How Old is Too Old?

When this question is asked as it pertains to the nursing child, I go through a series of emotions.  

First, I feel a little knee jerk reaction of fear.  Invariably, if the question is being posed, the asker has an answer, and typically that answer is in the vein of "If she's old enough to ask to nurse, she's too old to nurse." I'm not going to mince words here: This kind of "logic" makes me fucking crazy.  

My usual retort is something like, "So, as soon as our children are able to advocate verbally for their nutritional needs, we should tell them 'no'?".  Sometimes this gets people rethinking the original question, (success?!), bringing me to the next emotion I feel when asked the question gracing the title of this post…

Opportunity. 

I think to myself:  "I will convince this ill-informed victim of societal discomforts that extended nursing is amazing and important and that out-of-control formula company marketing has totally misled us on this very important aspect of motherhood."

And of course I don't stop there; I get really excited and start spewing fact after fact after fact about the importance of letting moms and babes and toddlers work together in the natural weaning process.  I also throw in some solid stats on the emotional and physical wellness of the breastfed toddler.  

Of course my audience, who is inevitably NOT comfortable with extended nursing, is not only glazed over with my TMI approach to the conversation, but has also found me out and labeled me a "crazy hippie".  

Shit.  

Now I've lost 'em. 

And that brings me to emotion #3. . .

Anger.

How did we get here?  Why is it so important to everyone to decide when and where and how long we should nurse our babes?  And what the hell is happening in medical schools that is preventing doctors and nurses from realizing the amazing benefits of breastfeeding beyond the first year of life?  The answer:  Formula companies are powerful, people.  And not regulated in the good ole U S of A.  

"The World Health Assembly adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in 1981 to protect and promote breastfeeding through the provision of adequate information on appropriate infant feeding and the regulation of the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, bottles and teats... The Code stipulates that there should be absolutely no promotion of breastmilk substitutes, bottles and teats to the general public; that neither health facilities nor health professionals should have a role in promoting breastmilk substitutes; and that free samples should not be provided to pregnant women, new mothers or families." (http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_24805.html)

The U.S.A. did not adopt The Code.  

I get steamy and huffy and puffy about this.  It isn't pretty.

And then, emotion #4 sets in. . .

Motivation.

Let's get the word(s) out, people.

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until at least the age of 2 and their position is NOT limited to nursing dyads in the developing world.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends nursing to at least the age of 1 and then for as long as mother and baby desire.  Ahhhh, there it is: "For as long as mother and baby desire"

Let's go deeper here.  If mother and baby do in fact "desire" to go longer, then why on earth is the rest of our community busying themselves with discouraging it?  

For dyads who choose extended nursing:

It makes moms happy.  It makes babes happy.  It is healthy.  And it helps normalize what is natural.  

End. 

Of. 

Conversation.

(i wish)  

To learn more about "The Code" click here.