On Mother's Day my family gathered together to enjoy each other's company. Someone brought up the latest Time Life Magazine cover of a mother nursing her son. OK, not a problem right, my family had a problem with how old the child was who was getting breastfeed, he's 3 year old. I didn't say anything because I completely disagreed with them. I think it's a mother's choice to nurse her baby / child however long she wants to. It's not for us to judge. And just because the rest of the world looks on and doesn't agree does it mean it's wrong, who is to say what's right or wrong here?
I have nursed all 4 of my children, as a matter of fact I am still nursing my 17 month baby. Boy do I get comments about that, I am not sure why - he is still a baby! I believe my baby and I enjoy that bonding experience together, it's special, it's not only good for him but it's good for me. Why should I be in a rush to wean him what's the hurry? They are little only ONCE. So as I get rude comments from my neighbors and family I brush it off and say who cares. It's my choice not there's.
Kudos's to this mom who is 26 years old and nurses her 3 year old son. Now I will agree the picture on the cover of the magazine is a bit strange. I kind of think maybe the picture could have been taken a bit differently. I am a very modest breast feeder so I would be covered. When I think of breastfeeding my baby I think of holding him sweetly in my arms, not anything like this photo depicts. The photo really doesn't drive me crazy, what does is that cover says, attachment parenting is driving mother's to the extremes - breastfeeding is extreme? That's news to me! Who is to say this mom is right or wrong. I applaud her for nursing her son at 3 years old. I answer the question that is printed in bold on the cover for her and the rest of us breastfeeding moms, yes us nursing moms are moms enough!
CHUCKLE...popular posting topic today! HEHEHE! Me too..
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I agree with you totally. Each mom has the right to choose when it's time to stop. But I utterly hate the way they've photographed this cover. It's made an intimate experience between child and mother into a spectacle. Look how much bigger they make that child seem and how they have him looking at the camera that way. I haven't had the chance to read the article to see how they are writing about it, but I think they should be ashamed with how they are photographically portraying this personal decision. It's almost as if they want her to seem like the extreme.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Nicole, we all have our own decisions to make on nursing our children, I will not jugde, because what might right to me, might be wrong to someone else. I have 6 children, I nursed my last who just turned 2 up until she was 14 months old that was longer than I normally have nursed, and I am very modest about my nursing. But I just dont like that people have so many bad opinions about nursing, its a way of life. I do also agree with you that the picture on the cover could have been done a little different. Good post!!
ReplyDeleteI nursed my daughter till 4 years, and i'm nursing both boys (2,5 y.o. and 4 months) now... Looking at this picture i think it's ANTIpropaganda of nursing, such a way to wake up bad association:)
ReplyDeleteThe photo is sassy and defiant,, for the purpose of making a point..;not nuturing and nourishing her child (in that moment).
ReplyDeleteI think women can breastfeed as long as they want. However the "are you mom enough?" cover is offensive to me. It implies that if you do not bf for as long as that mom, you aren't "mom enough."
I wasn't able to bf as long as I wanted to and ended up using formula with my babies. They are healthy and happy and loved. I am plenty mom enough. ;)
I breastfed my baby for a year and I'm still breastfeeding my 9 month old. All the controversy has actually done something positive for me. I have been reading what extended breast feeding mommies have to say and now I am going to try it.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about moms that don't breastfeed at all? How about the barrage we get from people who breastfeed?
ReplyDeleteWhy do women have to compete at all? Why is breast better than formula for everyone? Because it wasn't for my family.
What drives me nuts is that they found this model-thin young, beautiful mom to portray all breastfeeders. If that's not setting a standard.
I agree with you all about the photo, the child standing on the chair, not very descrete. This women doesn't portray all moms, most breastfeeding moms I now cover up. I perfer the modesty myself. I do commend her on continuing nursing her child and not caring with everyone else thinks!
ReplyDeleteThe photo was meant to stir people up so they'd buy the magazine. I think they probably succeeded--I can't turn to any of my usual browsing without seeing this debate. I think it's funny that my sister, who has a son the same age (minus a week) as my daughter, weaned her kid shortly after a year, and my dad assumed that I'd stopped nursing my daughter at the same time, so when we were on the phone and she came up and tried to pull up shirt, and I had to stop her and remind her to ask, my dad said, "Oh. Are you still nursing? Huh." I'm sure he and my mom have discussed when they think I should stop nursing, but they politely (and rightly) haven't said anything, as they know it's none of their business. We also bedshare, which they don't approve of, but as that was less about choice and more about the options available to my partner and I at the time, they do feel that we can occasionally discuss that--and they do try to curb their judgments. ;)
ReplyDeleteA lot of what I've read re: the Time article is concern for the boy and what his life will be like when he's 10 or 13 and his friends find out he was the boy on this cover; they think the mom is being selfish. I say that's none of our business, either. And that the people who are concerned about that are the people who think she's wrong to still be nursing him.
I do have to agree with the approach to the cover. It was definitely a decision made based on shock factor.
ReplyDeleteMariah, Formula Mom
I think all in all, TIME got what they wanted - controversy, to have people talking, and to sell magazines. They probably couldn't care less about attachment parenting, but knew the title page and photo would strike up all kinds of rants and raves.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not care what any mom does with their child so long as they are not abusing them. And I do agree with you that this photo is a bit strange. The kid isn't breastfeeding at all here, which is why I think it looks so...weird, for the lack of a better word.
I don't like the title...but I am not going to judge somebody...
ReplyDeleteI'm not fond of that photo. I say keep it to yourself...it's a private thing.
ReplyDeleteIt is the mother's choice no doubt. I just think this magazine cover was done poorly. If they wasn't to truly show breastfeeding keep it realistic.
ReplyDeleteI just don't get it. I breastfed as long as each of my boys wanted from 1 year to 9 mos to 2 years. Mothers & their babies just know when enough is enough. Seriously, I love how this is so controversial, but I am certain there are worse things than breastfeeding & bonding with your child for too long!
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely no problem with women breastfeeding. They can do it as long as they want - It's healthy for their child, so why not?
ReplyDeleteThe only thing, is that I think it's weird when I am out eating at a public restaurant, and a woman plops out her breast, without a cover. It seems a little disrespectful in my opinion. I had that experience happen to me when I was only 12, and I didn't understand - I was also with my 7 year old cousin who was even more confused than I was - It was extremely awkward.
I also think the photo is kind-of weird. I don't knock that she's breastfeeding her son at 3.. but I find it bothersome that he is literally standing, even with her breast to do it - I'm not sure if it's just the way the photo is portrayed, but it's not something I like to look at.
I agree with you - it's completely up to the mother. The photo is quite shocking and I believe Time magazine put the photo on the cover as a publicity stunt. And that's just wrong. How could they exploit breastfeeding mothers like that just to sell more of their magazine?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't think the issue is about when to stop, but about that child's right to privacy. Poor thing is innocent and has now become the butt of every joke..it seems no one thought of him when they took this. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the age I think this is very controversial topic. The picture is pretty offensive, but I did nurse my children up to two years.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the photo or the title, but to each their own. In my opinion, how we feed our babies is no one's business but our own!
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