Skip to comments.
How Old is Too Old to Breast Feed Your Child? Court Case
wkrn ^
Posted on 07/10/2002 5:53:23 AM PDT by 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.
TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: 8yearold; breastfeeds; mom; son
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220, 221-240, 241-260, 261-263 next last
To: Auntie Mame
I was thinking that very same thing. People don't just magically find out about what goes on behind closed doors. I think the kid must have said something to a friend. I feel bad for that boy, how much turmoil must he be facing if his mom wants him to breastfeed, and perhaps he does not because either he doesn't feel comfortable, or he's getting negative attention about it from his peers.
It's a tough world out there. I am all for breastfeeding kids (I, and all my siblings were breastfed), but dhe should be looking out for her son's emotional well-being. Eight is a BIT much.
To: hobbes1
:)
To: chance33_98
Breastfeeding is great. I loved those times with my three babies. But there is something wrong if it goes on that long. I wonder is she going to kick the kid out when he's grown if he doesn't do it on his own too? Or is he going to live with his mom/parents forever? Occasionally you have a child that needs a push to go on to the next step in maturing.
To: homeschool mama
I tried with our son, didn't even attempt with our daughter. Some of the nurses made me feel so guilty!
To: andysandmikesmom
Yep. I also wonder if she ever pushed her child to keep his privates covered, when he didn't "decide to do it himself." You know that kids will seem to go on streaking forever if you dont' enlighten them to the social benefits of modesty.
To: CholeraJoe
Oh come now, six months? My kids were all more interested in other things by about a year, but six months? Sheesh.
To: chance33_98
I don't have children, so I can't really say, but I do know that 8 years of age is WAY too old to be breast feeding........my gosh, that is so disgusting.......ladies, can you imagine an 8 year old.......never mind, i can't even write it.......NASTY........
247
posted on
07/11/2002 10:31:39 AM PDT
by
hunyb
To: chance33_98
This woman is SICK!
248
posted on
07/11/2002 10:32:08 AM PDT
by
hunyb
To: Phantom Lord
ROTFLMAO!
To: CholeraJoe
That means you are usually ok breastfeeding exclusively up to six months at which point you start introducing solid foods which offer more and different nutritive values, especially iron. Read point number 6 and 7 again. There is nothing suggesting that they stop at six months. In fact the entire article is geared toward encouraging longer breastfeeding when possible.
To: Prodigal Daughter
Yes in this country we 'strain at gnats but swallow camels.'
To: Prodigal Daughter
children sleep with the mother until 5 or older I believe. But in the US This brings up the argument of culture. While it may be OK to breastfeed longer in other countries, subjecting a child to that cultural pressure/stigma is unfair.
I wouldn't think that a topless native girl from tribal Africa was immodest because it is their culture to dress that way, but the same woman parading down main street would come off to me here as immodest. There is some value to "When in Rome do as the Romans do." At the same time I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing the African girl's native dress, as a visitor to that area. One tries - or should try-- to err on the side of caution or modesty when it comes to cultural issues. When I breastfed my children my husband's family was a little embarrassed about it, so I picked up on that, and didn't force them to tolerate me sitting in the middle of their living room. I went into a private area, respectful of their discomfort. Now this woman, I know, probably nurses this child privately, however the story is out, she has to understand how the conflict about it is going to get to her son.
To: Prodigal Daughter
OMG. My son (9) has no idea where babies actually come from, and I have no intention of giving him all the details. He's definately not ready for any of that. My daughter asked me about it all when she was about 11. She had heard things, she asked questions and I had to tell her the truth, but gawd was I embarrassed. I didn't let her know that, tho. Maybe I'll let Mr. Mist tell him the particulars as far as the men's role is concerned, but I'll have to tell him the main stuff. NOT looking forward to that !!
To: Rainmist
I told my kids when they were about 6 the very basics. They got caught talking about the neighbor boy's body parts so we went out and bought a book geared for their age group. So they know the basics. Also animals and animal shows provide a little biology lesson on occasion. I don't think they think too hard about it applying to people that they know, however, and I am not going to bring THAT up!
To: Prodigal Daughter
Sad story!
Then she told me that he talks about sex at age six and gets jealous when her husband hugs or kisses her in front of him.
I read somewhere never to do anything with your spouse in front of the child/children that you can't let your child be involved in. When we hug, and the kids come up and want in, they get let in without hesitation.
To: Terriergal
LOL ! I hear ya sister !!!
To: Terriergal
When we hug, and the kids come up and want in, they get let in without hesitation.I agree, but what she described was different; the little kid wasn't happy about the hugs, etc.
Since reading this thread, I read another article saying that this mother breastfed her son on television. She is sounding pretty shallow to me, although a shallow mother is better than confiscation.
To: CholeraJoe
I don't see it as perverse at all. Neither the child or mother get any arousal from breastfeeding. I breastfed my son till he was 4. He told me on his 4th birthday that was it. I spoke to 3 doctors before I continued to breastfeed. All 3 of them told me to let him feed until he no longer wanted to. They said the longer you breastfeed the better. My son had no behavioral problems. He didn't have a terrible 2's stage. He never got sick, no ear infections. He is the smartest boy in his class. Breastfeeding is very beneficial to your children.
To: chance33_98
A woman continues to lactate so long as the child nurses. It doesn't disapear because some people think that the child is too old
To: palacios2
What's the deal with you brand new signups here?...How come the resurrection of a four year old thread? This happens several times a month.
260
posted on
07/05/2006 5:05:42 PM PDT
by
ErnBatavia
(Meep Meep)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220, 221-240, 241-260, 261-263 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson