Breastfeeding an 8 year old child.... I think it's ridiculous...how about you?

Question

There is a lady on youtube named Veronika Robinson who breastfeeds her 5 and 8 year old daughters! They talk to her b*****s, draw pictures of them, named them like PETS, say that breastmilk is better than a mango fruit (strange I know),say they will breastfeed forever, and they won't even let their mother wear a bra! I feel this is unhealthy, unnecessary and may even be an indirect form of abuse. I think she may have letting go issues. In a recent interview, she stated that her family has been through turmoil since the documentary had aired and people on the streets were harassing her children. I feel sorry for the children because they don't know any better and they are being ridiculed and harassed because of their crazy mother. What do you think about this?

Here is the documentary,

WARNING: It may disturb you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxv6R9fUO74

Answer 1

SICK AND TOTALLY WRONG! This mother is a complete idiot if she believes that breastfeeding her kids until they're nearly teenagers is going to make them smarter. It also creates one really perverse relationship with mom! She needs to wean NOW!

Both my husband and I were never breastfed by our mothers; he was never because he was born with a cleft lip and palate which made it impossible to suck on even a bottle; when I I was born my mom got a severe infection and couldn't risk passing it on to me through her breast milk. She got over it in a week and tried to, but I wouldn't take it. Both my husband and I have relatively high IQ's; his is estimated to be around 140 and I tested at 131a few years ago. I'm actually about 15 points higher than my younger sister who was breast fed! Neither my husband nor I were particularly sick as infants either. I've always heard that formula fed babies get sick all the time. Maybe its because we were both large babies, we both weighed well over 10 pounds at birth.

Not to offend anyone but honestly, breastfeeding makes me a little uncomfortable. Maybe its because I've never really wanted kids or the fact that I would never breast feed as a baby. My sister was born when I was five and I literally puked the first time I saw my mom breast feeding. Yeah, I know its natural but so are congenital birth defects and the rest of society gets uncomfortable around people with those. Complete strangers used to tell my mother-in-law that my husband was a "mistake" and that "God wouldn't make something that looked like him" when he was a baby. She couldn't even take him to the doctor's office without people making comments!

Answer 2

I saw that woman on the Tyra Banks show.  I really think she is crazy.  They had a doctor on the show that says the world health organization does not recommend breast feeding past five years of age and the woman most likely was suffering from physiological problems if she felt the need to breast feed an eight year old.

Answer 3

The World Health Organisation may say certain things, but which companies are they tied with? Who pays them to say what? Which pharmaceutical companies, etc, are associated with them? We need to think about that... But anyway... I don't really want to make any statements or remarks about it, I don't know anything about breastfeeding... I think just as long as her children are happt children and aren't suffering or being bullied. And I think they need to remember that there need to be other havens and means of comfort seeking for them as they get older.

People mainly have issues with this because our culture views it as "EEEW! Groooss! That's icky! Yucky!"

I personally, don't give a rats a.s.s when a woman is breastfeeding her child in public. But anyway, I think just as long as those kids are happy, healthy, and develop more ways of feeling comfortable as they get older, it should be OK. Like the woman said, she's not gonna breastfeed them when they're in college... And I dont know how she'll go about it when they're teens though. That's her choice.

Answer 4

If you think this is "disturbing", you obviously haven't seen much.

How about parents that hit their kids?

How about parents that starve their kids?

How about parents that kick their kids out of home?

Think about it.

Answer 5

You should change "It may disturb you!" to "It WILL disturb you!" That was sick and wrong. Like someone else mentioned, I remember when I was that age. Gives me shivers. I was never breastfeed, but the thought of being breastfeed at 5 or 8 makes me want to throw up. This lady needs to go to jail or something. Gah.

Answer 6

I watched that a while back and was quite disturbed. I understand the attachment issues, but I have my own opinions.

If a nonbreastfeeding mother were to pull out her b*****s and have her 5 and 8 year old daughters play with or suck on them it would be considered sexual abused. I don't see how this is any different. These girls are obviously old enough to understand that other children their age aren't doing this. If they don't realize this, the mother should take responsibility and ween the girls or at least feel embarrassed by this to not publicize it.

Answer 7

It is absolutely wrong. That woman should be charged with abuse.

Answer 8

Honestly i think it is wrong.  Toddlers at 12 months are suppose to be bottle broke i think the same rule should apply with breastfeeding.  I agree that breastmilk is healthy but it can be pumped and put into a sipply cup or adult cup.  When a child is old enough to pull your shirt down and ask for "booby milk" (yes i have heard children say that) then they are to old to be latching on to moms breast.  There is no reason for a 5 year old or 8 year old to be nursing from mom, none.  I think it is more for mom than for the child and that is wrong.  Children don't get all their nutrients from breastmilk anymore after 12 months, they are capable however of getting all nutrients they need from eating a proper diet and drinking water and milk (cow, soy or lactaid) there is no medical reason for children to be latching on when they are old enough to be at school and by 8 years old children are now learning about s*x so I really don't think a child that is old enough to learn about s*x should be latching on to a womans breast like that.

Answer 9

ugh how gross

Answer 10

i agree with you 100%

thats disgusting

those poor kids dont know any better

Answer 11

eh, whatever.  There are worse things parents do to their kids.

Answer 12

wierd and gross

Answer 13

Oh good lord! I am all for breastfeeding. I've breastfed all my kids and I even believe in extended breastfeeding. By extended I mean until around the age of 2. My oldest two kids are 5 & 8 and the thought of them breastfeeding from me is just disturbing. There is no reason to do that at that age. Ugh!

Answer 14

I find that absolutely beautiful and strange at the same time. Would you say I have issues as well? (I haven't read responses)

Are we, whomever we are, so RIGHT, and where do we draw the line of imposing or 'rightness' on others. Nowhere obviously. People wish to control other's lives to conform to their beliefs because anyone acting 'out of the norm' is a threat to our beliefs.

Thank you for the intriguing question. Now might be a good time to question your own beliefs - I know I am questioning mine - and whatever anyone tells you, that is a good thing.

Answer 15

Yes I saw this video long ago, and I dont really agree, but hey its just different traditions

Answer 16

If it were a boy I don't think she would want him at that age to ask for milk.  And seriously - shouldn't the b*****s be something  more private so that the kids are not drawing them for everyone?  Some children would get quite graphic in their drawings and it would not be the sweet little fond memories but become quite sexually arousing to a large audience - I just do not believe that was ment to be.

Answer 17

I have seen this question quite a few this last week. Ok call me the odd ball but I see nothing wrong with it. I do breastfeed my child but I don't think I will be nursing till 8 lol. I am sure that in a lot of cultures this can be normal.  I bet lots of woman do it but they keep it to themselves in fear of being persecuted by the ignorant. I say to each their own!

Answer 18

COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY WRONG!

Answer 19

This is disturbing on so many levels.

Answer 20

yeah it is ridiculous! im planning to breastfeed my 6 month old till he's one and i still think thats a pretty long time! so yeah 5 and 8 yrs old it weird! and ur right poor kids. specially now that this video is all over.

Answer 21

she could at least put it in a cup. you wouldn't see an eight year old with a bottle in their mouth. i think its pretty sick, poor damaged kids

Answer 22

WHO THE h**l BREASTFEEDS THERE KIDS AT THE AGE OF 8!!!