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May 10th, 2012
04:37 PM ET
Breast-feeding: Too much of a good thing?It's hard to avoid staring at the cover of Time Magazine this week. If you're on social media like Twitter and Facebook, the widely shared image may have arrived on your screen before you ever saw it in the supermarket. The provocative cover shows Jamie Lynne Grumet, a 26-year-old mother from Los Angeles, breast-feeding her son. This isn't your typical mom-and-baby shot: Grumet's son is 3. In case you were wondering, Grumet told CNN's Erin Burnett that her son is actually breast-feeding in that now-iconic image. Grumet said her own mother breast-fed her until age 6, and Grumet still remembers it. "I'm proud of her," Grumet said. The picture promotes an article about the growing popularity of "attachment parenting", a theory first advocated by Dr. Bill Sears and his wife, Martha, in their 1992 best-selling guide “The Baby Book.” The Searses argue that co-sleeping, “baby wearing” (where the baby is attached to the parent with a sling) and extended breast-feeding will help parents respond better to the individual needs of their babies. Celebrities such as Mayim Bialik of "The Big Bang Theory" are also promoting ideas about attachment parenting. Bialik said on Friday that she still breast-feeds her 3-year-old son. "He's not done breast-feeding, and I'm not ready to tell him not to," she said. Many moms and dads have strong opinions about these practices, especially the breast-feeding advice. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies be breast-fed exclusively for the first six months of their lives. "We don't all nurse older kids," Bialik said of mothers who subscribe to attachment parenting ideas. "But the notion that a child's voice matters, that every child is different, that's the basis of attachment parenting." Heather Curtis, wife of Fark.com founder Drew Curtis, told CNN's Geek Out that she practiced breast-feeding for an extended period, carried her babies in slings and practiced co-sleeping, as Bialik did. So did Caryn Rogers, a science writer for the Preeclampsia Foundation. "I didn't really choose to eschew conventional care so much as chose to get what I believed was the most evidence-based care," Rogers said. Grumet said that sleeping with her baby does not affect intimacy with her husband. Watch: Breast-feeding cover-mom defends pose "I think intimacy is extremely important in a marriage and I think a strong marriage is going to be a great foundation to show your children how to be raised confident and happy and I had that with my family, too," she said. Time: Extended breast-feeding is more common than we think CNN.com readers expressed mixed views on the subjects of the best age to stop breast-feeding and the appropriateness of the Time cover in general. See what they said. We want to know what you think. Is it OK to breast-feed well past toddler-hood, or is it too much of a good thing? soundoff (3,790 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 Next »Leave a Reply to geogeo
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
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Let's switch topics and talk about Kim Kardasian already. I missed the last episode someone fill me in.
Better yet, Monica Lewinski!
The comment about mammals breast feeding hits it right on the head, but – you are uninformed, we breed and show dogs and the moms quit when the puppies get teeth at 5 weeks of age.... Most mammals push the young away and teach them to go without the t*t at a young age – this is ridiculous...
My daughters got their teeth at three months – nobody can argue that it's healthy to stop breastfeeding by three months. Some babies are born with a FULL SET OF TEETH. So arrival of teeth is not the driver for mothers to stop breastfeeding. What is? I don't know. I think it is specific to mother and child.
I knocked my kids baby teeth out ....going to have pay for toothy fairy anyway. Permanant teeth came in real straight and didnt need braces. They were suckled up until 10 yrs old just like Marlon Brando with his nanny.
That girl hasn't breast fead a day in her life. She looks to be a model. For Times sake I certainly hope that picture is a fake.
If mother's only knew how easy life is when you breastfeed they would never use a bottle. There is nothing more nurturing for both mother and child. Wean when you feel it is time.
Actually...it is the arrival of the adult/permanent teeth that comes around the time when other mammals wean their young. By that standard, humans should breastfeed until 5-8 years of age.
I breast fed one child. I bottle fed the other. Both were positive experiences; one experience was not somehow "better" than the other. In each case I was doing a good job of taking care of my child. One "baby" is now 32, the other is 33. Both are healthy, happy, intelligent, well-adjusted young adults. Neither has ever had a weight or a nutrition problem; they both are very slim. Both are very close to each parents and each is in a healthy adult relationship. This idea that one way "has" to be better just isn't true. There are so many variables! What is important is that a child is loved and cared for.
Any group of fad driven moms are doing basic research on their child. Some 'attachment moms' will be bad at it because it just is not in their genes or behavior set to succeed at it. What will that do to the kid? In general a variety of mothering types will produce the most diverse next generation, which we will need to respond to the unknowns of the future. Good luck moms and kids!
If a child is walking and talking...it's no longer a "baby" and should be off the breast completely. Any breast feeding AFTER that is really being done more for the mother's ego/needs rather than the child's.
My child was walking at 7 months and talking at 8. Should we have stopped breastfeeding him?
What is the medical/biological basis for that statement?
Actually breastfeed is done for nutrition and bonding... not sexual. A baby and toddler do it for both food and comfort. While formula and regular milk are fine, breast milk adapts to what the child needs. Personally, I would love to stop (my baby is 9 months) but she still needs it. It is not something for the mom....
Everybody has their own opinion. For me maybe until a year old.
Do you see how skinny the cover mom is.....and she's from L.A. This isn't attachment parenting, breast feeding can burn up to 500 calories a day, this is her diet program. As far as attachment parenting...this is a little much, but I would rather see this rare site than the complete lack of parenting I witness daily.
Yes I think you are right, I was skinny when I was breastfeeding until my son was more than 2, if that's her choice then let it be, as long as it's not on the public. Good for the Mom and good for the kid, if they are both happy then let it be... just not in the public.
True. I'm breastfeeding (I prefer the term "nursing" because I don't really like talking about my breasts in public...) right now; my son is 9 months old. I weigh about 102, and have been actively trying to gain for months. This weight isn't really healthy for my height, but my son eats a LOT of calories every day.
1> Breast feeding is great. My kids did it. But that kid is too old for it. But ...
2> It is really nobody's business. And ...
3> The cover picture is completely inappropriate. Time did it to create a stir and it succeeded.
3> The cover picture is completely inappropriate. Time did it to create a stir and it succeeded.
She should have worn burka. Shame on her to expose bare skin!!!
What an idiot you are. So the converse of a having a BOY suckling on a woman's breast on the cover of a national magazine is a woman in a burka? What a flippant, condescending response...
Who's talking about a burka? Only you. Saying I don't see the need of having a toddler explicitly breast feeding on the cover of a national publication doesn't mean I believe women need to wear burkas. There is nothing wrong with her clothes in my opinion (obviously in some contexts it would be too informal, but generally speaking nothing wrong). Time clearly did it to be shocking, I have a hard time believing a rational person could disagree with that. It is obviously hard to have a rational conversation sometimes.
Why are we sexualizing breastfeeding? When you're a mother, your three-year-old is still your baby and doesn't appear as old as other may see him or her. Would we find this cover as repulsive if the child was a girl? Seriously guys, breastfeeding a child is a normal and natural thing, and many people need to understand older children do not breastfeed all that frequently. Most toddlers go to one feeding a day weather it's in the morning or before bedtime. Also to all those people that think breastfeeding an older child is a sexual act, they need to understand breastfeeding does not feel sexual to the mother. As a matter of fact there is no sensation or feeling because of the nerve damage caused by breastfeeding. I think those who have not breastfeed and don't have children find it repulsive.!
Thank You! Well put!
You're right. I'm a 30 year old woman and I do not have children. I thinkthe pitcure is disgusting, repulsive, and breastfeeding should be done in private. I do not care how many people I offend by that statement. Bleck!
It can get hoky when kids are like 7. But seriously it's not that crazy at 18 months, 2 years or even somewhat more. In most cases of later breastfeeding it's not done all the time. Only when the toddler is injured, sick, etc.
after about 18 months is is for the perverse pleasure of the mother [or father]. tots dont need a bottle after that age. why let them suckle away? this is just going to cause problems for the kid later on in life.
Where does the line start?
wish i was that kid
my son is three and he still breast feeds I don't have a problem with that, he's a very healthy boy. He's never been sick no problems at all
do you shave your underarms or just braid the hair?
creepy
God...you creep me out.
Children around the work are being neglected and abused. Many children are homeless and hungry. Some are being physically and sexually abused by those who are supposed to love and care for them. I am going to worry about those children and not waste any energy concerning myself with a 3 year old who is still nursing.
AMEN! Lets worry about the real issues of children – those being abused – and stop worrying about moms (and dads) who love their children and feed them properly (either with formula or breast milk). Every family must make their own decisions when parenting and we as a society need to focus more on protecting abused children.
YES!! I plan to wean my son around 1 year, but if the worst thing this woman does to her child is nurse him until preschool, then let's celebrate the fact that the child is healthy, safe, and loved. Let's focus our rage on abusers and molesters.
SOOOOO glad I adopted my son & didn't have to deal with the whole breastfeeding issue. And yes, he of course was a formula baby and is the happies, healthiest, most well adjusted child I know. People comment on it. He is FAR healthier than a friend's 1st child whom she breastfed. In fact, his health issues were so bad, she formula fed her 2nd child & did not have near the issues. YAY FOR WONDERFUL FORMULAS!!!! Oh, and this chick can feed her kid until he's 50 for all I care, but shame on Time for exploiting this child and shame on the mom for the pose – I feel sorry for the child when this pic comes back to haunt him in the future.
I'm with you on that! I find this photo very disturbing. I once saw a 2 yr. old kid pull up her mother's blouse and demand to nurse at a company luncheon no less! I found it rather creepy. Hey, when they can walk around and eat on their own, enough already!
As a mother of 3 and 2 of them being breastfed, I can say that the one who was formula fed had much more health problems and I have the doctor's records to prove it. But with that being said, I am glad you have a child. But I think if you have never breastfed a child it's hard to say what is right or wrong in this situation. Did you decide to one day take your child off the bottle and do it. Or did you let things progress and stopped the bottle when the time was right?
In other parts of the World, moms breastfeed their kids until they are 3 years old. I bet, US is one of few places where Moms push their kids out of breastfeeding in early age or don't breastfeed at all, want their 2 years old to behave like 22, shove them in separate room to sleep by themselves and shut the door even if the kid is crying for some affection and love. Then we wonder what is going on with our youngsters??? We shove pills in them to "behave".
This Government better keeps the doors open to emigrants, otherwise we are going to end up an obese population who lives in anti-depression pills and psycho therapy.
My son is 29 and very successful and healthy. He wasn't breast fed at all. Your point?
"You bet" that the US is the only place where women push their kids not to breastfeed? Or do you actually have some evidence about that? Without evidence, the rest of your post is pointless. Two things in response:
1) Just because people in another country do things differently than we do in the US, doesn't mean that their way is automatically better.
2) Most formula fed babies grow up to be happy and unmedicated. Unless you have some research evidence to the contrary? Maybe I missed that research report.
In "other parts of the world", some women mutate their daughters' genitals to make them marriagable. In "other parts of the world", little boys go to work on plantations when they're 6 or 7. In "other parts of the world", gang rape of minor girls happens daily.
Some things are better in America, some things are worse. But to just say we need to change our behavior because other countries do it differently makes no sense.
NO, NO, NO! That kid has muscles and teeth. That picture is ridiculous!
If I were this kid, I would be mighty mad at Mom when I grow up for this nonsence
Hey Junior this is a picture of you, snackin on mom's fun bags!
Sounds great if we want a generation of dependent children who feel loved but won't move out of the house. Parents will rationalize anything in the name of loving their children. How about teaching them independence..."The milk is in the frig!"
...someone's gotta mold the next Norman Bates.
Lots of interesting comments here. Just gotta say, though, regarding attachment parenting and its apparent effects on kids born after 1992: From several media reports, and some from my daughter, who now teaches high school, kids precisely that age are much more needy of relationships with teachers than those in the past; many/most have helicopter parents who cannot let go; many of these same parents actually CALL prospective employers to pitch their kids' star qualities; call COLLEGE professors; harass high school teachers about grades and email them constantly on their kid's behalf; text their kids constantly all day at school and expect them to answer even though phones are to be turned off in class; and etc. You get the picture. Just sayin'. Seems to me the evidence is pretty clear. Those of us with older kids just drop our collective teeth at all this obsessive parental behavior. And yep, virtually all these moms have worked outside the home just about all these kids' lives. Seems a bit of a contradiction if you ask me. Or maybe it is seriously related. But then, of course, I had my kids in the '70s and was a stay-at-home mom until they were in middle school. Both super well-adjusted people, very healthy, strongly bonded with me but have always had loads of friends. I wonder if that staying home with them had anything at all to do with that, possibly a whole lot more than so-called attachment parenting when you are not at work.
Oh please. Good on you for criticizing women for having a career or who need to work to support their family. You had your children during a time when it wasn't necessary for most families to have two incomes. Congratulations!
If it is good for the child and gains on being breast fed until 3, then I say, don't bite to hard. What does the child gain anyway from breast feeding?
Hey buddy, if you were BREAST FED at birth the HUGE and exceeding benefits are, you develop NORMAL human brain like NORMAL human beings. Your brain deficiencies are self-evident since you were NOT breast fed by your mami.
Too late now buddy! Your mother's milk is NOW DRY like the Sahara desert! Can't help ya.
EXCUSE ME! I am an adopted child, my mother could not breast feed me. I turned out just fine, thank you very much. I have two boys neither of whom were breast fed. They are both in college and doing great. Breast feeding does not make you a mother. Love, nurturing, compassion are what makes a good mother. NOT the boob. This article is a slap in the face of every adoptive parent out there.
The self-absorbed mother shown on the Time magazine cover needs to get a different hobby. Of course the publicity that she has received has already gotten her an all-expenses paid trip to NYC and the Today show. So maybe it's all about getting the attention that she didn't receive a child? What would Freud say?
I totally agree. Not everyone want to breast feed.
My daughter who we adopted later in her life was raised by her paternal grandmother. She says she was abandoned by her mother. I thought that might be the reason she nursed her son until two years plus and had him sleeping in her bed until he was 7 years old and carried him strapped to her until four years old. He is a very well adjusted kid, personable, brilliant, best of the soccer team and and a clear leader among his school mates. He is a joy as a grandson. My children who were raised by a mother so attached to herself and not into dependency, was quite opposite than the attachment practices. Let me say this. Children adapt to all styles of parenting if the adults do not make a big deal about it. Normal is what we make it and who gets to say their way is the normal way.
Both of my children breast feed, but were weened by the time they were 2 months old. I know that if you want your child to have breast milk longer than that use a breast pump! I feel that it's creepy to keep this up after the age of 2 years old.
For The RECORD: Republicans were NOT BREAST FED but instead were fed with the Blood of Satan Lucifer; hence their mind sets are that of BEASTS, mean spirited with dog-eat-dog mentality.
I never thought I will live to see silly, idiotic men with the mind set of mentally challenged 2-yr. old, sitting down all day counting the number of TIMES a Black Pres. uses “I’s” in ANY of his speeches.
Wow! Only IMPOTENT men behave this way. Very crrrrrriiiiipppppy I might add!
On a religious level a child should only be breast fed for two-years, any longer is not acceptable nor is it normal. Over the age of two-years, is abusive for both the mother and the child. A child should be ween off of breat milk by the age of two.
Says who?
Oh Please STOP that Religious nonsense.
Where in the Living Bible does it say or state that? Did Jesus or ANY of the disciples of Christ say or state that?
When the kid gets teeth you know it's for a reason lol.
Yes, biological development is for a reason. We should encourage that development.
They may start teeth at 6 months but they don't finish getting teeth until age 2-3, nor do they get the digestive enzymes they need to digest a full range of food. They continue to need a diet high in fat and cholesterol, as is provided by breastmilk until age 2-3. That's why most children throughout history and in the world breastfed until about 2-3.
Actually, it is recommended by AA to breastfeed for ONE year. WHO (world health organization) recommends AT LEAST two years. There is nothing wrong with a mom wanting to breastfeed her child for as long as she wants. It is the best food for them as it changes to what the kid needs at various stages. People need to get a grip and stop trying to tell other's how to parent.
It seems that are mostly men and adoptive moms who have problem with breastfeeding!!!! Makes sense 😀
Annie, not everyone is into the whole, 'incest and extra fun at family reunions" like you.
As long as they want? No. Breastfeeding should stop when the "baby teeth", more accurately described as "milk teeth" begin to fall out and before any permanent teeth come in. Continuing past this point will subject permanent teeth to rot from milk and displacement from sucking. Stopping before this point is a matter of personal choice and social pressure. I would hope that any sane person will see that health benefits should outweigh social pressure for the first two years.
I am sitting here getting madder and madder. My parents were great parents. I am a good parent. My kids are great. They are not bullies and never have been. I do not care how many degrees this idiot man has but hes WRONG WRONG! There are as many ways to raise a child as there are parents. Who is to say that one is the best way.
I'm not sure what your point is. Did you breastfeed for an extended period of time or not at all. If not at all, there are some valid medical reasons, but it if was "personal choice", sorry but you lose and, unfortunately, so did your child.
Jenny, just know you were loved beyood a measure that non-adoptive parents or children will never understand!
Typical uneducated southern Repukecans Rant. Yeb, we heard that from Repukecans presidential candidate; Ricko SanAnusstrum. In the words of Ricko SanAnusstrum; "How obnoxious to be educated"?
I guess he won't have to go the toppless bars...he's got mom at home. I
m all for breast feeding it is an important part of mother-child bonding, but this kid is way to old for it. TIME MAGAZINE should be ashamed and this lady could go to weight watchers to stay skinny.
Sigmund Freud, eat your heart out.
or your girlfriend/mother as the case may be.
In 15 years this kid will be on that day's version of "Oprah" discussing all of his emotional problems. The problem today isn't that kids aren't attached to their parents. The problem is that some parents simply smother their children and don't allow them to become independent. This kid is in for a rough road.
Kids that go to "Oprah" have been in 0 love all their lives!
My my. I don't like bullying but at the same time don't set your kid up to be bullied. This child will be in school soon, after having his picture on the cover of Time sucking his mothers breast. Even the most conscientious kids will have trouble not bringing this up in health class!
I pity the teachers who teach little johnny and Susie attachment patent. They will be nightmares because their kids are perfect because they breast fed.
While exclusive breastfeeding through 6 months is the recommendation, that just means you can start to introduce solids at 6 months. The WHO still recommends breastfeeding through the age 2. I wish people would educate themselves on a topic before they share their uneducated opinion.
If we eliminated uneducated opinions these blogs would be fairly empty and largely boring.
I think you better recheck that information and not just repeat what you have heard from the supporters of this movement. Breastfeeding is recommended until age 2 where a safe consistant food supply is not available. I think think you can find a safe consistant food supply somewhere near LA, this woman can clearly make it to a local organic grocery store if she is worried about the safety of her food supply.
Dani, I'm not sure where you are getting that, but look up WHO's 10 Facts About Breastfeeding. It says that breastfeeding should continue for two years. Period. No modifiers about food supply.
If you can spell "Milk" you are too old to breastfeed. Maybe you should interview someone who breastfeed long enough that they remember it. I would think that it could create some pyschological issues. The kid on that cover is in for a world of teasing when he gets older. Shame on this Mom for selling out her child so she can get publicity.
Most kids this age can't spell yet. I guess you don't know much about kids.
This child is nearly 4, all my childeren could spell 3 and 4 letter words at that age, just because you can't write doesn't mean you can spell.
Any woman with a kid on her breast after the kid is walking and talking just likes it. It's twisted. The kid needs to function on it's own as a separate being. You're just either getting off on the attention or the actual feeling and both are sick.
I am a very strong advocate for breastfeeding. I nursed all three of my children, the last one until she was about 18 months old. I really do feel as though a child over the age of 2 may need to be weaned, but that ultimately is a decision that needs to be made by the mother. I do agree that breastfeeding a child is in no way regarded as a sexual act by the nursing mother (at least not by me). In my opinion, nursing an older child may not be the socially acceptable thing to do, but I think this mother loves her son, wants what is best for him, and he looks to be a healthy child. This type of thing is up to the parents, not the general public. Honestly, had I not been hospitalized when my daughter was 18 months old and had to wean her, I would have nursed her much longer than I actually did.
Makes me glad I kept my ladybits confined to novelty purposes only.
the kid on that cover is going to be so messed up.
It seems to me that most of the negative attention towards the subject is based on preconceived notions of what mothers should do and not based on any facts that it actually harms the children. I haven't seen any research indicating its so negative. Many doctors don't seem to have much against it. I believe mothers should just go with their instinct.
to "Annie" – honey, I wouldn't have breastfeed my bio child either – gasp! lol..............
adoptivemom, my husband and I were both bottle babies. We have a faithful 16-year marriage, a high six-figure income, do animal rescue work in our free time, helped put our nephews through school, take care of his paraplegic mother, don't smoke, drink in excess or do drugs, and haven't gone postal in any malls to date. Your kids will be just fine.
same here – I was bottle fed and am hardly ever sick, have a great career and a wonderful husband (married 21 yrs.!) and son. These people who think your child will be a total screw-up if they are not breastfeed make me lol for real....
Attachment parenting? If your goal is to raise a whimpy mommas boy you're right on target. If you'd like to raise a girl with no sense of self, independent thinking skills and vulnerable to overbeariung men,BINGO. For thier own safety children need to have a sense of strength and independence as soon a s possible. When we were an agricultural society the children were driving mule teams by the time they were potty trained. Mom need to get a life other than trying to retard her childrens development. Let them grow up!
I'd be really interested to see a long term study that compared an extended breastfed child with one breastfed for 6 months to a year. Taking a look at both kids at say age 10 would be very telling as to whether the method is beneficial in ways besides nutritionally. Does anyone know if there is such a study out there? I don't want to base my opinion on a scandalous magazine cover.
Wouldn't it be great to have research to back up these opinions one way or another. Also to find out if any benefits/negatives are caused by the suckling, the breastmilk or both.
I breastfed my daughter for 10 1/2 months. I weened her slowly, she barely noticed when we stopped. It seemed logical. I couldn't imagine a child past one year still attached to the breast. We want our children to grow up independent.
Did she have a job at 18 months? Children remain strongly attached to their parents with a poorly formed sense of individuality and self for many years. Pushing them away early will have negative repercussions.
Jenny's right!
The self-absorbed mother shown on the Time magazine cover needs to get a different hobby. Of course the publicity that she has received has already gotten her an all-expenses paid trip to NYC and the Today show. So maybe it's all about getting the attention that she didn't receive a child? What would Freud say?
Oh, boy....how old are the Octomom kids? I can hear her saying "Hmmmmmm....." from here!
Never breast fed, I'm not a cow. Bottle feeding worked great, we could take turns for the 2 a.m. feedings. Both kids are grown adults and show no signs of being neglected, although they would have liked being born into a deep-pockets family.
The mommy on the cover of Time is obviously looking for the attention that she didn't get from her mommy or daddy. The kid in the photo is her prop. Freud would have a heyday with her and he'd be right...
Breast feeding is Great but you don't breast feed a child older than a year !! Baby's should be off a bottle by a year old as well! I Breast feed mine for about 8 months at the most.
Check out the World Health Organization's 10 Facts About Breastfeeding. They recommend that mothers breastfeed for two years.
I think the child will be mortified when he grows up that he was on the cover of Time. Whether you agree with this concept or not the whole photo is staged wrong and very disturbing to look at.
I totally agree – for such an overprotective, do-everything-she-can-for-her-child mom, she's done him such a disservice here...so sad for the child
Cosmic. I am adopted and not not breast fed.. My first born had a cleft lip and palet and I could not breast fed. My younger boy was not breast fed either. I never really ha d that desire. I can assure you my boys did not miss anything and neither did I except maybe the calorie blasting exercise of nursing. One of the reason I choose not to breast fed was to show all those who insisted that breast feeding was the only way to go that it is not.