Of course once this article came out, many began offering up their opinions rather freely. The general opinion seemed to be that her breastfeeding her six year old is disgusting. Some even went as far as calling it child abuse. Why would she do this when her daughter was old enough to have memories of it? Many called her selfish, because obviously there is no benefit to her child. Others said they support breastfeeding, but if she wanted a child that age to get breast milk then she needs to pump it. All of these are normal reactions, right? Wrong. These reactions are only found in cultures where the female breasts are overly sexualized, or in cultures where formula is pushed as the normal way to feed infants.
As you all know, I am still breastfeeding Milk Monster and he will be three in April. I have heard the same comments the mom in the article has heard. Why not pump? Well most women have difficulty responding to pumps. Your child is more effective at draining your breasts than a pump ever will be. Not only that, but when you offer a bottle of expressed milk instead of nursing your body needs you to be pumping at that moment. If you do not pump, you are missing a feeding time which can cause your supply to decrease. It is difficult to rebuild your supply after it has decreased. Many breastfed babies will refuse the bottle. I mean seriously, they know the difference between their mother's breast and a synthetic nipple.
Now a six year old nursing? Too old you say? Do you know the real name for your baby teeth? They are called MILK TEETH. Why are they called this? Because once upon a time, all humans nursed until their first teeth fell out and were replaced by their permanent teeth. In fact, in countries all over the world mothers are still nursing their children until they lose their milk teeth. What use is there to nurse that long? Well breast milk never loses nutritional value. Do you drink cow's milk? Well that is breast milk from another species, and adults are told we need it for nutrients. Why would human breast milk be any different? Also, children do not nurse just for nutrition. They nurse for comfort and to bond with their mothers. There is nothing else quite like it.
Now, imagine you live in a country where food is scarce. It is hard to feed your family. You have a substance readily available and free for you. Would you use it? Of course, if it meant keeping your children alive and healthy why would you refuse? Would you refuse knowing it was breast milk? I recently read a story from a woman in Puerto Rico. She works in a salon and shared this in our group for extended breastfeeding. I have her permission to share this with you.
"I was at work today and they were discussing the 7 year old breastfeeding in the radio station we were listening too. I work at a Puerto Rican beauty salon( well I am In Puerto Rico) where two beauticians are in their 70's and one is Dominican in her 40's. The reaction? One of the beauticians said she didn't see the big deal. Her baby brother was nursed until 7. The Dominican said her younger sister were nursed until 8 and her baby brother until 10.
And there was me: I nursed two boys until 4 and my grampa was nursed until 8. The discussion was around people today making a big deal out of nothing and being ridiculous. That years ago that was the way every poor Latin family fed their children, and they were healthy, productive adults today. The rest of the ladies ( Puerto Rican old ladies in their 70's and 80's) agreed and just made fun of the concerns about psychological damage concerns expressed in the radio. They were commenting how society today was so shallow and silly. As one said: "People today are spoiled. Now it is all traumatic and nasty, back then that was the way to feed your kid if you wanted to see him thrive. Food was scarce and breast milk was free. "
It was really neat to see this reaction for a change. Usually is just lots of bashing."
Americans are odd compared to the rest of the world. We something that our bodies were intended to do as wrong and nasty. We see women breastfeeding older children and feel the need to judge them as parents. Before you say you do not judge, shut up. Yes I said shut up. Any time you comment on how someone parents and say it is disgusting, you are judging. Instead maybe you should simply say you personally wouldn't do it. It is not your child, it is not your body, so mind your own tits and shut up. Unless a mother is truly abusing her child, and trust me this is NOT abuse, mind your own business. While you're at it, take the time to learn about the world outside of your country. You might just find that this mother is not alone in how she cares for her child.
