By now everyone has seen the cover of Time’s Magazine May 21st edition showing a woman breastfeeding her soon to be 4-year-old son. (If you missed it, click here.) If the picture doesn’t get your attention, the headline, “Are You Mom Enough?” will certainly get the conversation started.
Here are my two cents. I breastfed both of my daughters until they were six months old. I understand the benefits of breastfeeding and enjoyed that time bonding with my babies. I encourage other mothers to do the same.
In my opinion, continuing to breastfeed a child past a year is taking a good thing too far. If breastfeeding is a means to supply nutrients or food to your child, what is the benefit of continuing to do so when that child is eating solid food?
My rule of thumb is as follows: If a child can drink from a cup, eat solid food and has a mouth full of teeth, they don’t need to be sucking on anything. That includes a breast.
What are your thoughts? Moms, did you breastfeed? Did the Times Magazine cover go too far?