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Originally posted by gebuh:

my point was; how long would it be natural for humans to nurse a child? We humans have deviated so far from our natural course, who's to say what's natural.

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The short answer is 3 - 5 yrs.

We're slow-growing, altricial social beasts with a long period of infancy and juvenile development. Anthropologists would tell you that it depends on a lot of things including the nutritional health of the mother, alternate available foods for the youngster, how many kids there are and how close in age, and a bunch of other things.

There are nutritional, immunological, and even social benefits to extended breastfeeding... such the diet is supplemented to some degree by breast milk beyond a year (the long end of the N. American average for breastfeeding).

It really stuns me that something so healthy and wholesome can be shunned by so many. How can awomen feeding a child be unhealthy?

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Originally posted by ellenshana:

That's a pretty strong statement.

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I'll go ahead and say that I'm disgusted to see a woman breastfeeding an 8 year old with her older sister sitting there and longing for the "sweet" breast milk that's "better than a mango even." Those kids are going to be effed up.

I can't find it but I read an article where a lady got in trouble because she was breastfeeding her 8 year old here in the US. Psychologists say that it's wrong to breast feed so long. The people who think it's okay to breast feed children till whenever all sound like they're spewing hippie garbage.

"Psychologist Michael Burge, a specialist in relationships and development, said there should be a cut-off line.<br /><br />"The concern would be creating too much physical or emotional dependence. I would be very worried about that," Burge said.<br /><br />Psychologist Evelyn Field said breastfeeding for a child older than 3 is "totally inappropriate."<br /><br />"It's not normal, the umbilical cord needs to be broken," Field said. "You have to wonder if it's for the child or the mother — I bet it's for the mother."

[http://This message has been edited by Kawasaki500 (edited Dec-08-2007).|http://This message has been edited by Kawasaki500 (edited Dec-08-2007).]

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Originally posted by Gerry0702:

It really stuns me that something so healthy and wholesome can be shunned by so many. How can awomen feeding a child be unhealthy?

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Because they aren't infants and they can drink milk from a cup maybe?...if its so healthy and wholesome fine pump away and give it to them. I just don't think that kind of attachment should be encouraged at that age. Drawing pictures and naming them. Wonderful! Do they bring their art work to school for show and tell?

I dont think anyone is arguing against breast feeding an infant. 

The child in that video was 8 years old. It just weird.

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Originally posted by Gerry0702:

okay, i can go along with that, once they can drink and hold a cup then i guess that may be the time for kids to get weaned from the Mom, I just know that for some people even feeding an infant is bothersome to their moral viewpoint, it just asinine some the stuff that is said about a simple natural act.

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Originally posted by Fionn mac Cumhail:

Having tasted mother's milk since an adult, I can say that it's nothing like mango...

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I thought that part sounded questionable.

I'll admit that eight pushes my sensibilities a bit. But I do think the "anything beyond a year is weird or unhealthy" crowd needs to get out more.