How Old is Too Old to Breast Feed Your Child? Court Case

wkrn ^

[chance33_98]

How Old is Too Old to Breast Feed Your Child? 

How Old is Too Old to Breast Feed Your Child? How old is too old to be breast feeding your child? A controversial case out of Illinois has re-ignited the debate. A young mother there is still breast feeding her eight-year-old. Should she be forced to stop?

Lynne Stuckey said she has been unfairly persecuted for doing something that is perfectly natural: breast feeding her son. But there's a twist - her son is now eight-years-old.

"I did nothing wrong with nursing my child. Kyle is my only son and I'm going to continue nursing him as long as he needs that and until he weens himself."

But child protection authorities did not agree. Her son Kyle was removed from her home for nearly six months and placed in foster care. Lynne and Kyle have undergone counseling and are reunited. Tuesday on Good Morning, America , she showed her face for the first time, saying accusations that the breast feeding was some kind of molestation are absurd.

"You don't nurse your child for yourself when that's something they are needing for comfort. When you do that, you're putting your child first."

An expert on Tuesday morning's show basically agreed, saying it's normal in some cultures for children to breast feed until they are five or six. But it may time for Kyle to be weened.

"There reaches an age when you have to help your child find more mature ways to comfort themselves," said the expert.

"This is a normal thing and people need to know that, and Kyle is a wonderful child," Stuckey said.

By speaking out, Lynne Stuckey said she fears the state may again move to take her child away. The American Academy of Pediatrics said roughly 20% of children are weened by age one, and the vast majority of toddlers are weened by age two.

[Wm Bach]

What's that SNL skit? The one where the grown up son
is still attached to his mother, via an overgrown
umbilical cord?

[chance33_98]

I have not seen SNL since the 80's.

[CholeraJoe]

There is no medical reason to breast feed beyond six months of age. This is the most perverted thing I've heard in the last 15 minutes.

[splach78]

I don't care how normal it is in other societies, I think it is disgusting. He should be able to comfort himself other ways.

[chance33_98]

Of course, if they test to see if she's still lactating and she isn't, then there may be a problem.

You volunteering to do the testing :)

[CholeraJoe]

Who you calling a pervert, Mr. "I never met a goat I didn't like?"

[chance33_98]

My wife still breast feeds our daughter at 14 months. And our daughter is very healthly and has not been sick once. She feeds me too :)

[hobbes1]

Actually, in eutrope, lots of women nurse well into preschool years, but 8 ?!?!?!??!

I saw some scandinavian woman in IKEA nursing what looked to be about a 5 year old...

As to the 6 months, some women prefer to nurse till they can go straight to milk (10-12 mos?)

[CholeraJoe]

She feeds me too :)

OK. Now that's the most perverted thing I've heard in the last 15 minutes.;-)

[Aggie Mama]

Where did you get that from? Most peds recommend to AT LEAST one year, and a good portion of those are suggesting self-led weaning.

Also, there are benefits beyond the nutritive. Nothing calms an upset baby like nursing.

Granted, 8 yrs old is extreme. Most children wean themselves by 2-2.5 years.

[xsmommy]

well you know i disagree with you on the breastfeeding thing, it is a sourgrapes thing because it was not en vogue to breastfeed back when they invented formula, so you are still feeling deprived over what you missed out on.

i do agree that age 8 is perverted and if they are talking then it is not quite right. xsboy enjoyed his 2 years.

[chance33_98]

OK. Now that's the most perverted thing I've heard in the last 15 minutes.;-)

Would you like some creamer in that coffee :) MMMMMMmmmm

[Woodstock]

As a mother of three boys who were all breast-fed, I have to wonder if this child can use a CUP?

[xsmommy]

Also, there are benefits beyond the nutritive. Nothing calms an upset baby like nursing.

i agree. once they are drinking milk from a cup, the nursing is purely a comfort thing and done for calming before bed or a nap. Like i said, CJ is still bitter that he has never been able to recoup those lost years....

[chance33_98]

As a mother of three boys who were all breast-fed, I have to wonder if this child can use a CUP?

He probably can, most likely a security thing - he likes the B cup better then any other ;)

[Wondervixen]

I breastfed all three of my girls until they began cutting teeth...Trust me, that's entirely long enough!