16. this is so sick. I nursed my kids until the activity was useful for my childs nutritional growth.Not,for there "emotional"growth.I dont believe that they grow emotionally, when they are kept in an infantile state of mind.Our true job as parents,are to teach our children how to be independent and secure..not dependent and latch on kids who dont even know there own age appropriate stages in life. Please,Moms.be kind to your children think of them and not your own narsiscistic needs too MOTHER FOREVER...IT IS DAMAGING TO YOUR CHILDREN!

Penni at 12:24AM on May 23rd 2008

17. I have long been a fan of breastfeeding, even when most people thought that you should be arrested for indesent exposure for doing it in public(even if you were covered!)but I have seen the ill effects of children who had Mom's that felt they needed to continue to breastfeed until three and four years old.It is usually done by Mom's that have alot of the same personality traits and they love to spend their time informing people why they they are the best Mom in whatever group they are in.
As for the health benefits. Saying that all of the studies have been "fixed" because they were done by "pro breastfeeding groups" makes no sense. You can use that argument for anything, and in fact it has been used for years: when medical experts said that they had proof that cigarettes were not healthy&could cause cancer&lung disease.The tobacco company,knew better, but continued to argue that the results were "fixed" because they came from anti-smokers. Sometimes results are just what they are. They biggest benefit of BF if not thatthey won't ever have a runny nose or cold, it is to build their ability to fight what comes along. Generally, their runny noses &colds don't last as long,and if they are confronted with something worse, they are better equiped to fight it.
The really big problem that I see with this is the different ages that young men& women enter into puberty now(there is alot of debate as to why &most say they think it is the growth hormones used to get our animals larger. Regardless of the reason, there are a large number of young girls beginning to have their periods at ages nine &ten. Now can you imagine the confusion of this poor girl when her mother has to explain,"yes,I've been treating you like a baby for eight years to help myself, and I haven't helped you grow at all, but guess what, now you are going to have to go from baby to young woman overnight" Now for littlw boys who are beginning to experience feelings much sooner than they used to, can you imagine the effect on them when they begin to date and do not understand why every girl that they like doesn't allow them to just unbutton their shirt so they can feel close to them. It may be perfectly innocent to them, but I doubt the law or the girls parents will see it that way.
The moral of this story is, as with any aspect of child rearing;You have to look at the big picture. look down the road,consider and reconsider if what you are doing &how you are doing it will affect your child.You don't get any do-overs.

Reesev at 12:49AM on May 23rd 2008

18. I nursed my son until he was about 10 1/2 months and then gradually tapered off and on the wonderful advice of our wise pediatrician we gradually weaned til age 12 months and were able to go directly to a starter sippy cup system with no bottle in between. He was biting me by that time. I am open minded but cannot imagine an 8 year old. Yes, they still need comforting, but they also need to be gaining age appropriate independence. I can't imagine the emotional struggle to wean an eight year old nor the mom's anxiety after such an unusual bond. So no, I don't think this seems a good thing.

MA at 1:00AM on May 23rd 2008

19. After a certain point it's pretty obvious that this becomes all about the mother's needs and no longer about the child's.

American Human at 1:40AM on May 23rd 2008

20. wow. some of you don't even seem to comprehend that we're mammals. there is nothing sexual about breastfeeding. good grief! extended breastfeeding is not about keeping them babyish. my 3.5 year old nurses first thing in the morning and before bed and you'd never know it just by meeting us. we're completely typical in every way.

LindaLou at 2:43AM on May 23rd 2008

21. I do not agree with the mother who is breastfeeding her children at ages of 8 and higher!!

Mario at 3:20AM on May 23rd 2008

22. years later, the woman would jack off her child, stating "it's good for his self esteem, plus it relieves stress."

hannah at 8:45AM on May 23rd 2008

23. Breast feeding for years and years is not natural for mammals. Think about non-human animals. They nurse their young until the young are capable of eating solid food. Humans typically introduce solid food to their babies at 4-6 months, but Moms want to nurse until the child is 2! - And creepily some Moms still nurse for longer. At some point, after the child is well able to get adequate nutrition from foods other than breast milk, breast feeding becomes something for the Mom rather than
for the baby. After a certain age (unless the family lives in a part of the world where food is very scarce) breast feed seems rather
pedophilic.

VS at 9:46AM on May 23rd 2008

24. That is just sick! When the kid gets old enough to ask for it or to be able to open the mother's shirt and go for it him or herself, they are TOO OLD. Yuck!!!!! I think that woman needs to get a life of her own and let her children do the same. Talk about needing to cut the cord.

Lindsay at 11:40AM on May 23rd 2008

25. i agree with reesev on this. think of the psychological effects of breastfeeding a child that long.

i don't believe long term breastfeeding allows children to develop a healthy independence from their mother, which could lead to coping, anxiety and insecurity issues in their childhood and in adolescence.

Richelle at 11:17AM on May 23rd 2008

26. she should be in jail

marybeth at 11:30AM on May 23rd 2008

27. Thank you, LindaLou. Finally the voice of reason and intellect and sense! My goodness, breastfeeding is not sexual. My husband (and how many others) have asked if it feels different when a child does it as opposed to a man. OF COURSE IT DOES! Breastfeeding only contracts the uterus during the first few days after childbirth when colustrum is being produced, not indefinitely. Yes, humans are mammals, the whole reason that women have breasts is to feed their young. Sorry guys, they aren't there for your pleasure. I think its a little weird to breast feed until age 8, but hey, its not pedophilic, its not sexual, its not infantilizing. Children need breast milk, that is why it is there. I breast fed in the early '80's and I remember my father was appalled and my family was embarrassed because they had children during the 50s and 60s when everyone formula fed babies. I never understood that. Why give a manufactured substance full of chemicals and preservatives to a helpless infant when god has given them the perfect food in their mother?

Judie at 12:50PM on May 23rd 2008

28. ok thinksmart MUST be a man i have two childern and i breastfed both of them and in NO WAY was it sexual i never had any "gettying off" feelings and your a perv for even thinking that way and i really think your the only person who has issues which im sure has a lot to do with your mommy and as for that woman i dont agree with breastfeeding that long i would have stoped once they started getting teeth (i was only able to do it until they were 3 and 4 months old) and yes there has been proven studies showing that breastfed babies score higher on there test and have less allergies oh and the whole after birth comes out before they even give you your baby and thats going to happen rather you breastfed or not so instead of making crap up why dont you ACTUALLY go READ and EDUCATE yourself or would that be to hard maybe you just need to go resolve your mommy problems

babyluv2 at 1:18PM on May 23rd 2008

29. That's too long in my opinion. Wayyy to long!

Bom chicka wah wah at 4:33PM on May 23rd 2008

30. I don't think breastfeeding is sexual, but breastfeeding until age 8 is emotionally messing up your child. That child is definately going to have separation anxiety! I would also bet my paycheck that the mother is one of those annoying moms that does all their kids homework, and wants the teacher fired for giving her precious little snowflake an F. Part of being a parent is teaching your kid how to be independent, and to let them grow up.

K at 2:13PM on May 23rd 2008