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Infant feeding

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Original poster

Is this worse than Closer magazine? The Sun article

31 replies

catellington · 23/04/2014 23:17

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/5584391/mother-breastfeeds-5-year-old-daughter.html

There is so much wrong with the way the sun reports this, I don't know where to start....brave of Sharon Spink the woman featured though.

Why does it seem like it's acceptable to condemn and criticise extended breastfeeding families in the media, when this would not be acceptable (or legal) for other minority groups?

Can't link to full article as don't have sub, but it gets worse with so called expert opinions talking about psychological damage etc etc .... It's Closer magazine, take 2.

I don't know why I waste energy on such tripe but I feel Angry

OP posts:
DancingtheTittyTango · 24/04/2014 07:39

I really don't get the hysteria over extended breastfeeding. If you don't want to do it with your children then don't do it. Most extended feeders feed at home anyway so it's not like its seen that often in public anyway and even if it was, if you don't like it don't look!!

To me it's exactly the same as a 5 year old who has a cup of milk and a blankey comforter.

5madthings · 24/04/2014 07:45

I saw this yesterday and got embroiled in a Fb row about it, so many people spouting ignorant shit about bfeeding.

It was linked to on a selling page purely to pitch about, twats.

Roshbegosh · 24/04/2014 07:47

It is a way that this woman meets some need or other and it won't physically harm the child. Weird though.

elvislives2012 · 24/04/2014 07:49

"Sucking her boob"? What an awful way to describe something so natural. Good for her, doing what she thinks is best for her daughter. Don't see how it's anyone else's business to cast judgment on her.

MollyBdenum · 24/04/2014 07:51

Yeah, it's a way she meets the need of her child. What sort of other need are you thinking of?

Roshbegosh · 24/04/2014 07:58

Her need, not the child's.

5madthings · 24/04/2014 07:59

No it meets the need of her child, the child wouldn't feed if she didn't need or want to.

Starballbunny · 24/04/2014 08:04

Why is this worthy of an article. I BF DD2 until she was way older than 5.

DF fed her DD until she was 5 and I have other DFs who went into toddlerhood and who's DCs still had the odd feed when their younger siblings were being BF.

Ok we're not typical Sun readers, more new scientist and the economist, but still we are very ordinary. We don't weave lentils, or live on sprouted seeds.

Or DCs are now a lovely bunch of perfectly normal teens.

frasersmummy · 24/04/2014 08:22

I personally dont agree with it at this age I think the child should be a bit more independant by 5 but each to their own

what I dont get is why she feels the need to have her picture in the paper doing it. What does that achieve ???

MollyBdenum · 24/04/2014 08:36

What sort of need if her own though? She is meeting the child's need for comfort, security, nutrition and antibodies by continuing to respond to her child's request to feed.

Can you specify which of her own needs she is is meeting that wouldn't apply to the mother of a child who either self weaned at a younger age or who decided to stop breastfeeding a child who still wanted to feed?

Starballbunny · 24/04/2014 08:39

Independent???!
Why the fuck does nagging mummy to get you a drink of milk out the fridge make you any more independent than snuggling up to mummy and having a BF.

Older DCs don't necessarily feed for very long and they are perfectly happy to wait until it's convenient. DD2 tended to feed morning and evening when we'd have sat down for a cuddle anyway. These were also times when it didn't bother DD1 as she didn't wake as early and liked bed time stories off DH.

HeartStarCircleSquare · 24/04/2014 08:45

I'm confused as to why anyone would do an article like that for the Sun.

What spin could they possibly expect? It's setting her daughter up to be humiliated by the people who read it. "Suckling her boob", for cripes sake it's the Sun. They are firm believers that "boobs" are only there to be mocked and ogled. This isn't going to help extended breast feeders by bringing it out in to the open. No it's just going to be ridiculed. Articles like this would be much more useful in forums where people are already sympathetic to the breast feeding cause but unsure about "extended" breast feeding. They are at least likely to avoid posting their revulsion on the internet for that poor girl to find for years to come.

Also is that not the most awkward photo you have ever seen? Is the mum's head at a really weird angle or is it just me?

HeartStarCircleSquare · 24/04/2014 08:46

I think it's strange people in western countries are so hung up on their children being independent. They are children/babies they aren't supposed to be independent yet!

frasersmummy · 24/04/2014 08:53

I am not saying its wrong in any way I just dont see how its for her daughters sake ... her daughter surely will get comfort security and nutrition without being breastfed

And she is fulfilling her own need to feel wanted needed and secure in her role as a mum.

i thnk there are other ways of fulfilling the needs of mum and daughter but each to their won .. if they want to fulfill this way then thats fine

I dont mean to start a war .. I really dont . In terms of independence I was just thinking the child cant go for sleepovers and stuff if she is still breastfeeding

HeartStarCircleSquare · 24/04/2014 08:59

They can still go on sleep overs, they aren't feeding like a baby. I never breast fed past 7 months (so I have no axe to grind regarding extended breast feeding) but I have seen a lot of information pointing to the fact that humans should probably be bf till about the age of 7. So just because she can get nutrition elsewhere doesn't meant she should or that it will be better quality

TheBookofRuth · 24/04/2014 09:01

Of course she can. I am still breastfeeding my two year old DD and she stays over at her grandma's every Friday night. She doesn't need to feed every few hours like a younger baby does so it doesn't interfere with other things she likes to do.

HeartStarCircleSquare · 24/04/2014 09:02

I am really impressed by women who do it, because while I would have loved to feed till 2 (it just wasn't possible) I know I could never give my body up for years like that. I was very happy to have my dry non leaky breasts back to myself after bf even though I was sad to give it up for my children's sake.

TheBookofRuth · 24/04/2014 09:05

I have been lucky, I never leaked or had sore nipples or any issues at all really. If I had I would've stopped sooner - I love my daughter but I'm no martyr - but so as long as it's working for both of us, I see no rush to stop.

HeartStarCircleSquare · 24/04/2014 09:12

What about biting bookofruth? That was always in the back of my head as a scariest bit of it at all.

TheScience · 24/04/2014 09:13

DS1 slept over at grandmas from 6 months old so don't see why breastfeeding should interfere with that? Especially for a 5 year old.

And she is fulfilling her own need to feel wanted needed and secure in her role as a mum.
I don't feel like that's why I breastfeed Confused I enjoy it, my baby enjoys it, it's good for them, it's an excellent comforter. Do the reasons change once your child gets to a certain age frasersmummy?

MinesAPintOfTea · 24/04/2014 09:25

No child who wants to continue bfing will bite more than once HeartStar (as long as the mother is suitable firm). And that they have the option shows that the child is choosing to bf.

I can't make DS eat vegetables, why on earth would anyone think I could force him to bf without any biting?

Don't understand why anyone would do that sort of interview for the Sun though.

frasersmummy · 24/04/2014 09:32

I am sorry re the sleepover thing clearly i was wrong on that one.. I really did think it meant things like this couldnt happen and I have been proved wrong .. so I am sorry

I am going to say no more on it being more for mum than daughter .. its my oinion and I am entitled to it but there are a million other opinions on here and you are all entitled to yours too

so I will step away from the thread before I cause an unintended small war

monicalewinski · 24/04/2014 09:45

If it were me, I really don't think my paper of choice would be the sun tbh.

Why has she suddenly felt the need to publicise herself and her daughter? That's what seems odd about the whole thing to me.

HeartStarCircleSquare · 24/04/2014 10:36

It could be she wanted her 5 mins of fame, or could be she spectacularly got it wrong by thinking the Sun would show a sympathetic intelligent article on extended breastfeeding and she could help inform people about it.

Unfortunately whatever her thoughts were her daughter will forever by googleable along with whatever drivel is written by the neanderthals commentators on the Sun.

Midori1999 · 24/04/2014 11:16

This lady is on a sling Facebook page I'm on and is apparently meant to be on This Morning today too. Not sure if that's still the case.

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