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.

Very good point nanneh.Noone questions the ahem..multiple uses of the penis.

Spot on!!!

You've not mentioned fannies Nanneh.

I can think of 3 uses (4 if you look at db's phone)

Rodeo apart from my boobs, I have actually found multiple uses for the fanny !!

Go to a Bangkok bar and you will be amazed what the girls there use their fannies for - A friend who visited told me, I would love to see it one day for myself, will take DH for a treat !!

Rodeo, yes, I am sure we do agree. Mostly

I think some 10 year olds would have sexual type feelings about breasts, of course. Breasts are so fetishised in our culture, and sexual imagery so inescapable on the tv and in magazines, that it would be odd if none did. Are people suggesting that 3 and 4 year olds find breasts sexual, though? If so, do you all cover yourselves up in front of your children?

FWIW I think the ten year old thing is a red herring
feeding a ten year old would be VERY unusual
feeding a 3 or 4 year old, less so

Have just realised that yet again I find myself on here discussing tits and fannies

Dp thinks we all sit around comparing chutney recipes, he should get a load of this thread

I know Hausfrau, can't wait

Please nobody offer to video it for me. I really don't want to see it.

What's the point of this programme? Of course it is odd to breastfeed a 7 year-old. Why show them off on National Tv and just reinforce the view too many people have of breastfeeding and breastfeeders as oddballs. The number of mums breastfeeding in this country is far far too low and this programme won't help.

Fairy - I agree that the no. of mothers who bf is far too low in the UK - but don't agree that it is "odd" to bf a 7 year old. As I have said earlier, I won't bf until my DS is 7 (will do it until he is 3 - 4), because I don't want him to be stigmatised and bullied, not beacuse I think it's "odd". The word "odd" is a social, human construct, nothing to do with biology.

Interesting research comparing human's sexual development to that of chipms and other primates (our closest genetic friends !) says 5.5 - 7 years should be norm for bf-ing a child if one let nature take its course, rather than the Sun Newspaper !!

how long then to potty train?
stop spoon feeding?

humans generally learn to sit up at about 6 months, crawl at 8 months, walk at 12 months, talk at 18 months, toilet train at 2/3 years and generally parents help them in these stages, setting them on the path of independence - why on earth would you want to keep a child breast feeding ie in baby mode up to 5 years and beyond? Stopping breastfeeding doesn't equal stopping hugging and closeness.
If you could say by doing so this child will have an illness free life and live to a sprightly 90 you may think it would be worth it - but that is not the case.
Breastfeeding may prevent certain diseases in later life but so does sensible living, not smoking, exercising regularly, fat/sugar free diet and more importantly your genetics determine more than anything whether you are likely to develop certain conditions.
Trying to get more mothers to breastfeed is admirable, saying that doing it up to 7 years is perfectly fine - well I'm afraid you'll just end killing your message.

What's the betting that all media reports on the programme though will concentrate on the mother breastfeeding the 7 and 10 year olds, and somehow lump the mothers feeding two year olds, three year olds, twins in tandem etc into the same boat.

well I think that is the primary misunderstanding JT that extended bf "keep" a child bfeeding. that is not the case. IME, children have to be "weaned off" bf. And I absolutely disagree that bf keeps a child "in baby mode" - that is just a cultural assumption. Is a child sucking their thumb "in baby mode" and when would you force a child to stop? what about a child who takes a teddy or comforter to bed?

Exactly my thoughts Bramshott. By all means, breatsfeed your 7 year-old, but why do it on tv? Imagine school the next day for the poor child.

sorry I should have said of course some children do self wean.

harpsichordcarrier - from what I read the majority of children self-wean if they are given the freedom to do so.

you don't 'force' a child to stop breast feeding in the same way you don't 'force' a child to use the toilet - that is emotive language - you encourage a child to become independent whilst still giving all the love and attention that child needs.

DS1 self-weaned. He was nearly 17mo. DS2 hasn't asked for a bottle yet, so he can't have one

JT, don't let me come back to this thread and find you've suggested giving expressed milk in a cup to a toddler, OK?

joolstoo - children want to start walking when they're ready, they want to feed themselves at some stage, they want to become independent - that's what they are programmed to become!

You can't force a child to walk, but you can force a child to stop b/feeding when you want them to stop -
yet you can't make a child breastfeed who doesn't want to. My two and half year old has one feed a day - at bedtime. Out of interest I asked her the other day at lunchtime whether she wanted to breastfeed - she looked at me as if I was silly and said "But Mummy, it's not dark!"

yes, that's right emkana I am expressing myself BADLY
what I mean to say is that children WILL self wean if you let them
if a toddler if breastfeeding then that is the choice of both the toddler and the mother
I don't see how a mother could make a reluctant toddler feed.

yes emkana well put

I agree that it's freaky to think breastfeeding a ten year old isn't freaky! It is bloody freaky. And just because someone is ten doesn't mean they don't have sexual feelings. I suspect some people don't remember being ten very well at all.
I'm still breastfeeding my nearly one year old, but it's a totally different thing to breastfeeding a ten year old - especially as a birthday treat. Freaky!
Suppose the ten year old wanted to wear nappies for a birthday treat?

Well, harpsichord, as I described on a previous thread on this topic - at one year old my children declared that they had enough of breastfeeding now and wanted to move on, at which point I broke down in tears and begged them to let me continue breastfeeding them. They reluctantly agreed, just to please me.