Letters to the Editor
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No Nutritional Value - then WHY???
That's the weirdest part of this article, to me anyway. Just because something is soothing doesn't mean it's healthy. Heroin addicts describe the feeling of the needle being a significant part of the addiction, apart from the drug itself. A wacky comparison for sure, but I think you get the idea.
So, that brings me to this question, Ms. Woodburn: If your son is potty trained, do you still put a diaper on him?
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Benefits last for how long?
Someone upthread mentioned Katherine Dettwyler and her recent research re: weaning. I just located this link:
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/dethowlong.htm
That includes the AAP, AAFP and WHO reccomendations, and as far as I can read, the 6 months is the recommendation for *exclusive* breastfeeding (which, when I was doing it meant nothing besides breastmilk, period), and the AAFP (American Association of Family Physicians) indicates specifically that there are benefits to mother and child beyone one year of breastfeeding.
I know the benefits to the mother are highly contested because they're mainly new findings, but I wasn't aware that anyone argued the health benefits to the baby stopped at 6 months. I've never heard that, and I started nursing in 1999.
One of my friends was anxious to stop nursing as soon as possible, but she went to 9 months because that was allegedly the point at which IQ benefits begin to taper. I never asked her for a citation, but hers was the earliest I heard that it was recommended to wean entirely.
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so what?
Why does the writer of this story seem to want some kind of an award?
Please, woman, just take your "decision" and go away and let the rest of us live in peace. No one wants to hear your defensive, sanctimonious diatribe.
Dear Salon, please can't we have some articles about REAL issues, something important, for a change? Why not write something about the pope's inflammatory remarks, for example? Geez.
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Benefits last for how long?
Someone upthread mentioned Katherine Dettwyler and her recent research re: weaning. I just located this link:
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/dethowlong.htm
That includes the AAP, AAFP and WHO reccomendations, and as far as I can read, the 6 months is the recommendation for *exclusive* breastfeeding (which, when I was doing it meant nothing besides breastmilk, period), and the AAFP (American Association of Family Physicians) indicates specifically that there are benefits to mother and child beyone one year of breastfeeding.
I know the benefits to the mother are highly contested because they're mainly new findings, but I wasn't aware that anyone argued the health benefits to the baby stopped at 6 months. I've never heard that, and I started nursing in 1999.
One of my friends was anxious to stop nursing as soon as possible, but she went to 9 months because that was allegedly the point at which IQ benefits begin to taper. I never asked her for a citation, but hers was the earliest I heard that it was 'recommended' to wean entirely.
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What are they for?
As far as I can tell, breasts are for breastfeeding. Why doesn't it occur to some of the letter writers to question why they are so sexualized in the first place? And why this sexualization should take precedence over the biological function. The first infant formulas that did not result in a high mortality rate were not invented until the late 19th century, so it is logical to assume that the human race owes its longevity to this act, and yet there are people who are even uncomfortable with the very notion of breastfeeding. Does it ever occur to them that there may be something wrong with this perception? (I know a woman who never breastfed because she thought it was "creepy". No lady, you're creepy.)
I have seen my Dutch friend breastfeed her three year old who walked up to her, pulled her shirt up and helped himself. I did not find it in the least disturbing.
Show me the data that says this will affect him psychologically.
Show me the data that supports one specific age for weaning.
Of course, if you really have a problem with it, you may want to write to your congressman and get the ball rolling on writing a law establishing an age beyond which breasfeeding should be illegal. Do you really want to go down that road?
For the record, my wife breastfed our son until he was exactly two years old, at which point he said "No mommy milk. Cow milk." Fair enough.
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Who is this really about?
Sounds to me like this is more about the mother than the child. It's all about what is easy for her, not what's best for the boy.
Maybe mommy should have another baby instead of relegating her pre-school aged child to the role of infant forever.
Where's the father in all this? He's been deprived of a closer, more natural relationship with his son because mommy wants to play dolly with their little boy.
Besides, encouraging a four year old boy to suck on your nipples for comfort is deeply disturbed.
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Why is Salon so biased?
I'm not going to comment on the substantive issues here, but I would like to know why Salon almost always selects as its "editors' choice" letters those that agree with the author of the article. I know that there are exceptions to this rule, like the lately-removed-from-circulation-after-one-day piece, but in the vast majority of instances, even a response that is articulate, well-reasoned, and thoughtful doesn't have much of a chance to be an "editors' choice" unless it follows whatever party line Salon is promoting.
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I just don't understand the complaints...
I do not understand all the letters insisting this author should "want her body back", is denying her husband, is totally manipulated by her son...
She nurses for about 10 minutes a day. I believe her husband will have access for the other 23 hours 50 minutes. Is that not enough? She can have her body to herself (when she isn't obligated to give it to her husband, apparently) for those almost 24 hours as well. Where is the incredible sacrifice that she is making?
Would the letter writers be as incensed if her son wanted 10 minutes a day of hand holding? Would he grow up to be an emotionally damaged freak because of that? Breasts have sexual uses and non sexual ones--hey, just like hands and other parts. So what? This is the ritual they have.
Children learn independence through experience--but they need a base of stability to grow from. Sounds like this boy is doing great, and has a little routine to go to sleep at night. Other kids take a warm bath, or have a stuffed animal, etc. As do adults (well, the bath, or watching TV, etc). I say, yay to this mom for helping her son establish a regular sleeping routine and making sure he gets adequate sleep.
My daughter is almost 3 and we nurse at bedtime and in the morning. There is much snuggling with husband/daddy too. No one feels left out, my daugther goes to preschool just fine and is appropriately independent. She started sleeping on her own when she was ready. I cannot imagine that she (or a boy) would be "ashamed" later to find out she was nursing at 3. I wouldn't be.