Did Time Magazine's Breastfeeding Cover Cross The Line?

[Quiche]

Oh, I hope he doesn't go into the same line of work as the Ivory Snow baby! :what:

 

[OrdinaryLife]

I breastfed all 3 of my children. I also bottle fed. I don't agree with nursing a child who is potty trained and learning to become an independent young person. At some point, who is the nursing really for? But, that's just me.

I would never, ever judge another Mom who chose not to nurse vs the bottle. For me, it's just not those nursing moments/child and Mom time. Women who bottle feed are no less nurturing than those who breast feed.

I can't wait to read some other new article that will bring up having a natural childbirth vs C-section and how we yet again failed as women "not having the experience". These topics always seem to go hand in hand.

imvho, etc...

 

[Danaya]

BBM This assertion has always mystified me. I both breast and bottle fed breast milk to my son. I think one would be hard pressed to prove there is any difference in "the bonding experience" between bottle versus breast feeding. A preference on the part of the nursing mother, sure. Fulfilling some biological/emotional need on the part of the mother, no doubt. But a closer, somehow more meaningful, deeper bond than if a mother bottle feeds her child breast milk or formula? Wishful thinking. I think it was selfish of this woman to allow her son's picture nursing at that age to be displayed universally. This clearly has much more to do with her needs (and I would argue, attachment parenting in general is more about the needs of the parent than what is truly in the best interests of the child) than the true needs of the child at this stage.

Of course there is a bond that a breastfeeding mother has with her child that a non nursing mother doesn't. It is simple, really. One mother is giving her child life through her own body, feeling the child at her breast and nursing which in turn sends out physiological chemicals. A mother who mixes powder into milk and puts it in a baby bottle does not feel this. Sorry, they just don't.

I won't get into specifics on a message board but I really believe nursing is best, point blank period. Attatchment parenting is best. Those are my thoughts and we are all entitled to them. You are entitled to yours and so are all of the other readers of this forum.

Research will back up the benefits and bonds of a nursing mother, just do a google search and you will not find one ounce of research supporting bottle feeding over breastfeeding. However, you will find mountains of research saying breastfeeding is not only healthier for your child, it is much more bonding. Breast is best. Backed up by tons of scientific research and testimonials. To say otherwise would be a personal opinion that is contradicted by facts.

 

[Danaya]

As long as Mom's okay with what happens when she leaves the room. :lol:

Umm, you do know that a nursing toddler or preschooler does eat other food and liquid, right?

 

[southerncat]

I have never known attachment parenting to be considered "extreme" parenting. I nursed my oldest until she was 23 months, we were both done with it at that time. I think back on it and can't believe I nursed her that long. It was never my intention but we did it and she is a very independent 3 year old. I am currently nursing my second who turned 1 yesterday. To me attachment parenting just seems natural, I practiced it before I realized it had a name. I wear my baby, we cosleep and she is breastfed. We also use cloth diapering although not full time. The size of your breasts do not make a difference in one's ability to breast feed and they do not always look full. After a while they are "regulated" if that makes sense.

I am a very big advocate of breast feeding but I will say I am not a fan of this TIME cover. I haven't read the articles so I do not know what I think about them.
Just my :twocents: and MO

 

[Cubby]

If Your Kid Can Bite, Breastfeeding Ain't Right

A controversial magazine cover makes breastfeeding and attachment parenting look almost glamorous--but is it? No. It's not.

Time Magazine’s cover of a woman breastfeeding her son was intended to bring awareness to attachment parenting—instead it made the long-suffering magazine look desperate for attention, and some poor kid a lifelong subject of playground bullying. I mean what is the cutoff for breastfeeding, little league?

http://glenellyn.patch.com/articles...feeding-ain-t-right?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001

This article sums it up nicely, imo. Well worth the read!

 

[Glow]

Interesting reading everyones replies.

Even more interesting to see that it is the American culture and family that shapes this issue not biology or nutrition.

But then, why should the feeding of our young be about nutrition, or biology?

 

[sweetheart29]

babys can and do bite quite earlier i breastfeed for 12 months daautgher refused to take bottle. why stop at little mommy can sit in the dug out.

 

[Tugela]

Yes, her beasts do not "appear" to be full of milk, not in the least.

Breast feeding is about colostrum and nutrition for the infant. I have never witnessed any public breast feeding but if the kid is 1 years plus, or making loud smacking/sucking sounds in a public place, expect to see some unfriendly glares.

If this goes on in private, well...keep it private.

What does a breast that is "full of milk" look like? (considering that size has nothing to do with milk production)

 

[Quiche]

To be perfectly honest, these days, with the lack of quality inspections from the FDA, I would either be nursing for an extended period or buying a miniature goat.

 

[Nova]

I think the concern that the kid will be bullied later may be exaggerated. How many middle school students are reading old TIME magazines?

 

[sharkeyes]

Couldn't care less what's on the cover of TIME. As far as the kid being a "toddler"...looks more like 4 or 5 years old, and if a woman feels she needs (and has the time) to breast feed a kid for a few years as opposed to 12 months, go for it, whatever floats your boat.

While we're on the subject though - for the women who breast feed beyond 12 months - do you supplement with regular foods too? I'm sure you do - I couldn't see a 24 month old subsisting solely on breast milk, but, I could be wrong.

 

[Danaya]

While we're on the subject though - for the women who breast feed beyond 12 months - do you supplement with regular foods too? I'm sure you do - I couldn't see a 24 month old subsisting solely on breast milk, but, I could be wrong.

Yes, we do supplement of course with regular food. They eat just as much as any other baby or toddler but they get the added health benefit of breastmilk.

 

[JBean]

Military Moms Breastfeeding in Uniform Stir Controversy

At a time when breastfeeding in public is already controversial, pictures of two military moms doing so while wearing their uniforms is sparking outrage.

-snip-


"People are comparing breastfeeding in uniform to urinating and defecating in uniform. They're comparing it to the woman who posed in "Playboy" in uniform [in 2007]" Scott told Yahoo! Shine in an interview. "We never expected it to be like this."

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/mi...ding-uniform-stir-controversey-214500503.html


I don't get it. Had no idea this was verboten.

 

[Nova]

I just grateful that all the other problems in this country have been solved, so we have time to worry about this!

 

[nomoresorrow]

BBM This assertion has always mystified me. I both breast and bottle fed breast milk to my son. I think one would be hard pressed to prove there is any difference in "the bonding experience" between bottle versus breast feeding. A preference on the part of the nursing mother, sure. Fulfilling some biological/emotional need on the part of the mother, no doubt. But a closer, somehow more meaningful, deeper bond than if a mother bottle feeds her child breast milk or formula? Wishful thinking. I think it was selfish of this woman to allow her son's picture nursing at that age to be displayed universally. This clearly has much more to do with her needs (and I would argue, attachment parenting in general is more about the needs of the parent than what is truly in the best interests of the child) than the true needs of the child at this stage.

:clap: Great post! While I breastfed both of my sons (began the "weaning" process at 12 month...), I had numerous friends who were new moms at the time and chose to bottlefeed. We would all visit one another, sit around chatting and feeding our babies with NO judgements passed on whose feeding method was better or worse. It is a personal decision - I continue to be friends with many of these same moms to this day and their children, like my own, are now adults. Thankfully we all bonded beautifully with our children and it had NOTHING to do with the bottle or the breast. I feel sorry for those who believe that you can't bond with your child unless you breastfeed - how sad!

 

[pghbrandi]

I bottle fed both of mine. It was my choice. I do remember a nurse who seemed appalled at my decision. I bonded just fine with both of them. Any good together time, just the two of you, is bonding time in my mind.

 

[impatientredhead]

I don't care how long someone chooses to nurse.
From zero days to when the child chooses to wean.
Seems like a totally personal decision to me.

As far as the cover goes I find it offensive on some level.
Not because of the topic but because it is so confrontational in tone.

If the goal is to help the uninformed as they have been referred to the natural and healthy choice that extended nursers claim it to be.... I think the tone of the headline and the photo itself will have the opposite effect. I don't think that was the goal of the photo or the article. It was intended to shock and to sell magazines. On those fronts it has been very successful obviously.

Competitive parenting makes no sense to me whatsoever. Just because you breastfeed does not mean you have some unique bond with your child versus a bottle feeder. Just because you don't breast feed doesn't mean that you are a negligent parent. Not being comfortable nursing an older child doesn't mean you are uninformed, and nursing an older child doesn't make you more enlightened.

Fortunately for women (or men) that adopt newborns and for the women who are not physically able to nurse bonding is a much more complex issue than how you feed your child.

For those who are on the fence or uneducated on the topic the competitive in your face approach a segment of the nursing advocates have has to alienate some people from exploring the topic or asking questions.

moo only of course

 

[crystalgenie]

I will proudly confess that I nursed my daughter for 2 and a half years.

It wasn't nursing for sustenance, (sp? forgive me I am on pain medication for tooth extraction) when she got older if was basically for comfort and mostly at night.

My child is lucky to be alive. I suffered an ectopic pregnancy and underwent surgery. The ob/gyn that did the surgery didn't realize she was there. So she underwent surgery with me and noone knew she was there. So I breast fed her for 2 and a half years. I did this to give her the best start.

My dd is almost 12 and she is smart and beautiiful. She is short for her age as well as on the low end of her weight. She is in proportion and very active.

So as Nova said let's just move on...

 

[Malapoo]

My mom was unable to nurse me, but we're super close and always have been. She did nurse my older sister, but there is no difference in our closeness. I am probably the more independant of the two of us, not that my sister isn't independant.

A friend was turned off by the long term breast feeding when she went to e meeting and the host mother was nursing her 1 year old, the six year old came home from school, whipped open the other side of the nursing bra and "dug in".