I’ve suddenly started to receive “American Baby” by mail. This is the same rag that is handed out at Babies-R-Us stores to brainwash parents into thinking they need lots of unnecessary and expensive things for babies. I’ve picked it up now and then over the past two years of pregnancy and baby-hood for the novelty of a magazine to flip through. My impression then is pretty much my impression now: ho-hum.
So, while ho-humming through the pages in an effort to stretch out a work break a few more minutes, this caught my eye:
AB.com poll: How do you feel about mothers who nurse kids after age 2?
“That’s too old” — 81%
” It’s okay by me, anything to keep a toddler still!” — 19%
Good gracious. I may be making a bold assumption by reflecting this on the perspectives of mothers (fathers or non-parenting folk may have responded as well.) But unfortunately, I don’t doubt that this may actually be representative of mothers as a whole. Which leads me to ask:
Are Americans mothers ignorant, stupid, or misinformed?
This is not about whether an individual chooses to breastfeed or not. I have no problem ranting about the difficulty of early nursing and the impossibilities of working and nursing. But this is about supporting those mothers who do manage to get through it all to continue to nurse. Especially since these women are making the best choice for themselves and their child(ren), without compare. There is no evidence that a baby is ever “too old” to nurse. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and others agree: the guidelines are *exclusive* nursing until 6 months and then slow introduction of foods with complementary nursing until *at least* 24 months, followed by continued nursing as long as mutually desired. Those are the facts. Shouldn’t we be trying to support more women with what they need to follow these guidelines? Besides, women don’t just magically dry up the day after a child’s second birthday. It is frightening to think that 4 out of 5 who responded to this would make the judgement of “too old” when it actually is the right, proper, best, most appropriate, and responsible thing for a mother to do. Can’t we just focus on what is good for Mother and Baby? Isn’t that the most important thing?
I say, KUDOS to Moms who nurse past 24 months. We all should learn from them!
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