A Breastfeeding Tween?
flickr.com/jessica higgins
Can you imagine turning on your television to find a story on a health or news related program detailing the account of a mother who is still breastfeeding her eight year old daughter?
This was reality to families in the United Kingdom. Their mother was featured on a special and spoke about all the benefits her, and her daughters got from breastfeeding. The oldest of her children being eight years old and in school full time.
She stood by her choice, and said that one of the best benefits of breastfeeding her tween was the fact that her daughter could tell her how much she loved nursing.
But this poses a whole new question to the situation, and subject of breastfeeding. – When is it acceptable to allow your children to wean, or in some cases encourage them to wean. Some people feel as though children should be weaned once they can ask to nurse, or breastfeed, and others feel very differently.
The average age of weaning around the world is four and a half or one hundred and two months, although that is clearly not the norm here in The United States. Despite the World Health Organization recommending breast milk for two years, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommending at least one year of breast milk, the average mother stops exclusively nursing between three and six months.
In the below video clip, mother of the breastfeeding eight year old describes her daughters feeling as though her breasts belong to them, and discussions they have when their mother is getting dressed about her breasts.
At what age do you think breastfeeding takes the turn from a nutritious necessity to an extreme option?
This was news several YEARS ago.
Actually, she home schools her children. And her daughter was seven, not eight when she weaned. The word “tween” only sensationalizes this story. Extended breastfeeding, even as long as Veronika Sophia Robinson has, is historically the norm.
I agree with Amy. It’s a fairly arresting story in its facts. Calling a seven or eight year old a “tween” is sensationalizing and inappropriate.
As mentioned above, this video is very old (almost going over five years old) and the woman’s daughter is seven. Even if she was an eight year old, it shouldn’t matter and calling an eight year old a ‘tween’ (as classified as ‘in-between, referring to the ages of 10, 11, 12 or aka the in-between years of childhood and teenage years) is in fact making the child (term: child) seem older than what she really is. And even though here in the United States where our suppository ‘superior’ ways and notions on breastfeeding only says to the first year, all over the world it is different. The WHO (World Health Organizations) recommend breastfeeding exclusively for at -least- two years or more. Which, most of the world tend to go a whole lot longer. There are added benefits to extended breastfeeding and nothing on that by breastfeeding your child outside of toddler hood will harm them. If you search the web, there are some interesting articles in magazines such as Mothering that gives examples of woman from Canada and US moving to countries such as Mongolia and experience their outlook on breastfeeding. It would be lovely to see more encouraging, nonjudgmental, and most of all, updated information on this site. As a popular blog, those three things should be a priority.
I agree with Lily. The articles here need to give up-to-date info. This article is way too old. It like someone just Googled a few words and found the article and had it published AGAIN! Let’s keep this site fresh.
CommentsI see you have taken your inspiration directly from The Stir’s April Peveteaux, who thought this sotry was news yesterday. Great ‘journalism’. I will make a mental note to check the dates on all your subsequent articles – that is, if I can be bothered to read them. What is the big deal anyway, children breastfeed, and your point is??