Time Magazine's Breastfeeding Cover Controversy

@DrewDad,

I think, it's cultural phenomena (breastfeeding younger children is quite common in certain countries/cultures) and one of our time period (breastfeeding up to the age of 6 years wasn't unusual at all .... 100 years ago).

As of today:

Quote:

The Target age range for complementary feeding is generally taken to be between 6 to 24 months of age, though breastfeeding may continue beyond two years

Source: WHO: Guiding principles for complementary feeding of the breastfed child (2003)

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@failures art,

Well you would, wouldn't you.

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The woman thinks she should breastfeed her toilet trained kid who can tie his shoes and solve simple math problems?

I don't agree but it's her kid.

That she posed for a nationwide magazine cover reveals a lot about her. It's hard to imagine that this doesn't factor in much of her thinking which to me seems askew.

My bet is that she is far less tolerant of the rights of parents than the one she champions.

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If Time had explicitly noticed: "Don't worry, these two aren't models. She's actually the mother and he's her kid," there would have been a lot less offended people.

Of course that wouldn't suited their marketing.

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I'm a product of detachment parenting, and, apart from the murderous rage, I turned out just fine.

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@joefromchicago,

Based on that testimony I'm thinking it may be better if kids stay on the teat until teenage years.

God forbid we're overrun with Joes From Chicago.

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I'm not at all offended by the photo. In fact, I like her defiant stare. Good for her -- she chose to have a baby knowing that it might result in some inconvenience for her and she did it anyway, and she took it seriously.

My problem with it, as with many things, is that people are so damn evangelical about it. It seems like a religion. The real message about the importance of good attachment gets lost in the hubbub of people thinking it has to be all or nothing.

The science on attachment is clear. It is best for your baby to do whatever you can to establish solid attachments.

I haven't read the full article but I'm supposing it discusses the neurobiology of attachment in way that makes the science accessible to a great number of people. If the provocative cover photo encourages more people to buy the magazine and read the article I think that's great.

My only problem with the photo -- and it really is a BIG problem -- is that the kid couldn't really consent to it. I've already seen him photoshopped into a million other photos and paintings. He's fast becoming the famous "titty baby" and he's going to catch some **** for that over the upcoming years. I wouldn't wish that notoriety on any kid.

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@boomerang,

“When you think of breast-feeding, you think of mothers holding their children, which was impossible with some of these older kids,” Schoeller [the photographer (source)] says. “I liked the idea of having the kids standing up to underline the point that this was an uncommon situation.”

Btw: the average (!) age of weaning worldwide is around four years.

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@Walter Hinteler,

Quote:

Btw: the average (!) age of weaning worldwide is around four years.

Please provide documentation.

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@hawkeye10,

Quote:

Btw: the average (!) age of weaning worldwide is around four years.

hawkeye10 wrote:

Please provide documentation.

Y is that important ??

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Breast. Feeding.

You mean, milk comes out of those things, or something like that?

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@OmSigDAVID,

OmSigDAVID wrote:

Quote:
Btw: the average (!) age of weaning worldwide is around four years.
hawkeye10 wrote:
Please provide documentation.

Y is that important ??

Y I have provided documentation that in America only 7% of youth are still breastfed at 1.5 years and here it is claimed that the average age of weaning around the world is 4 years....that needs to be documented if the claim is to be taken seriously as fact based upon previous documentation provided in this thread.

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@hawkeye10,

hawkeye10 wrote:

Please provide documentation.

WHO, link provided yesterday above. (That's as well mentioned in dozens of online and print media yesterday/today.)

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@hawkeye10,

I believe the age 4 thing is an urban myth. I think the average age would be closer to age 2, and in north america it's about 6 months. And that only takes into account those women that do breastfeed, many don't or can't.
I had an aunt who volunteered for La leche league, some of these women are almost militant.. I doubt even they'd agree to that world wide stat.
Regardless, you can't breastfeed when you're pregnant and in some cases, (and like the rhythm method), breast feeding does provide some protection against another pregnancy. Of course, it's a totally unreliable method. In most developing countries people certainly aren't waiting 5 years between children. I'm pretty sure the statistics will prove that.

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@Ceili,

Quote:

[...]
As a related story on extended breast-feeding in the issue explains, the squeamish reaction is uniquely American. The World Health Organization recommends breast-feeding until at least age 2, and the average age of weaning worldwide is about 4; a natural age of weaning humans is between 2 and 7, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

In the United States, although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breast-feeding for six months, only 15 percent of women do (44 percent breast-feed their children some at 6 months). By the time their children turn 1 year old, fewer than 25 percent of American mothers are still breast-feeding.
[...]

Source

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I’m not offended by it in the least, and I don’t even care for boobs.

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@hawkeye10,

Quote:

Btw: the average (!) age of weaning worldwide is around four years.

hawkeye10 wrote:

Please provide documentation.

OmSigDAVID wrote:

Y is that important ??

hawkeye10 wrote:

Y I have provided documentation that in America only 7% of youth are still breastfed at 1.5 years and here it is claimed that the average age of weaning around the world is 4 years....that needs to be documented if the claim is to be taken seriously as fact based upon previous documentation provided in this thread.

What the hell DIFFERENCE does it make, Hawkeye??????
Its a purely private & personal matter.

The opinions of the collective remain meaningless and of no import.

David

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@jcboy,

jcboy wrote:

I’m not offended by it in the least,
and I don’t even care for boobs.

I understand that u r gay,
and I have great good will for u, hoping that your daily JOY
will increase beyond your wildest dreams, surpassed only by the BEAUTY in your life,
but on reading that anyone does not like chicks' breasts, that hurt !

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@DrewDad,

Quote:

Can someone explain to me what an "elderly toddler" is?

I doubt that very much, DD.

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@failures art,

Freudian slip, Art?

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Time Magazine's Breastfeeding Cover Controversy

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