeeding as sexuality.
Nah, just something wrong in the way your mind percieves it. I think it's obvious you're attatching something else to the act of breastfeeding; which is not there. It's in your head.
A breast actually has a very important function to perform in the life of a child.
While I certainly enjoy breasts for pleasure, I'm well aware of the significant role the breast plays in the nourishment of a child.
I think you can find this unnatural without having to consider the sexual part. Obviously breatfeeding 8 years old is not a medical/biological necessity, and if it's not necessary why is she still doing it? I'd like to hear a non awkward answer this question.
http://seanbriceart.com/
Well, personally I BF my kids for a little over two years, they definitely had teeth long before then. And man, those lil critters hurt when they bite!! And I didn't mean any offense by my comments, just that so many women are misinformed about all kinds of things, including breastfeeding. It really is sad.
Again, i agree that in the United States, there is no reason to nurse a child past the point where they could bite off a nipple, but in some other cultures, it just isn't that uncommon for several reasons.
No there's some weird shit out there. I just heard a story about a mom who, seriously now, gave her son blowjobs til he was 8 or 9 to go to bed.
What the fuck?
"Sometimes I think I'd be better off dead. No, wait, not me, you." -Deep Toughts, Jack Handy
What is really interesting, is that while so many would condemn breastfeeding a child beyond 12 months, in our society it is completely acceptable to then feed that same 12 month old baby with cows milk. We are the only species on the planet who firstly, wean their young before they are ready to, and then supply them with the milk of another animal. I just don't get this.
People would be outraged if a woman was expressing milk from a cat/dog/pig/horse, or any other mammal to give her child. They are appalled by a woman providing the milk that was designed for her child, her own, beyond a certain "acceptable" age. And she gets a pat on the back for filling her child up on "nourishing" cows breastmilk. And if she decides NOT to do this, and lives a vegan lifestyle and refuses to feed her child with anything that nature didn't intend for it to have, she is condemned and told she's irresponsible and depriving her child of valuable vitamins and minerals.
Very true! Cow's milk isn't even the closest compatible mammal milk for human digestion! It often causes problems for lots of people during digestion. Society has it's priorities mixed up too often and has gripes with stuff that isn't all that bad if at all and then accepts tons of crap that should be concerning.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
A vegan diet isn't necessarily "refusing anything that nature didn't intend it to have". Humans have been omnivores since the caveman days, so it's not like we were never intended to have meat.
But I do agree with your point about substituting cows milk for breast milk for kids. Although I do enjoy a cold glass of milk once in a while
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
True what you say about the vegan diet. And it's quite possible that those who eat meat can see the pointlessness of giving other mammalian milk to a youngster after weaning. As for the human being omnivore, thats a huge debate. There are those who think human are omnivorous, those who think we're herbivores, and yet others who believe we're frugivores. To look at our biology, as in our teeth, our gastrointestinal tract etc, it appears we're put together to be mostly vegetarian. I personally don't think we need the amounts of meat in our diet that so called nutritionists tell us we do.
Looking at our closest animal relatives, the chimpanzee, they've been known to kill and eat meat in the wild, but it's a rare occurrence and seems to be something they need only from time to time.
The iron we are supposed to get from red meat is hardly utilised by the human body. We absorb iron from vegetables a lot better than we do with meat because our digestive system isn't built to consume large amounts of it. Thats from one side of the fence anyway. There are plenty who believe the complete opposite and they're entitled to.
If we're able to eat and digest meat it means that we were intended to, at least our ancestors worked for that - though we definitely eat far too much of that stuff. But, without going through specie comparison, I seriously doubt the mothers approach, she isn't doing that out of a physiological need but out of psychological necessity. And that just feels weird.
I understand that some people think that it's cool that some people don't care what society thinks, but, as others have pointed out, there is no benefit in breast feeding a child past infancy. It is also important that children develop a real sense of independence from this age too, which could be hindered from such an intimate bond. Couple that with the bullying or social stigma that would go along with breast feeding at such an old age, and you have to ask the question: who is actually benefitting from it? Attachment parenting truly frightens me.
Well said!!! Bravo!!
I agree completely!
I believe that when there is a social stigma attached to something just because it's different, that it is society's responsibility to change, not the victim's. That being said, I can't IMAGINE being the one 8 year old in town who's breastfed. I mean, can you IMAGINE what the kid must go through with other kids once they find out?? She must get her ass kicked on a daily basis.
Also I have a question that no one has addressed, and I sort of got to earlier: if you go this far with breast feeding, when do you stop? In high school? when they leave for college? Like where is the line drawn? I mean in a couple years the daughter will be in puberty.