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Breastfeeding - How Long is Too Long?
Categories: Just For Moms, Health & Safety, Development
Breastfeeding is all over the news. There's Salma Hayek nursing the starving baby of another woman on a UNICEF fact-finding trip to Sierra Leone. Here's new mom Naomi Watts crediting her trim post-baby figure to breastfeeding: "He's sucking it all out of me." Don't overlook the Facebook dust-up, where members are posting nurse-ins in response to site's decision to ban breastfeeding photos.
Perhaps the most jarring of all reports, though, are the so-called extreme breastfeeders.
Knowing the cost, health and bonding benefits, most new moms plan to nurse for a few months, even a year. What about when that year turns to four or five, or more? It happens more than you'd think.
Mary Pennington of Durham, ME, remembered thinking that her older sister, who nursed one of her children until the age of three, was a little odd. "I didn't get it," she told ParentDish. "If you'd told me that I'd be nursing a four-and-a-half year old, I'd say 'You're crazy.' But I don't think you're prepared for the changes in what you might feel once you have a baby."
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding through the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child. "There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer."
But just 36 percent of babies in the U.S. are breastfed through six months, according to a 2008 report from Brigham Young University. For those who do practice extended nursing, the average is closer to three years. But even the most committed strain under the judging glares of family and strangers.
"Their reaction is uggh," said Robyn Paul, a lactation consultant and mom of three who was interviewed for a 20/20 story, "Breast-feeding Past Infancy." "But it's perfectly normal." When Tiernan, 6, needs comforting, he asks for "nummies." "We've had conversations about what it tastes like and he says it's very sweet," Paul said.
"Very few new moms go into pregnancy or childbirth thinking they want to breastfeed a 5-year-old," said Carrie Lauch (pictured), host of Natural Moms Talk Radio and mother of four. She just weaned her 6-year-old daughter six months ago. "But the weeks and months move on, and the benefits for the child and the mother never go away."
Many people, not surprising, believe that's both harmful and shameful. "If a mother is breastfeeding a child of 5 or 6 years old she should be arrested and prosecuted for abuse/sexual molestation/pedophilia/mental illness etc," Mike posted on FaceBook after viewing the program. "Sick. wrong."
"Everyone has their upper limits that they might think was okay, and what's unacceptable," said Pennington, who nursed her daughter Maysa until after her fifth birthday. "And each comes to that on her own. When you're outside of that situation, it might seem inconceivable. But they're still always your baby. And you're just continuing a relationship that has worked since day one. It seems very natural."
The natural length of breastfeeding for humans, according to Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D., an anthropologist and leading expert on breastfeeding, lies between two-and-a-half and seven years. By that math, YouTube phenom Veronika Robinson is an outlier. Nearly 14 million of us have watched her nurse her daughter Eliza, 8.
Heated debate surrounds Pennington, Paul, Robinson and other mothers who continue to nurse outside the norm. Most rarely, if ever, do it in public and consider it a private mother-child experience. "I really feel that there is an extra bonding or attachment there that I would like to think that because he nursed until he was 6, that there was some more closeness there ... that you get when you're able to have him in your arms for a longer period of time," said Paul to 20/20. "My daughter's the same way. Very much so."
Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos is the editor of Project Homestead
Perhaps the most jarring of all reports, though, are the so-called extreme breastfeeders.
Celebrities Who Breastfed
"I'm like an alcoholic. It's like, I don't care if I cry, I don't care if I'm fat, I'm just gonna do it for one more week, one more month, and then, when I see how much good it is doing her, I can't stop. It's a very powerful thing you know."
Salma Hayek on breastfeeding
Getty Images
"I don't feel stunning yet. But I'm breast feeding. And he's sucking it all out of me, it seems. And when the baby comes out, it's a lot of weight right there."
Naomi Watts
Arnaldo Magnani, Getty Images
Jada Pinkett Smith
Getty Images
Cindy Crawfod
Getty Images
Julianne Moore
Getty Images
Demi Moore
Getty Images
Celine Dion
Getty Images
Hillary Clinton
Getty Images
Madonna
Getty Images
Catherine Zeta Jones
Getty Images
Knowing the cost, health and bonding benefits, most new moms plan to nurse for a few months, even a year. What about when that year turns to four or five, or more? It happens more than you'd think.
Mary Pennington of Durham, ME, remembered thinking that her older sister, who nursed one of her children until the age of three, was a little odd. "I didn't get it," she told ParentDish. "If you'd told me that I'd be nursing a four-and-a-half year old, I'd say 'You're crazy.' But I don't think you're prepared for the changes in what you might feel once you have a baby."
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding through the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child. "There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer."
But just 36 percent of babies in the U.S. are breastfed through six months, according to a 2008 report from Brigham Young University. For those who do practice extended nursing, the average is closer to three years. But even the most committed strain under the judging glares of family and strangers.
"Their reaction is uggh," said Robyn Paul, a lactation consultant and mom of three who was interviewed for a 20/20 story, "Breast-feeding Past Infancy." "But it's perfectly normal." When Tiernan, 6, needs comforting, he asks for "nummies." "We've had conversations about what it tastes like and he says it's very sweet," Paul said. "Very few new moms go into pregnancy or childbirth thinking they want to breastfeed a 5-year-old," said Carrie Lauch (pictured), host of Natural Moms Talk Radio and mother of four. She just weaned her 6-year-old daughter six months ago. "But the weeks and months move on, and the benefits for the child and the mother never go away."
Many people, not surprising, believe that's both harmful and shameful. "If a mother is breastfeeding a child of 5 or 6 years old she should be arrested and prosecuted for abuse/sexual molestation/pedophilia/mental illness etc," Mike posted on FaceBook after viewing the program. "Sick. wrong."
"Everyone has their upper limits that they might think was okay, and what's unacceptable," said Pennington, who nursed her daughter Maysa until after her fifth birthday. "And each comes to that on her own. When you're outside of that situation, it might seem inconceivable. But they're still always your baby. And you're just continuing a relationship that has worked since day one. It seems very natural."
The natural length of breastfeeding for humans, according to Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D., an anthropologist and leading expert on breastfeeding, lies between two-and-a-half and seven years. By that math, YouTube phenom Veronika Robinson is an outlier. Nearly 14 million of us have watched her nurse her daughter Eliza, 8.
Heated debate surrounds Pennington, Paul, Robinson and other mothers who continue to nurse outside the norm. Most rarely, if ever, do it in public and consider it a private mother-child experience. "I really feel that there is an extra bonding or attachment there that I would like to think that because he nursed until he was 6, that there was some more closeness there ... that you get when you're able to have him in your arms for a longer period of time," said Paul to 20/20. "My daughter's the same way. Very much so."
Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos is the editor of Project Homestead
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 42)
Sandyone 2-19-2009 @ 2:35PM
My most humble apologies! This blog post most definitely did not go down that road.
Thank you.
Reply
Katheryn 2-19-2009 @ 3:44PM
I don't understand why people think it's okay to say how long is too long. We have women who are attacked for not nursing their babies at all. Others are attacked for nursing too long. Everyone else in the middle are attacked for other things. Who cares? Everyone is different with different lives, different babies, and different nipples. I don't see how it should be anyone's rights to weigh in on this.
Reply
Richard 3-01-2009 @ 11:59AM
How true!!!! So many make statements without an ounce of thought.
brandy 3-01-2009 @ 9:16PM
amen!
Erin M. 3-01-2009 @ 9:28PM
Absolutely! I don't have children myself (not yet anyway), but I can't imagine that there's an age limit on breastfeeding. As long as the mother and child are comfortable, I don't see the problem.
Again, I can't speak from experience, but 7-years-old does sound like it could be weird to continue breastfeeding. Maybe not if that's what they're both used to, but who am I to judge, right?
Erin
Lee 3-02-2009 @ 9:23AM
Well, despite what the article says, there have been a few studies that show that children who are breast fed beyond 18 months have a significantly higher incidence of asthma and autoimmune diseases when they're older. And there are no studies that have shown a benefit to breastfeeding beyond this age. It's as good a stopping point as any.
Pat 3-02-2009 @ 11:13AM
The main problem in all these semantics is that more restrictive laws are birthed because of people wanting to control other people's lives. Our society is already heavy laden with far too many laws that came about because of people's personal insecurity issues. How is our personal life altered by such a "in-home" behavior? Now if they brought it out to the streets, I would perhaps say that it might be better left done at home..
Personally I only breast-fed my son until he was 6 months young. Had I had sufficient milk to continue until he was a good year, I certainly would have.
In truth the western hemisphere is still developing, and often far behind "third world countries"
tupperheads 3-02-2009 @ 4:40PM
Okay I have been reading all the comments & here are my two cents... to each their own on how they chose to feed their baby, everyone has their own reasons as to why they breast or bottle feed their baby. The key in this is BABY, once they are old enough to drink from a cup & eat table food they should be done with their form of "baby" nourishment breast or bottle... I know that opinions are like a nose on your face, everyone has one...but if the majority of society thinks that their is something wrong with a child over the age of 2 still breastfeeding...then maybe, just maybe, it's wrong. I do believe that God made a woman's breast as a way to feed her baby because a baby can not eat on their own...but once they can eat on their own, and a mother chooses to continue to breastfeed I think it is for her needs whatever they may be. Maybe its for a perverted reason (which I would hope not) but probably its so they can have a relationship with their child that no one else can have...my advice if you want to continue to "bond" with your child after they stop breastfeeding then play board games with them...that way when you talk to them they can talk too since they won't have your boob in their mouth! "No one says when is the right time to stop so mothers can do it as long as they want" that's crazy, common sense should take over at some point in time...next thing you know we will be hearing about the man or woman that got upset before their wedding & they were comforted by breastfeeding from their mother! I don't care who you are, that's just disgusting!
Hope 3-02-2009 @ 5:46PM
Hays!!!!!! I am in total agreement with your post! I nursed my youngest daughter until she was only 3 months old. I did not produce enough milk, hence, the reason i had to stop when she was 3 months old. I regret not nursing her older sister. It in NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM has anything to do with sexuality. Hmmmmm lets see why were we given breasts in the first place? Or better yet why do: horses, dogs, cats, cows, etc, have "teets", "ninnies" or what ever else you want to call them?!?! Furthermore, it is as Hays said "total lack of common sense that I'm disgraced to consider myself part of todays society, " that i give kuddos to all the women that are breastfeeding! Who are any of us to say how long, or if its right or wrong to breast or bottle feed? MIND YOUR OWN worries and concerns and stay out of everybodys elses business!!!!!
EllenShelly 3-02-2009 @ 6:04PM
To me breastfeeding for so long fulfils emotional needs of the mother not the child much the same as keeping your child sleeping with you long after they should be in their own bed. An extreme example of this is the woman who had 8 more babies even tho she couldn't take care of the 6 she had. She was thinking only of herself and her needs. Pure selfishness!
lou 3-03-2009 @ 12:11AM
I believe that these women that are breastfeeding their "children" not "babies" at the age of 3 and above are sick perverted disgusting pigs. As a matter of fact they don't even deserve to be called a mother. And for the dads that are allowing this-- shame on you!!!
mom_of_5 3-03-2009 @ 4:27PM
I think you're right, No one has a right to judge women for brestfeeding for any reason. I wish I was able to brestfeed longer than a few months. There was another comment on making your child dependent on you by extended brestfeeding, They are kids!!!!!
They are going to be dependent on you regardless of wether or not the had the nipple or bottle. That was about the STUPIDEST thing I have heard in a while. Of my 5 kids I have 3 girls and I have talked to them about brestfeeding any that they may have years down the road. Do people also think that it's sick and worng to have your kids in the room when giving birth as well ? I think it's great and I let my kids make the choice for themselves. With my 3 year old son my 3 older kids ( 2 of which are girls) were in the room it was a very easy birth,they were kind of looking forward to having kids of their own when they were older, but with my youngest daughter It was very hard and really scared my girls. But they were happy to be there and I would never change it for anything, They learned from it. They both told me that they were not looking forward to having kids of their own for a long time because of the experience. That experience helped all of us in the process, as well as them seeing me nurse the younger kids without worrying what others thought. No matter what it is you kids will learn from everything you do. For those that just jude and talk without facts, they are teaching their kids to do the same. We all need to take a look at ourselves before we judge others. We will all get judged in the end, so why worry about judgeing others and wasting all of that energy. To any moms that want to brestfeed and of course can't leave males ot that support them " more power to you" and don't worry what others think they have no right to judge you or any others.
watdafuk 3-03-2009 @ 6:19PM
Ok breastfeeding is better for the baby,Who does it benefit to post the pictures on the internet? Nobody wants to see a ten year old kid hanging on that thing.
Pavlina 2-19-2009 @ 4:12PM
All I can say is, It is no ones business how long a mother nurses.
Reply
elizabeth howell 3-01-2009 @ 12:56AM
as long as you aren't doing it in public. then as far as i'm concerned it is my business
Anne Wingate 3-02-2009 @ 1:48PM
My stepdaughter breastfed her first child until she was five months pregnant with her second. I didn't even know that was POSSIBLE. Ally, who is about two and a half, and Owen, who is four months, are both extremely healthy and happy children. Becky's only complaint was that it was impossible for her to go anywhere without Ally, because Ally refused to take a bottle under any circumstances. So she's accustomed Owen to an occasional bottle, even if it is full of breast milk.
I was never able to breastfeed past six weeks, and when I see how healthy Becky's children are, I almost envy her.
TIffany 3-02-2009 @ 2:17PM
I think it is a little silly that anyone finds themselves judging someone else. I honestly agree with one of the first post about breasts being for feeding our children. However a distinction must be made. They can be for sexual purposes for your partner and for feeding your child, a totally unsexual experience. If there is any confusion between the two THEN some intervention is needed. However it is aprivate matter and perfectly healthy to continue.
I personally am expecting my first. If I am capable I will breastfeed to one year and we will see where it goes afterwards. I would have no problem breastfeeding longer. My personal cut off is 3 years, however, that is MY personal time.
We should be less concerned about breastfeeding and more concerned about the fact that we may possibly be looking at some sort of new law being enstated. Next they will tell us what hours we should be sleeping and enforcing it. SCARY what WE do for our laws.
fanpfan 3-02-2009 @ 2:20PM
I have to say as the mother of an 8 year old, that is just disgusting! I can't even begin to think of the child as an adult and wondering why mommy breastfed for such a ridiculous amount of time. What about the friends at school? Won't the child be teased forever? UH, YEAH!
brenr 3-02-2009 @ 2:50PM
The problem is the publicity of the act in this case not the act. Stay focused people. One doesn't need a camera to benefit the health and well being of a child or mother
aimee 3-02-2009 @ 2:58PM
"there have been a few studies that show that children who are breast fed beyond 18 months have a significantly higher incidence of asthma and autoimmune diseases when they're older. And there are no studies that have shown a benefit to breastfeeding beyond this age."
so...did you take the time to see who sponsored that research? did you personally go see if there wasn't research to support nursing past 18 months? did you check the survey for other correlations to allergies, like environment? did you personally seek the research funded by formula companies about how good powered milk is and research by dairy farmers about how great cow milk is for us too? think they mention anything about allergies or obesity? anyone check on the the relationship between addiction and those who choose to be numb when the child is born and the subsequent number who can't breastfeed because nature is numb and so is the baby? anyone check on the lobbyists for insurance companies that prefer cesearians?
research is a fascinating hobby. but baseless without more information.
nursed for 30 months with support from my educated father who clipped articles about the benefits since 1980, because he was proud of my mom and wanted his daughters to be wise mothers.
i understand formula has helped the hungry. but when faced with the choice between nature and manufactured product...nature will reap unmatched essential nutrients and bonding.
get over your dogma trumping nature.
for more information check La Leche League, "The Womanly Art of Breasfeeding", Mothering Magazine, and Attachment Parenting by Dr. Sears and Sears