channel 4 breastfeeding programme

[lazycow]

Just thought people might be interested if you don't already know.

Channel 4 on Weds 1 Feb. A programme called Extraordinary Breastfeeding is on. The write up in the magazine I'm looking at says:

"You'll be texting your friends about this as soon as it starts. It's about the phenomenon of mothers who breastfeed their kiddies well beyond the age considered 'normal' in this country. Seeing a feisty mum breastfeed her two-year-old twin isn't that disturbing, but the sequence of another lady suckling her 7 year old dughter isn't one we will forget in a hurry. "

I'm looking forward to seeing the tone it takes.

that should have been $13.95

all you nursing mothers could be millionnaires!

£60/l

It's bloody amazing anyone starts breastfeeding in this country with the lamentable support that currently exists in so many hospitals

I wonder whether trying to sell breastmilk on eBay would get more publicity for this? I'm happy to try!

Blimey, think I'll get the pump out and see if there is anything still there!

I can imagine people who fed their children artificially,buying bovine colostrum for themselves.
How creepy is that???

I've offered expressed milk to DH to take to work to put on his cereal but he declines. Not sure why

I'm going to bottle mine and sell it as a wart treatment. It got rid of a long term wart on my hand - I'm convinced of it! A few drops day and night.

very creepy

On a more serious note -

it's widely accepted that we shouldn't start potty-training them before they're ready - that we should wait and they will talk/walk when they're ready -

why on the other hand is it frowned upon to let them drink the milk designed for them until they are ready to give up? And they will stop by themselves because children want to become independent, we don't have to force them.

go for it, hunker. someone else sold dirty pants and was getting a packet for them.

suzi2- breastmilk and skin warts

I am convinced breastmilk can cure stupidity oh, and warts and all !

Saying a ten year old can have a breastfeed for abirthday present is bizarre. It really is. Can anyone here remember being ten? I can.

Yes, it's unusual. That doesn't mean it is wrong, or freaky. When I was ten I thought I was a wirch and that I could make magic potions. Was I mad, or bad? No, just a child, with misguided ideas about how the world works. Children who remember breastfeeding (i.e. those who have continued past the age of 3 or so) have invariably wonderful memories of it - hardly surprising that they feel they would like to have it again. We all remember the oral pleasure we got as babies, and spend large parts of our lives harking back to it, whether we like to consciously remember it or not. There are not many people who don't have fairly obvious ways of orally comforting themselves: smoking, comfort eating, thumb sucking, nail biting, drinking alcohol, pen sucking.

That ten year old who wants to breastfeed for their birthday has at least realised what many of us have trouble with - that breastfeeding is normal, natural and not sexual. If you're having problems with the thought of older children breastfeeding, it is almost certainly because you are confusing breastfeeding with a sexual act - which I find really odd.

Sorry, that should say witch, not wirch

Franny - totally agree. I think unfortunatley that it is a particularly British problem with boobs ! It is ok to display them non stop in trashy newspapers, but it ain't ok to display them to feed a baby

I remember being 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. I even remeber holidays and other wonderful images from before the age of 5. If my mum had bf-ed me at 10, I would have had fond memories of it. She bf-ed me for about 6 months and I am still totally grateful for it.

I persoanlly will not bf-ed my son to 10 years old, and although I love every minute of bf-ing him even now at 19 months old, I am hoping he will SELF wean before school, i.e. at around 3 - 4 years old and this only because of the social stigma.

If any one at his school or my friends or even close family found out that he was breastfed well past school age, they would a lot to say about it, I am certain of it. I can put up with the stupid social commentary about "extended breastfeeding" and I have a sharp enough lawyer's tongue to answer back, but I do not wish my son to be bullied at a young age.

At the risk of being ostracised I have a couple of questions....

what is wrong with breasts being sexual things?

And is it ok to bf a teenager?

LOL, Rodeo, we will try not to ostracise you too severely

IMO the main function of breasts is to feed children. The sexual function is secondary, and irrelevant as far as breastfeeding goes. Of course there's nothing wrong with breasts being sexual to adults, as long as this is not allowed to interfere with their main function of feeding babies. The problem is that in our society this does get in the way - people say "that's disgusting" when they see people breastfeeding, because they equate breasts with sexuality, and sex with shame and disgust.

IMO it is not appropriate to breastfeed a teenager. Children are not sexual beings and breastfeeding is an innocent pastime to them. Yes I do know that children have feelings which correspond to adult sexual feelings (such as pleasure from touching their genitals) but I think it's wrong to give those feelings the adult sexual names. A child's 'sexuality', if we have to call it that, is completely different to an adult's. A teenager's sexuality is developing into that of an adult's and breasts are going to have mostly sexual connotations.

What do you think, Rodeo, does that make sense?

franny well put my dear
yes of course breasts ARE sexual but they are not ONLY sexual and the key point is that breastFEEDING is not sexual
breasts are dual purpose
they multitask, if you will

Franny 'If you're having problems with the thought of older children breastfeeding, it is almost certainly because you are confusing breastfeeding with a sexual act - which I find really odd.'

I remember having sexual feelings at 10 myself (I was caught reading my mum and dad's sex books - by MY DAD! And me and my bf used to read her dad's porno mags down the bottom of the garden) so if it's confusing for us, then most 10 year olds will feel confused too. Boobs are a part of a woman's sexual image.

My children (age 4 & 6) have a general idea that boobs are for feeding babies (we have a 4 month old) and my 4 year old ds kisses my dd's head then my boob, they have both tasted my milk, etc etc. but I won't bf them again, they both had a year of it!

I fully expect my ds at 10 (if not before) to have sexual feelings about women's breasts (unless he's gay ), and I hope that we will nurture his developing sexuality in a healthy way
and I will express my closeness and intimacy with him in various ways. I won't bf him for his birthday.

I'm sure my children will have no negative issues with breastfeeding as they grow up and go on to breastfeed their babies/toddlers. Well I'm hoping anyway

Sorry franny crossed posts, that took me ages (with much deletion )! Will read your post now

Franny, I do think we agree with each other don't you think Phew!

I think its freaky to think breastfeeding a 10 year old isn't freaky

I think it's freaky to thinks it's freaky to think it isn't freaky to breastfeed a nightclub bouncer.

The programme hasn't even been on yet...this should be fun

I think the fact the we Brits spend so much time even discussing bf and boobs totally and utterly freaky.

Breasts are for feeding infants AND they are also sexual, so ?

Penises are used for urinating AND they are also sexual, so ?

It's called the human body and it is a miracle of nature that most parts of our bodies serve several purposes at once.