Why You Shouldn’t Breastfeed Your Toddler
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Because if you do,
- you are a pervert who derives sexual gratification from having a toddler nurse at your breast.
- your toddler will grow up to be a pervert (seriously, this one has been said by the MIL of a friend).
Honestly, these have got to be the most ridiculous notions I have ever heard. It’s hard to believe that we live in the 21st Century and we can still hear comments like these. Never mind the fact that extended breastfeeding has so many benefits, we’re reduced to ridiculous notions like the two listed above.
As a mother to a 22 month old nursing toddler, it worries me to get on a plane where my son might ask to nurse when I read about Mums being discriminated for nursing on the airplane (we’ll be getting on a plane in less than two weeks). I read a lot of comments about how nursing Mums should be more discreet in public and cover up or go somewhere private to nurse. Sure, I try to be discreet and I use the baby rooms and tell Gavin to wait until we in a less public place, but honestly, have the people who make these comments ever tried nursing a toddler? I’ve tried covering Gavin but he just pulls the cover off or pushes it away. I’ve tried delaying tactics which only work some of the time. When he wants to nurse, he WANTS to nurse, and, quite frankly, why should I deprive him because some passerby insists on getting offended because they can’t keep their eyes focussed elsewhere?
If we want to get insulted and tell off mothers who nurse in public, then perhaps we should also ban people from wearing hipsters where half their butt cracks are exposed whenever they bend over? Or what about women who wear low-cut necklines with nipples that accidentally fall out on occasion – I don’t hear too many people complaining about that one. It’s practically the same thing, isn’t it?
I just can’t understand why there exist people who are so ashamed of something that should be so natural. After all, before the invention of formula, this is exactly what used to happen. Mothers nursed their babies and toddlers. So when did it because so shameful and offensive?
I’ve always planned to wait for Gavin to self-wean and I certainly hope he will do so before the age of 8 but I still salute the mothers who continue nursing their children up until that age. As it is, there is already too little awareness about extended breastfeeding benefits and too many mothers opting out of breastfeeding or stopping too early because of the lack of support and understanding. It is sad to see that mothers who are brave enough to stand up and talk about nursing their 7 year olds be publicly humiliated and ridiculed.
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5 Comments on this post
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sassberry said:
Whether breastfeeding an infant or toddler if people can’t be supportive of it due to their skewed opinons they should just mind their own business and look away, but for those that can’t help but register their disapproval via facial expressions of disgust or the even ruder ones that seem to think they are entitled to pass negative insulting comments, it is always best to calmly, proudly stand your ground and be ready with a good quip than argue, flee or get upset by the offender – that is afterall giving them the result they want to achieve!
A retort akin to the following is usually quite effective:
‘Oh dear how neanderthal of me to think that breasts are for well…urm…breastfeeding. Silly me for forgetting that in our modern day intelligent enlightened society that breasts are actually meant for selling sex, booze and fast cars! lol!’
If whilst on the airplane cabin crew ask you to cover up, quit or move because you are upsetting a fellow passenger, politely but firmly inform the crew member that it would be far more upsetting for your child and disturbing for other passengers if the feed is interrupted/stopped as your child may cry very very loudly for the rest of the journey.
Suggest to the crew member that under those circumstances it would be best to reseat the complaining passenger who rather ridiculously finds the natural function of breastfeeding so offensive, rather than upset the child – afterall its not like you’re about to commence lapdancing, babe in arms, up and down the aisles is it!
Should(intellectually challenged)member of cabin crew still side with ‘the passenger’ after your polite and sensible suggestion – just threaten to sue for descrimination and ask why the mother in seat 34c isn’t being told to hide her childs feeding bottle away!Have a good flight x:-)
December 6th, 2008 at 11:51 pm -
figur8 said:
That’s an excellent retort! I must remember that one when I’m on the plane or the next time I’m nursing in public and receive complaints about Gavin nursing. Thanks!
December 7th, 2008 at 6:49 am -
Mephala said:
Oddly enough, in the 2.5+ years of breastfeeding Jack rather indiscriminately in public (pull t-shirt up and nurse him, pull down again around boob), no one has cast more than a curious glance at us. Maybe the whole thing is actually quite subtle but I never took much notice of it. Sling helps too, I guess.
December 12th, 2008 at 6:07 pm -
figur8 said:
To be honest, I don’t nurse much in public. I used to back in the days when Gavin allowed me to cover him with a nursing cover but stopped when he started pulling it away. The only other time I nursed in public was in Singapore with you – figured they were more open-minded over there.
But you are right – it is very discreet. Most of the time people don’t really notice. My friend was nursing in public and I almost didn’t even realise she was – she was sitting right next to me!
December 13th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
[...] is hilarious what notions the superstitious and ignorant can come up with about breastfeeding when they are the ones supposedly more old-school. I think Shen wrote it [...]