TIME MAG COVER - Are You Mom Enough?

**Zacha341** · May-11-12, 08:22 AM

What a way to kick off Mothers Day! Subhead to "Are You Mom Enough?":

"Why attachment parenting drives some mothers to extremes - how Dr. Bill Sears became their guru"...

The cover:
http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16...120521,00.html

The back story:
http://lightbox.time.com/2012/05/10/parenting/#1

**firstandten** · May-11-12, 08:39 AM

question to the moms out there... Isn't three a little old to be breastfeeding ? Enlighten me if I am off base.

**Detroitnerd** · May-11-12, 10:54 AM

I thought this was a good reply to a lot of the co-sleeping and attachment parenting stuff:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...rticle2416509/

**Pam** · May-11-12, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

question to the moms out there... Isn't three a little old to be breastfeeding ? Enlighten me if I am off base.

I'm not a mom, but it is old. I think the average American woman stops nursing around 6 months -1 year.

**gazhekwe** · May-11-12, 04:32 PM

La Leche was recommending up to 2 years. Before the Pill, women used to think they couldn't get pregnant as long as they were nursing, so some continued even longer.

**jcole** · May-11-12, 04:34 PM

It was, and still is, common to breast feed for years in parts of Europe. In the US we've never taken it to the extreme lengths of other countries with the possible exception of immigrants when they first come her and are still do things like they did them in the 'old country'

**Gistok** · May-11-12, 04:48 PM

I know a couple where the woman let her son breast feed until age 3. I'm sure that had something to do with the fact that they lost their first child 1 week before scheduled birth [[umbilical cord blood clots), so the mom over dotted on her second child.

However, there is a drawback to breast feeding for extended periods. This couple's child had to get some expensive dental work done... since the mothers milk is rich in sugar, and therefore the child had several cavities at such a young age.

**Gistok** · May-11-12, 04:50 PM

Also... last night Jay Leno showed this magazine cover on his monologue. He then jokingly pulled out a centerfold type extension of the cover... showing a dozen other young [[and older) kids lined up for their turn at feeding....

**Pam** · May-11-12, 06:47 PM

Once the kid can walk and talk, I think they are too old. I've seen nursing toddlers run up to the mother and rip at her shirt and demand milk. [[Of course if you were living somewhere with famine or no clean water I could understand extended nursing. )

**Wheels** · May-11-12, 07:48 PM

I am not an expert on breast feeding or womanhood, but those don't look like lactating boobs to me?

**Zacha341** · May-12-12, 07:45 AM

The cover, the styling of the boy STANDING on a chair, her tank top [[which covers little), and the subhead beg the question and answer it! IMO this takes nursing to the 'extreme' and mothers should not feel guilty if they do not go this far in nursing their children. Mothers are under enough pressure, now this 'new standard'? Bull!

The far end of 'attachment parenting' is not something I'd consider. There a snarky hubris amongst some of the proponents of this, suggesting that if women are 'eductated' they will do this. Bull! Some women choose to nurse a few weeks, six-months, a year and they are ok in that choice. I support that. I don't or did not need a SMUG 'strong arm' in-your-face type of promotion of this style of parenting.

For the um' 'attachment parenting' cause the photo does nothing to 'educate' or compel those who are not interested. I find the photo exploitive and I am a mother who nursed, but not to this length of time or with such bold-faced lack of discretion.

Originally Posted by firstandten

question to the moms out there... Isn't three a little old to be breastfeeding ? Enlighten me if I am off base.

**Zacha341** · May-12-12, 07:53 AM

Breast size has little to do with nursing, but size etc. comes into discussion of course due to this 'type' of presentation, in how that woman is revealing herself... so there you have it.

Originally Posted by Wheels

I am not an expert on breast feeding or womanhood, but those don't look like lactating boobs to me?

**Zacha341** · May-12-12, 07:56 AM

Yes, that's too far for IMO, some mothers continue to nurse a 2 year old at home at night and give a toodler a bottle or sippy cup in public. It is all about discretion or in the case of some who have none.

Originally Posted by Pam

Once the kid can walk and talk, I think they are too old. I've seen nursing toddlers run up to the mother and rip at her shirt and demand milk. [[Of course if you were living somewhere with famine or no clean water I could understand extended nursing. )

**Zacha341** · May-12-12, 08:02 AM

The article made some good points, a couple that spoke to the added pressure in some countries that women nurse.

I think nursing the first six weeks is really good if possible, but as the article points out there are the nursing 'iyatolas' out there making women feel guilty for not nursing or for length of nursing.

Great! More oppression and stress for mothers! Coming from women ironically. NO thank you.

I am pro nursing but some go to far. Responsible parenting and getting the baby here is of more interest to me. Give them life first and foremost! Then you can choose to nurse or not.

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

I thought this was a good reply to a lot of the co-sleeping and attachment parenting stuff:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...rticle2416509/

**Gannon** · May-12-12, 12:35 PM

She certainly is MILF enough...

**Zacha341** · May-12-12, 01:09 PM

--

-- Oh that was bad! Hah! First response factor from the photo I gather? LOL!

That visual presenation is not really helpful to that cause, as I said. But hey they CHOOSE it and well, it does portray what is going on in some of the extreme case, so.......

Originally Posted by Gannon

She certainly is MILF enough...

**Johnnny5** · May-12-12, 03:22 PM

I feel bad for the kid. I doubt it will take long for his future classmates to discover the picture. That's not a burden that I would have liked to carry through grade school.

**Zacha341** · May-12-12, 09:42 PM

^^^^ Yep, that photo will be online forever... long after he is a 'kid' and his name as well. Smart thinking. Just brilliant!

**HistoryNotHisStory** · May-16-12, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

question to the moms out there... Isn't three a little old to be breastfeeding ? Enlighten me if I am off base.

I am not a woman, however if the child can eat solid food [[i.e. cheeseburger) then it time to stop breastfeeding.

Good parenting is preparing children to not to be totally dependent upon parents. The mother in the photo is overly attached to her child and will not let go.