Why do some moms only breastfeed for 1-2 yrs?

Question

Why do some moms only breastfeed and refuse to give any juice, water, or solids til 1-2 years old?

I have ran into some women online who say they breastfeed every 15 minutes of the day and they feel that juice, water, baby food, etc are "evil" and wrong.

I think we all know the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding but are some moms taking it too far?

What is the harm in giving babies baby cereal, baby juice(watered down), baby food, and some bottled or sterilized water at the appropriately deemed ages for said things.

Why would any mom want to starve their baby and only give just breastmilk til 12 or even 24 months. I had read several moms exclusively breastfeed til age TWO! That seems insane and abusive to mee to starve a baby like that. One said her baby feeds every FIFTEEN minutes of the day, that to me says the child is REALLY hungry and being starved basically because their mom is a crazy boob n**i and takes her online elitist boob n**i group membership way too seriously.

So please fill me in on this big secret...

http://www.openmommychat.com

http://www.a-mommys-world.com

Answer 1

I dont even think they should be breast feeding that long at all they are definitly not doin the right thing they need much more than breast milk at that age

Answer 2

Wow, i have never heard this. I am so used to explaining to parents that they should wait until their child is 6 months old before introducing  solids. This blows my mind - you are right - the fact that the child wants to nurse every 15 minutes says that she is hungry. I wonder how their mouth/ speech development is.

Answer 3

I'm not saying that no one in the world has ever done that, but I've never met or talked to any. Have you?

But just about any crazy thing hyou can imagine (and probably some you can't) is not only done but advocated by somebody somewhere.

Answer 4

I think that is wrong and why would you want to breast feed a child that can have a conversation with you. I say once they can talk take the boob out of their mouth. I was watching a talk show with people who breast feed their kids until 8 or 9 years old. To me that is sexual abuse. I think breast feeding is great but when and were do you draw the line?  

Answer 5

everyone should just chill.

breastfeeding until 24 months is fine with or without any other foods added.  feeding every 15 minutes is great if you can do it.  the kid is not starving.  most all of this is cultural and has nothing to do with health and nutrition.  

most women stop earlier than 2 years because of TEETH!  plus a lot of mothers have to go to work

some cultures breastfeed until 3 or 4 years old as a way of preventing another pregnancy (not foolproof but does work a lot of the time)  some breastfeed because they lack other foods      

all these babies manage to grow up fine.

Answer 6

I think some are taking it too far as well.  

Answer 7

Just because some one is nursing a 2 year old doesn't mean that child ONLY nurses.  I've never met a mom whose child didn't eat solids at that age.  That being said, there is NOTHING wrong with breastfeeding at 2, 3, 4, whatever!!  The worldwide average age for children to self-wean is between 3 and 4.  

Here's a great link on that for you:

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.ht...

My daughter started small amounts of homemade solids at 6 months (and they were only for practice; the bulk of the diet that first year needs to be breast milk or formula).  She also began having a little water in a sippy cup at that age, just to slowly get her familiar with one, since we never used bottles.  Breast milk is mostly water anyway, so it's not necessary.  Starting at about 16 months, I'd add a little juice to the water; her "juice" is still diluted these days.  As for cereal, I offered it, but won't in the future, since it's nothing more than a junky starch!

By the way, calling people "n***s" for being passionate about their convictions is pretty immature.  I consider myself a lactivist, but last time I checked, I wasn't shooting people or gassing them for choosing formula....something to think about.  :)

Answer 8

I wonder if some women are doing the child a dis service and there is something in it for them? I saw a woman at a mall with her 6/7 year old laying on a bench nursing? To me this was sooo wrong!!