76. Too strange for words.

Mary Ann at 9:34PM on May 26th 2008

77. Breast Feeding until the child wants to stop?!?
I have a dear friend that has a brillant daughter that was still crying for and breast feeding well after walking and having her teeth. I thought it was weird, but knew my friend was an intelligent woman. Today the girl has finished college and is married with a brillant career! Who's right? I do not know!I know this girl stopped on her own and wanted to start eating at the table like her sisters did. The other kids,/girls too, didn't breast feed like the last one and seemed to have no need to. Kids seem to be as different in this area as they are in all other areas.
I imagine the mothers need more calcium, as it depletes the mother.Post natal vitamins probably need to be taken for ectended breast feeding.
I can not judge this subject; and I am an R.N. in America.I know my first child, a boy, had milk teeth at birth and bit my right nipple off! I stopped after that and didn't return with him! I did breast feed my two girls and they are both very smart. I only went for about a six month to a year length of time with them.

Betty McCarthy at 11:27PM on May 26th 2008

78. I'm with creepy! Is she planning on doing that when the girl is in high school? When your kids are that big - spend hours drawing boobs with nipples - and name your breasts - it's time to stop.

andreawalker419 at 5:37AM on Dec 7th 2009

79. I believe in child-led weaning, but normally, a child will choose to wean between their 2nd & 3rd b-day. Both of my children did, and they potty-trained around the same time. That time frame makes sense to me - they are transitioning from the total dependence of babyhood to the partial independence of childhood and gradually give up their baby attachments to breast, bottle, pacifier, diapers - usually on their own with gentle encouragement, and are proud of being a "big kid".
I watched this clip trying not to be judgemental (I was judged many times for allowing my kids to nurse until they were two & a half)but it just seems emotionally unhealthy for an 8-year-old not to want to break that bond yet. Then she responds to her mother's milk drying up by slapping her mother's breast and pouting like a 2-year-old. Shouldn't she be proud that she's reached this milestone? Then it hit me - in the clips of the girl nursing as an infant, her toddler sister was on the other breast at the same exact time. It made me wonder if the older sibling was so jealous when she was born that she always insisted on being nursed at same time. The older girl didn't wean until several years later. Breastfeeding is a bonding experience between mother and child. Perhaps this girl was trying to make up for lost time by bonding with her mother alone now that the other sister was finally off the breast.
Whatever the reason, the mother should have encouraged both of them to wean while they were toddlers. If you give in to everything your child wants, you are doing them a disservice in life and not allowing them to grow as a person.

hlaredzz at 3:26PM on May 27th 2008

80. First, the children are both girls.

Secondly, breastfeeding until age eight is definitely wrong. Pediatricians say that breastfeeding is only benificial until six months. Until around 2 is all right if the parent thinks its good for the child's health. Until five, there is just no benefits anymore. Only the mother wanting the child to stay a baby. (If course I'm only talking about places like America, Europe, etc., not places in Africa where children and parents are dying from hunger).

When these girls become older and reach puberty, they, of course, will be very interested in their own breasts and maybe wanting too much attention drawn to them. Don't teenagers wear clothes too low-cut anyway? (I'm actually a teen, 14, so don't say that I don't know anything about that).

In all reality, I feel sorry for these children.

Amanda at 4:02PM on May 29th 2008

81. I cannot believe that any woman would want to have her child over 3 years old sucking on her tit! That is repugnant. And let me tell you, I was a proponant of the "let your child choose what they need to do in life" until my girl hit 12-13years in a culture that has alot of drugs, sex od vulnerable underage girls, porn, and mixed messages for women in it. Kinda hard to set limits on them after so long, right?
I could barely watch that video, it made me me very uncomfortable (and just because its done does not make it right, some cultures sexually stimulate the young to keep them compliant)

Christine Clark at 11:57AM on May 28th 2008

82. Hello people, breasts ARE a sex organ. Just because they give milk doesn't mean they are not! You can use mind over matter to associate a baby with sweet mothering nursing feelings but put a sex partner in the bed and get him/her on those and see what happens! Someone said the dad was nursing side by side. These people are ABUSIVE. An 8 year olds 'needs'? They are in denial. An 8-10 year old can experience sexual stimulation on a masturbatory level-who would want to be lifting up their shirt for a child of school age? Poor kid.

Christine Clark at 11:58AM on May 28th 2008

83. Just to make a couple comments- Timbo, don't assume David is from the USA, okay? Hayley...good for you and your IQ, do you realize IQ tests have been proven flawed, biased, and obsolete?

As far as the actual story is concerned, it seems weird and I can only imagine what kind of training it is giving the child as far as what role a woman has in today's society. Not to mention...after eight years, I'd imagine a rathar aesthetic detriment to her silouette.

Strados at 2:08PM on May 28th 2008

84. *sigh* This is really weird. I mean, I'm a female and someday I hope to breastfeed my own children, but I have a condition that may prevent that (c'est la vie). However, breastfeeding past the age where a child can feed themselves is a bit much. I mean, by all means breast feed, but after the age of three, your kid should definitely be eating solid foods exclusively and not latching on to mommy's teat. That's going to cause all kinds of emotional and social problems, especially when Bobby Joe and SueEllen are wondering why all the other kids in school think they're weird for still drinking breast milk.

BTW, for the most part, after being weened, mammals tend to become lactose intolerant. Just saying.

Sketch at 3:14AM on May 29th 2008

85. Although I do believe that breastfeeding is best for an infant and mother (not to mention convenient and inexpensive), and acceptable for even up to a two year old in some cases, I cannot see that breastfeeding an older child is "natural" or "best". If you have been around nursing animals (dogs for example) you will notice that as the puppies begin to eat solid food the mother nurses less and less. She will even walk off while they are still nursing. At some point she may go so far as to snap at an older pup that wants to nurse. Dogs and other animals are not constrained by human culture. They do what is natural for them. (I know, someone is going to yell dogs live shorter lives, etc.) but those pups still have lots of growing to do when momma weans them. My point is, when someone says that it is natural to breastfeed until the child weans himself, look at nature. Animals in nature do not wait for the "child" to wean... they help them along.

also, of course some ppl are going to insist that formula is better no matter what. When my first child was born, my father-in-law was disgusted and embarrased to be in the house while i nursed. When my second child was born, he argued against nursing. He even went so far as to research bf to show me it was not good. He ended up applauding me for doing what was so good for my children. Would he still be applauding me if i still bf my six year old? I don't think so!

diddle at 4:08PM on Jun 1st 2008

86. I think it's a bit odd that this mom has chosen this, but hey, it's her body. What find odd is the girls drawing pictures of her breasts! That is creepy.

newbie at 4:07PM on Jul 10th 2008

87. I am all for breastfeeding, but that's just disturbing...I haven't seen the entire clip, but if that girl is in school or has any sort of life outside her home, I'm sure she'll be heavily judged for this. I hope that mother comes to her senses and realize how wrong this is...and that her daughter will most likely resent her for that later on in life.

ljiuditta at 1:55AM on Jul 15th 2008