FANTASTIC article on extended breastfeeding in today's Guardian

[emkana]

here

Oh, but the thing is, there is a stereotype that all women who breastfeed for more than six months are Mama Cass lookalikes in home crafted sandals, and it's easy to make it seem a freakish practise when you think that only one 'type' of woman does it. I think the article was saying that you dont' have to be a particular type to breastfeed - it's not a strange hobby, but a normal part of life for very different women. I think that is a good thing. It's about making it mainstream, which is particularly important given the fact that most women who feed past one-ish do hide the fact.
God, I partly breastfed ds to over a year, and had no idea it was that unusual.

Interesting article. I too HATE the little Britain thread. I don't find it even slightly funny, in fact it upsets me. However, as a failed breastfeeder, anything about breastfeeding tends to upset me. Must admit I do wonder how I would feel seeing a 4 year old breastfeeding - have never seen this, but I imagine it would look quite strange.

Aloha - as always I think you are a wise woman. I see what you are saying about the article. I think I was SO annoyed by the "militant" label that I read the article in a different light. Ds is just over 6 months and we had our very first bit of mush today . I'll be b/f for quite a while to come yet (I hope) and I suppose the article reminded me that I am in a minority. On a good day this baffles me and on a bad day, this makes me feel very sad and sometimes a bit defensive. Not that I should need to defend anything I know....!

PS Flipping love lentils me!!

Would you agree that the Lucas/Walliams sketch could have a detrimental affect on breastfeeding because men who watch it are influenced neagtaively and are therefore less supportive of their partners/wives? Those first few weeks can be so hard..

As someone who had the misfortune to start her b/f career while the last series of LB was being broadcast, I know that "bitty" comments from relatives while I was feeding really made me feel self conscious. It's certainly interesting that the sketch exists in the first place.

I am so glad that it wasn't on when I had my first. My DH was brilliant but other members of the family were less than supportive. I wonder if anyone has been insensitive enough to use that word when seeing someone BFing in public?

There was a quote that I really liked, about Norway. Apparently when women have babies there, the assumption is, they'll be breastfeeding. It isn't really even discussed. They said that asking whether someone would be breastfeeding would be like asking, "will you be sweating yourself, or using commercial sweat?".

I read the article too - very good. I never realised so few women breastfeed in proportion to bottle feeding.

I too got irritated by how long the writer lingered so much over physical descriptions. Seemed she was labouring her point too much.

I can quite see why extended breast feeding a is more than just giving a drink of breast milk. Never got past 14 months for my sons, though. Got too frightened of the teeth.

Just saw it.... someone brought it to my attention.... I don't know if other mumsnetters are quoted but I am sure SueW knew it was me .
I didn't know I would be quoted actually and I had no clue what article was about and when it would be published... I just answered a few background/factual questions.....

'breastfed babies cry less'

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

There is nothing DS hates more than a boob being forced in his gob when he could be screaming the place down!

The bitty thing really pisses me off. How any woman could allow herself to be associated with that sketch is just beyond me. I'm lucky enough to be able to bfeed dd2 but had I seen this just after not bfeeding dd1 I would have been gutted.

As for expressing and giving it to dd2 in a cup, I don't get on the breast pumps so never express. As far as I'm concerned I have the perfect dispenser built in!

I spotted the mnetter too!

I found it interesting too. DD is 21 months and we are still feeding. I work full time now, so she just has it morning and nightm but usually needs it to sleep as well (arrrrgh!). It is so comforting to her, and to be honest I would rather have stopped a while ago but didn't see why I should deprive her. I never do it in public now though for fear of comments and don't tell anyone either. It's nice to know that there are quite a few others out there too, even if it is a minority, at least it's not JUST me in it!

Oh and I know the author, so that was quite interesting!!

Read this article and was and then read in our local paper that NZ is getting the 2nd series of "little britain" - Oh deep joy, I can't wait for all the "bitty" jokes.

I have seen the sketch where the teenager lusts after the old lady - and I can sort of see the point. It is after all his mate's gran, so irrespective of their ages, it's fetish material. Is David Walliams acting his actual age, or just acting out being a kid? If he is in his 30s then obviously breastfeeding at that age is a fetish thing.

Was just sent this and was comnig on to post it!!! Guess I'm a day late

I have my issues with the author after she wrote a thoroughly unpleasant article for the Observer saying older mothers were unnatural, selfish etc etc etc. However, that aside, I do think this article was trying to do something good - even though I wouldn't breastfeed a three year old myself.
I think Geraldine James should be thoroughly ashamed of herself for agreeing to play the mother in the bitty sketches. And she's a mother. I wonder if she has any idea that it is being used to abuse women who are breastfeeding?

Should we all write to her c/o the production company and complain?

Better via her agent, I think. But yes, I think a complaint to the BBC might be worthwhile. What about a petition - online? Can anyone techy set it up?

Oh gosh I didn't realise it was the BBC! Yes I think we should, but I'm not at all techie, and I haven't seen it, but I do want to complain because I'm sick of my own mother abusing me because she thinks she can because it's on TV.

Breathe......sigh......relax.

But little britain IS a comedy and a cringe-making one at that! Surely part of its humour is to offend (the essence of so much comedy after all)?

The b/f sketch was excrutiating to watch - I thought because it recognised how we as a society often react to public b/f and was sending this attitude up- generally b/f not to be seen too much a public, at least not for any but the tiniest babies.

In no way, IMO, was it sending up "normal" b/f - after all who the hell does b/f a grown-up son?!!

I'm sure Geraldine James agreed to this sketch, (who knows, maybe came up with the idea herself) precisely because she recognised how uneasy many are at seeing breasts used to feed young (as opposed to being on show as sexual objects) - and how ridiculous this is!

Hmmm....I have always assumed the 'Bitty' sketch was sending up British fear of criticising any odd behaviour, of making a scene - the joke is that other 'normal' people in the sketch just pretented not to have noticed....like people do when they see something excrutiating

i disagree tiktok, and i thinjthe fact thart it is being used to abuse breastfeeders in rl shows this. i think it reflects a horribly coomon feeling that bf is freaky, ludicrous & sexual.

Have just started a thread re the bitty sketch. I really don't find it offensive, but perhaps that's because I've not personally been "abused" by people who use it, or perhaps because I'm confident in what I'm doing (and stubborn as all get-out!)

Thanks for posting this article emkana. I think there should be more of these even if it does labour the point about the image of the women. However I do see this is necessary to some extent to dispel the wrong image of women who practice b/feeding long term. What I find misleading and incorrect is that there are two mutually incompatible ?lifestyles? - those who ?feed? beyond one year and those who don?t. I agree that it is hard to express milk at work but many women who do this or who provide formula or other forms of food during the daytime still breastfeed on a part time basis. I?ve gradually discouraged my children from just coming over and pulling at my clothing when they get older but have still breastfed them. This image I think would put women off. If they want to do that then fair enough but not for me. Our breastfeeding is restricted to times (dictated to by me) ie the evenings and bedtime. There are plenty of working mothers who could do this. In fact some mothers continue to breastfeed for this specific reason, they have been away from their child all day and this allows them to reconnect and they may also sleep with them too because they?ve been away from them all day.

So there are many different breastfeeding arrangements just the same way as there are many different types of women breastfeeding. I think the ?hairy lentil eating? types are held up just because they are the only ones who have talked about it, but from this board and more gradual knowledge leaking out it shows that these mothers are just normal people. What I do find amusing is that people profess to have knowledge of how wrong/bad/odd/weird etc extended breastfeeding is. No-one has yet provided any evidence of this and yet it seems to be OK to keep on saying it. Has anyone got any specific examples of a maladjusted child who has been ?damaged? because of breastfeeding. No, they are just as normal as their mothers. I do think it is time for us to realise that yes this is just a normal, natural thing (surprise) and stop getting so obsessed with watching the calendar and constantly trying to get our children to be ?independent? ? hmm ? how many independent two and three year olds do you see around? So many of them need their dummies/blankies/cuddles, reassurance which is totally normal and yet its weird for their mother to give them this in the form of b/feeding? Sad.

Sorry don?t want to start an essay. BTW got nothing against dummies I hasten to add just not used them myself because haven?t had to.

I sometimes think breastfeeding at any age just doesn't figure on people's radar at all, it seems to be an alien concept. I've just read an article about a baby boom amongst US soliders returned from Iraq (birth rate gone up from 1-2 to 40 a month). A spokeswoman said they are arranging extra supplies of formula milk and diapers. No mention of extra nursing bras or breast pumps or, heaven forbid, BFC's! It appears that for some folks the word Baby = Formula. How sad.

PS Am I the only person who's never seen the Bitty sketch??