GMTV about to present findings of their breast vs bottle survey..... 8.55

[Jackstini]

Article here... www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=33217

He could have said "personally I don't agree with it but the medical evidence is..." but even then people will take what he says because he's a doctor and should know.

you made the comparison tinkerbell - "Wow. At 10 months old my daughter had the same amount of teeth she was born with and at 2 ½ years she still does."
Actually I would get your daughter to a dentist for one of those x-rays you mention, it is very unusual for 2 year olds to be as toothless as a newborn.

Jemart,

you are missing the point, all babies have all thier teeth from before they are born. they errupt through the gums at varying ages, but all babies have teeth, you just can't see them with out an xray until they have cut through the gums.

And your assertion that your DD grew out of the need for breastmilk is rubbish. She may have been eating plenty of solid food and have lots of teeth through, but that doesn't mean she didn't need breastmilk any more. Breastmilk is designed to be the main source of nutrition for the first 12 - 18 months, up til then solid foods are complimentary.

But there is more to breastfeeding than nutrition. Breastmilk provides immune factors to support the immature immune system (which is not fully developed and "stand alone" until around the age of 5) and breastfeeding helps to strengthen oral/facial muscles which help the facial bones grow correctly and help teeth come in straight, resulting in clear speech and less chance of needing orthodontic correction in later life.

Also, don't underestimate the importance comfort. Giving a baby/toddler comfort is very important, nursing soothes teething pain, eases a child through illness (not just soothing them but helping to keep them hydrated and nourished when they are not eating or drinking much) and calms a tired toddler back to sleep in the night. None of these things is insignificant, so don't try to dismiss them as wierd, unusual and unneccessary. They are natural, normal and healthy.

The only correct statement you make is; "I can only speak from my own experience of motherhood" If you had done any reading, research or even just thought about it for a little while you would know that babies do not out grow thier need to nurse at 12 (or 10) months of age.

mine did out grow the need to nurse at 10 months.
I do not dispute that extended bf may of benefit to some babies, but I do not believe it to be a necessity.

I do think it unusual to continue nursing past 12 months but concede that as every child is different there may be some who continue upto perhaps 18 months but these would certainly be a minority and not the norm.

Regarding the teeth comments, tink is being deliberately obtuse, I am well aware that children have their teeth present from birth.
When I say that my dd had plenty of teeth at 10 months I am, quite obviously, talking about those which have grown through.

Actually it isn't extended breastfeeding but natural term breastfeeding. The norm is to feed to around 2- 4 if we look at world wide figures. IF you compare us to other mammals then the natural age of weaning would be between 4-6 years old.

Lots of things aren't necessary for children e.g. hugs, toys, mcdonalds etc doesnt make them bad or wrong.

This is a cross species debate now hercules1?

Never said was bad or wrong, just think is strange, unusual and not necessary.

Eh? You are talking about what is normal and we are mammals so I am explaining what is normal for humans and other mammals.

But it's not unusual! Yes, in this country at this current time, but can you see a little beyond this to the rest of the world and to what people have done since, well, there were people.

It's been suggested on this thread that you do a little research. Have you done this? It's great to have a discussion but you need to reason through with all the points being made and find out a bit about it.

Why should I want to conform with bf practices common in India/Africa/China wherever? I live here in the UK, I do not believe it is necessary to bf beyond 12 months, as already said it may be of benefit to some babies but I do not believe it is necessary and is definitely not normal practice in this country.

"I do not believe it is necessary and is definitely not normal practice in this country."

and this is why our childrens wards are over stretched and as adults we have such high rates of obesity, diabetes, diverticular disease, asthma and so on.....

I guess that's where we differ. I am happy to go outside the "norm" of this country (although you will find that even at this present time stacks of people breastfeed past the age of one). You keep repeating it isnt necessary and it's strange but you havent really given any reasons despite being asked to explain why.
It's been explained to you why it's a good thing, why it's necessary and that it isnt strange but you just repeat it back.

It's not normal to have 3 dogs in this country but I do. Should I get rid of them? Lots of people think I'm mad having them.

You've done it again. You need to do more than repeat the same arguement (which wasnt even yours to begin with). It's hard to take the discussion any further unless you bring something else to the table or explain your statements.

Hercules, I agree with what you are saying to Jemart here

You keep repeating it isnt necessary and it's strange but you havent really given any reasons despite being asked to explain why.

As I said last night, bovine mammary exudence sits well with her, as does expensive and heavily processed bovine mammary exudence ('follow on')full of things like crushed fish eyeballs.

Milk designed for a human infant and produced by a human doesn't thoguh.

Can't get my head around that one.

Thats a rather big set of assertions greenmonkies, can you prove it? All that from not breast feeding older toddlers?

hercules1, the reason why I'm not scrabbling about for evidence for you is I'm not expounding an argument exactly, just putting forward my own opinion. I have explained why I hold that opinion, that it is based on my own experience and judgments based on that experience.

Moondog - you sure your not a vegan? your attitude to cows milk is decidedly negative.
I am not advocating formula over bf here, just feel there is a point where nursing is no longer a necessity for toddlers (and my definition of when that point is seems to differ from yours)

Can you kind of see that sometimes our experience of one child does not equate to all other children. My dd doesnt like tomatoes but I dont then assume that all other children dont like them. That would be silly.

I was agreeing with a quote, clearly I am not alone in my opinion.

You are stating your opinion, you are being given back reasoned, well researched, evidenced based arguements which contradict your opinion. I used to feel like you many years ago, I then learnt a lot about breastfeeding and changed my opinion in line with what I learnt.

No, you are not alone in your opinion. That doesnt make it right initself.

Nor does it make me wrong. It is a value judgment, perfectly okay to hold a differing opinion on the matter btw.

It's perfectly physiological to feed well into childhood - saying it's not necessary is to use an irrelevancy, because many things are not 'necessary' to survival or well-being, but we do them (or fail to do them) and we survive and find well-being in other ways (or our children do).

It may be culturally unusual or socially inconvenient or personally uncomfortable to breastfeed at one day, one week, one month,one year or whatever....but this depends on where you are historically, geographically and demographically. But this is independent of the fact that the female body is unaware of these variables, and makes milk anyway...for as long as it is 'asked for' by the 'milkee'

And that decision is, mostly, led by the mother in our society. When the mother really does not lead the decision, it's pretty clear that the physiological end to breastfeeding happens some time between the ages of 3 and 6. If people are not comfortable with that, then their discomfort is social and cultural...and they cannot physiological arguments (like 'necessary') to back up their views.

No, lots of people think that giving our children milk which has been designed for them rather than for another animal is icky. You aren't alone.