feedback for "Extreme Parenting 1: Milking It"

1. Would things have been different if the child were a boy? As an adult male comfortable with his irrationality, I'm not sure I could handle memories of suckling my mother's breasts.
   

   posted by : Cord on 12/11/2006 at 9:22 PM Flag For Abuse

2. Some scientists (ok, some primatologists: http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html) think that "in the wild" i.e. if we were free of cultural taboos and inhibitions we humans would be more like gorillas and suckle our young until they self-wean at four or five, or even six.

   posted by : clintonhillmom on 12/11/2006 at 9:31 PM Flag For Abuse

3. According to the World Health Organization, the average weaning age, globally, 4. And they recommend nursing at least until age 2. There is nothing inherently strange or wrong about nursing through toddlerhood--just the cultural dissonance by our insistance on viewing breasts solely as sexual objects.
   

   posted by : kaydee on 12/14/2006 at 12:05 AM Flag For Abuse

4. Don't sweat the attachment. Filling needs when kids are small helps them grow out of them. The DD that I breastfed for almost 4 years went AWAY to college at 15. Talk about brain food.
   Supermom (my moniker bestowed by my now adult children)
   
   

   posted by : supermom on 12/15/2006 at 5:29 PM Flag For Abuse

5. Weaning brings up such mixed emotions. I'm looking forward to regaining my liberty when I wean our second son-- I won't have to run home to breast feed after a couple of hours to myself to do errands.  But I'm almost teary thinking about that final feeding.  Will I know it's the last time? Or will I assume, as he finishes eating, that he'll be back for more?  And will I realize, only in retrospect, that it was our last time?

   posted by : Mama on 12/17/2006 at 9:10 PM Flag For Abuse

6. I applaud your journey. I know that when I had my son I was not hearing anything that did not praise and encourage breastfeeding. I breastfed my son until he was 27 months old. I never picked a date to stop or really thought about a magical age or circumstance (like pregnancy) that would signify the end of our breastfeeding relationship; he just upped and quite on me! Over the period of about two weeks nursing became less frequent, until it was no longer.
   
   I cried; I was sad. I really missed our moments together. However, we have new and different special moments together now that he is 39 months old...in fact it's been one year today that he last 'boobietas'.
   
   

   posted by : PghMidwife on 12/18/2006 at 1:54 PM Flag For Abuse

7. I also breastfeed longer than I ever thought I would.  It just goes to show that parenthood brings many unexpected feelings and experiences. 

   posted by : Cleo on 12/19/2006 at 9:46 AM Flag For Abuse

8. What a relief to read a positive (and funny) spin on extended breastfeeding! I'm so over these formula freaks and intimaphobes pressing their screwy views on the general public.
   

   posted by : stinky on 12/26/2006 at 9:52 PM Flag For Abuse

9. Thank you for this article (this was linked from another article, and I'm new!)  I didn't plan to breastfeed this long (Bella will be 18 months this Sunday,) but I didn't start with a timetable.  I was shooting for a year.  I thought I kinda agreed that a baby who could ask for it might be too old, but I certainly don't think that now.  I'm also a cheapskate, and there really is nothing that fixes a boo boo/tantrum faster than a little nursing.  This was a lovely story of extended nursing.  Thank you again and enjoy your current nursing relationship!

   posted by : marcy on 4/6/2007 at 10:44 PM Flag For Abuse

10. A beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it.
    

    posted by : Ivymae on 4/10/2007 at 7:59 PM Flag For Abuse

11. what a sweet story. i'm still nursing my 3.5 year old son. :)

    posted by : LindaLou on 7/9/2008 at 4:16 AM Flag For Abuse

12. I'm only seeing this one now. What an excellent essay, Madeline (as usual). I've definitely put my disapproving crabby nose in the air at the very thought of nursing past a year or 1.5 years, but...I've started to revise my opinion , based on compelling people like you who have the wisdom and humor and guts to explore the question without sounding like militant La Leche leaguers or over-coddling Sears-gone-berserk mamas. I guess the nursing cut-off is a line in the sand, in the end. Like so many things about motherhood you shift your view as you go. And it's yours to shift, not someone else's.

    posted by : crabmommy on 7/30/2008 at 12:55 PM Flag For Abuse

13. What a great article! I, too, nursed my daughter until she was 3.5 years old. It wasn't something I set out to do, and it's not something I am planning on doing with my second child (currently 6 months). But it worked for us. I think it's more common than people realize.

    posted by : stephanie_PR on 9/25/2008 at 2:57 PM Flag For Abuse

14. I nursed for a little over two years... And the only reason I stopped was because of pressure from my mother and others.... I definately support extended nursing.... It's something that mamma and child will do until the time is right for them...

    posted by : 2EACHHEROWN on 2/10/2009 at 8:31 PM Flag For Abuse

15. I'm cool with extended nursing for our children for sure, and mostly for moms, but I do think  some self-examination is called for - what's the security-blanket benefit we derive from it?  I mean, my daughter obviously doesn't NEED it when she can go get a banana off the shelf and peel it herself, so OUR need to be depended on and be selfless givers seems pretty transparent.
    

    posted by : hattie on 3/27/2009 at 11:04 AM Flag For Abuse