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Infant feeding

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Original poster

Lovely article in The Independent about extended breastfeeding.

26 replies

Jacanne · 13/11/2007 12:05

Unfortunately it's not online yet, but there is a big article by Annalisa Barbieri about breastfeeding her 4 year old. It's very positive and just lovely really. I'd recommend a ready - especially bearing in mind the EBF thread of a couple of weeks ago.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jacanne · 13/11/2007 12:10

It's [[ www.independent.ie/health/case-studies/why-i-still-breastfeed-my-fouryearold-1218385.html
here]].

OP posts:
Original poster
Jacanne · 13/11/2007 12:11

Not sure why that didn't work - will try again here

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 13/11/2007 12:19

She sounds like me. Only just stopped at night and DS#2 is now at school. He stopped with the minimum of encouragement - no hassle, no tears. Mutual agreement

tiktok · 13/11/2007 12:23

Fantastic - thanks for the link

fishie · 13/11/2007 13:11

i was just reading that and came to see whether a link had been posted. it really is a delightful piece.

Tinker · 13/11/2007 13:12

Yes, I came on to post a link as well. Lovely article. I remember the earlier one as well.

TheYoungVisiter · 13/11/2007 13:18

What a lovely article. And my god I sympathise about the twiddling. ARRRRG! I am waiting for someone to invent a synthetic nipple to use as a handheld version of a dummy.

There was a nice piece in the Telegraph yesterday [[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2007/11/12/hmummy112.xml here]

Do you think it's be-nice-to-mummies week or something?

TheYoungVisiter · 13/11/2007 13:20

Sorry, it's also stupid-links-day as well.

HERE. I hope.

EffiePerine · 13/11/2007 13:25

Great links - have emailed them to DH who is making muted comments about me stopping bfing my 13 mo DS

cornflakegirl · 13/11/2007 13:45

Maybe it's just me, but I don't get why everyone likes this article so much - it's really irritated me! (And I'm feeding DS twice daily at 2.5).

"I'm not sure I could have parented the terrible twos without [breastfeeding]" - purlease! I'm glad that she found it a useful tool, but honestly, the rest of us cope!

The article just strikes me as extreme and as trying too hard. Who is she trying to convince? I would suggest that anyone up for the idea of feeding a 2yo 50 times a day probably didn't need to read the article to start with!

(Also - breastmilk has 70kcal per millilitre? That surely can't be right?! My quick google suggests 20kcal an ounce - so maybe 70kcal per decilitre?)

Anyway - I'm going to stop ranting now!

Bundle · 13/11/2007 13:54

thre was NO twiddling in our house (dd2 was bf until she was just over 3) and bf was only for bedtimes/poorly times.

each to their own.

Tinker · 13/11/2007 13:57

Blimey, still feeding my 2.6 year old and have found it invaluable for calming tantrums and dealing with sickness. Much easier then when I had my first. Barbieri has about 5 or 6 kids doesn't she so I'm assuming she might have an idea what she's talking about on that point.

OrmIrian · 13/11/2007 13:57

I don't know cornflake. I undoubtedly could have coped with the 'terrible twos' without bfing but it sure as hell made it easier. The obvious instant answer to all kinds of problems. I never had babies or toddlers who screamed unceasingly as some people seem to.

cornflakegirl · 13/11/2007 14:07

OrmIrian - I'm not disagreeing with you. As it turns out, it doesn't work for us - any time I've offered the breast to DS when he was hurt or stroppy, he's refused. But I fully believe that it works for other people, and I have no problem with her recommending it as a "life-saver" to others.

I'm just not picking up any of the "each to their own" concept from the article (no twiddling here either - he can bloomin' well wait for the letdown!)

Bundle · 13/11/2007 14:08

gosh has annalisa really got that many kids? i thought she had 2

tiktok · 13/11/2007 14:42

NO! AB has only one kid.

policywonk · 13/11/2007 14:52

Is she the women who does the shopping column in the Saturday Guardian, and used to do 'Ask Anna' in the Independent? She has always seemed like a paragon of good sense to me.

And OH GOD YES about the twiddling and switching sides. I'm really pleased that she has explained why they do this.

StealthPolarBear · 13/11/2007 15:05

Thanks for that link, going to show DH who has a few issues about me bf ds beyond a year, which I hope to do

cornflakegirl · 13/11/2007 15:37

EffiePerine and StealthPolarBear - would you mind reporting back on your DHs responses? I know I'm being nosey, but I'd really like to know whether it convinces them.

StealthPolarBear · 13/11/2007 15:54

no problem - I don't think he will be hard to convince, unfortunately he has seen a certain Little Britain sketch

hoxtonchick · 13/11/2007 15:55

i stopped feeding dd at 18 months & she still twiddles my nipples 10 months later .

StealthPolarBear · 13/11/2007 15:55

enlightened comment from sheila under that article

Original poster
Jacanne · 13/11/2007 16:10

Cornflakegirl - I don't think it is an "each to their own" type of article - perhaps it is a deliberate reaction to the many anti-bf/extended bf opinion pieces there have been in the press. I think it is also an attempt at making EBF more mainstream perhaps. I don't think she is saying "you could do this if you liked", I think she is saying "this is what I do and this is why I love it" (in fact isn't the article titled "Why I breastfeed my 4 year old". I think the bit about the 50 times a day is perhaps included to demonstrate that women don't long-term BF just for themselves (as is so often stated) and that sometimes it can be bloody hard work - anyway that is my take on it.

OP posts:
Tinker · 13/11/2007 18:02

Oh, have I got her mixed up with someone else? Yes, she did do the Ask Anna column (and answered a question of mine )

whomovedmychocolate · 13/11/2007 18:15

My DH is starting to make hopeful comments that 'maybe DD is weaning' (she's a year old). He's normally regaled with laughter in response as she hoicks up my t shirt and unlatches my bra

I think it's great that extended breastfeeding is getting positive coverage. Such a shame though that people feel they have to justify it. I feed my daughter because we both love it and it's good for both of us, how hard is that for people to get?