Here's the whole website with lots of different links about this topic (you have to be a TIME subscriber to get to some of it).
The cover photo is of a mom BFing her almost four-year-old boy. I have mixed feelings. A year ago I would have been grossed out and said what everyone says: "Once the kid can say 'boob,' it's time to stop breastfeeding." Ha! Not that I plan to nurse Jonathan until he is four, but I can understand these families a little more than I would have before J was born. I plan to write more about breastfeeding soon... I've been thinking a lot about our year of nursing and reflecting on the ups and downs (mostly thinking about the ups because remember it is the month of sentimental mommyness for me :)
Any thoughts about this article or the related commentary? I admit I have not actually read the article yet, I just saw this in the news... hopefully when J naps today I will be able to sit down and go through it all. Does anyone have strong opinions either way about attachment parenting?
Happy Friday! :)
I think to each her own and kudos to her being a young mom and breastfeeding + sticking with it. What I don't like about it is the way it is portrayed. It is an unrealistic portrayal with her all dressed up sexy-like and him standing on the stool, etc. (She even said this on The Today Show this morning.) I know they did it to get readers' attention (it worked!) but I think it actually damages the views people have about attachment parenting...which is probably the opposite of the intentions of Dr. Sears and those involved. People's perverse minds twist this into something sexual on their own(I've seen many likening it to child porn). This photo only feeds into that and doesn't help matters any in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI also feel like there are WAY worse things going on in our country and way worse things on magazine covers that everyone should be upset about...but aren't.
Beth Ann--VERY well said my friend! I agree with you about this picture. Not realistic but very provocative, which I guess is typical for a cover page!
DeleteI mean I'm definitely not breast feeding Luke until he is four, but originally I thought it would be hard to breastfeed for a whole year, but now I wouldn't be sad to make it last a couple months longer! I agree the picture is so dramatic like what kid nurses while standing on a stool? Haha
ReplyDeleteThey also choose a very tall kid and petite mom to make the shot look more provocative. Avery is 12 months and I don't see us ending nursing anytime soon simply because she isn't ready to and there are too many health benefits to quit now if it's still working fine for both of us. I don't have a problem with what she's doing or attachment parenting for that matter if it's mutually beneficial. I co-slept with both if my children until either they stopped sleeping better with me than without OR they were too squirmy and I was loosing sleep. I also very much enjoy baby wearing which is a big part of attachment parenting. It is a sacrifice because it makes it more difficult for babysitters to appease them thus killing hopes of weekends away alone but at the end of the day, it works for us. My son weaned himself around 2 from this sort of attachment style parenting and I assume Avery will also. Until then, we're enjoying it. As for my opinion, 3 is a bit old but if its working for them, go mama go.... just maybe do it in private to avoid LOTS of stares!
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