To not really understand?

[giantpurplepeopleeater]

Sorry, I am breaking the cardinal rule, as this is a thread about a thread. If that annoys you, please look away now. It's also a post about breastfeeding. Don't worry - my hard hat is on.

So, I really don't get it - at all - please someone explain........

Why are there so many people out there who are so repulsed by breastfeeding (particularly for older babies/ toddlers), yet are perfectly happy to allow their children to drink what is in effect the breastmilk of a cow, without so much as a blink of an eyelid. And of course drink it themselves without a second thought????????

Cows only produce milk when they produce calves - to feed them.

So why do people think it's more natural to drink and feed their children from the milk of another animal, rather than the mother's own?

I'm not a breastfeeding nazi, and I didn't breastfeed for long myself - but I have absolutely no qualms about others doing it, for as long as they wish. But what I really can't understand is people judging others for doing what is evidently natural, no matter the age of the child.

Confused!

[OHforDUCKScake]

Yes, the thought of my eldest doing that when he was 2 would have made me faint too. But thats because I wasnt breastfeeding him. What an odd thought, breast feeding a toddler who isnt breast fed, let alone twiddling a spare nipple.

So I think its perfectly usual that you cannot imagine your non breast feeding toddler doing that.

[Boomba]

ducks the thought of my 2 year old doing that, makes me hyperventilate a bit

[OHforDUCKScake]

My son twiddles the spare one too thisway. Which incidentally nearly has me on the roof if I am due on. I literally recoil. Very unpleasant feeling.

Otherwise, its cute.

[Boomba]

I think its, at least partially, a myth that people 'dont like it' because breasts are sexualised.

There are enough people on this thread who find it repulsive, and have igven their own reasons and are stating for them it has nothing to do with sexualisation.

We also dont need everybody else to approve of what we do, surely? Im confused that people have opinions on how others feed their babies, but more than that I dont understand why anyone cares what others think

[OHforDUCKScake]

Monica your first three paragraphs basically prove my first post on here right.

[FryOneFatManic]

I'm 44 and I am certain that the reason I was ff is that mum was repulsed by the idea of bf. She claims it's because she had small breasts so wouldn't be able to bf, but the fact she admits she asked for the medication to stop the milk almost immediately I was born says something else to me.

Her attitude when I had DD (DC1) was also a bit "why don't you sit out the way, dear?" Until she got used to me feeding whenever/wherever and began to lose the attitude. She began asking questions and I think really began to understand.

I bf'd until 10 months (DD) and 7 months (DS) stopping for varied reasons, but if things were right with DC3 (if I ever had one) I'd continue for longer, it felt so comfortable for me.

[ThisWayForCrazy]

Some people say about looking at their toddler and thinking they wouldn't breast feed them, but it's not the same anyone if they weren't breastfeeding them yesterday.

My DS has always got his hands down my top. In fact when on one side feeding he likes to twiddle the other

[monicalewinski]

Actually spat my coffee at MrsTP with the "big, colourful,engorged arses". I am one of those people who is physically repulsed by breastfeeding - not because I think of my boobs as sexualised, but I just feel physically ill at the thought.

This is just how I feel though, however people choose to feed their baby/toddler is their business and they do what they feel is right for them (it's probably picked up from my mum tbh as my sister is exactly the same about bf).

To try and rationalise peoples feelings on the topic by making comparisons to feeding your child milk from another mammal without the blink of an eye is just silly - it's (for me anyway) about the actual physical act of bf.

For the record, I hate the way bf/ff debates invariably turn out - it's your own decision and nothing to do with anyone else and everybody obviously wants the best for their baby either way.

[OHforDUCKScake]

Oh I see ThisWay.

[OHforDUCKScake]

My son does that.

[ThisWayForCrazy]

What I mean is, you set out to feed your baby, whether that's until the self wean or not. You don't wake up one day and decide to feed a toddler who's not been breastfed before.

[Mindyourownbusiness]

I find it weird. Cant help it just do . Once went to view a house with my Exh and the young couple had a baby and a toddler about 3 at least. The whole time we were chatting about the house/area etc the little boy (the mother was holding him) kept sliding his hand inside her blouse trying to get her boob out. She moved it away a few times and said 'No wait' so obviously she was still breastfeeding him.
It just was cringeworthy and my exh said later he hadn't known where to look and found it very embarrassing.

[OHforDUCKScake]

Im inclined to agree with MrsTerry for the reason that having your breasts played with by an adult male can sexually arouse a woman. Blood flows to them and they get bigger.

They wouldn't do that in preparation to feed a baby at that point. Not before sex.

[OHforDUCKScake]

I set out to breast feed my toddler.

I totally intended to self wean.

Im fact, I know lots of people who set out to do just that.

[OHforDUCKScake]

I feel I have to point out the obvious- I am not saying teen pregnancies always have teen parents themselves, live in a deprived area and have little support. Just that it makes it very likely that one, two or all of those factors are current as opposed to a middle class 30 year old womans situation.

[ThisWayForCrazy]

Aprilfoolish, people don't set out to BF a toddler. They just BF their baby, and then they become a toddler.

[ThisWayForCrazy]

TBF MrsTerry is confirming an evolutionary fact.

[OHforDUCKScake]

Do you know what, people dont like change and dont like things they dont understand.

Its actually relatively understandable that people are shocked at breast feeding or breast feeding a toddler.

I studied the low breast feeding rates in part of my degree. The women who breast fed the longest and the most successfully (i.e came over the humps, rather than use bottles) were the mothers whos mothers breast fed.
Theres a WHOLE generation where births were very medical and bottles were standard and breast feeding was unusual. That there would breed a whole load of children whos parents did do it, making them less likely to do and it takes a long time to get that diluted.

Coupled with our frightfully high teen pregnancy rate, teens who are often in deprived areas, children of teen parents, or with little support there's not only a lot of factors against them for breast feeding but they are breeding yet another generation of children whos mother didnt breast feed.

Therefore, you end up with a shite load of people not seeing it as the 'norm' despite it being perfectly natural.

I totally understand those who find it strange, in the same way I find it understandable that the reactions are totally opposite of that in most other european countries.

[AprilFoolishness]

Intellectually I can fully understand the benefits of extended bf.

Morally I try very hard not to question other parents' choices.

I (mostly) enjoyed bf mine when they were little babies.

But I look at them now, robust toddlers that they are, and imagine bf'ing them, and just... No. There's a disconnect. Very weird.

[FattyMcChubster]

Mortified, I have been told by a 'friend' that it's disgusting that I still bf dd (1).
A lot of people I know feel the same. They have all questioned my bf until this age. I have been labelled as 'odd'.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I'll go back to my lecturer in evolutionary psychology and tell her that, contrary to what she believes, she is not a feminist. She challenged the ideas of polygamy being 'natural' for human, cheating being a natural state for men not women, the assumptions about sexual behaviour based on gender promoted by male psychologists. She did not challenge the idea that breasts have more than one function. Because they do.

[MissStrawberry]

Proof that God is a woman. She gave us breasts but made sure they were multi faceted. To feed a baby, look nice, bring joy.

People will always argue about things, will always think their way is best and that has to be right otherwise why would you pick something that isn't right for you.

[MortifiedAdams]

Where are all these people that give a shit about how you feed your baby? I work with 200+ colleagues amd have a relatively large family and a wide enough circoe of friends and I have never had a conversation about what people should or shouldnt be doing with regards milk feeds.

Are you being accosted OP.?

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

[sigh] back atcha MrsTerry. You've been conditioned.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Not only big breasts are attractive. However, from an evolutionary standpoint the only reason for fatty tissue around the breasts is sexual attraction. It's not to keep the milk warm.