Time Magazine Cover Shows Mom Breastfeeding 4-Year-Old Son: Did They Go Too Far?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/05/10 22:00:00

Related Topics: Time Magazine Cover, Time, Breast-feeding, Breastfeeding, Mom, Mother, 4-year-old, Son, Attachment Parenting, 21, Philosophy, 2012, Motherhood, Kids, Blonde

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	Yes	462 votes	71%
	No	185 votes	29%

If you're interested in these sorts of things, you've probably heard of "attachment parenting," in which mothers breastfeed for longer than the recommended six months to one year, partake in "co-sleeping" with their children and wear the kids in BabyBjorns. Well, Time magazine chose to take a look at the philosophy for their May 21 cover story, which they illustrate by featuring a mother breastfeeding her nearly 4-year-old son on the cover.

While some are calling the image overly sensational, it does illustrate the parenting method espoused by Dr. Bill Sears. Time takes a look at how Sears came to his philosophy, and interviews moms who believe in his theories, like "cover mom" Jamie Lynne Grumet. Of course, the mom they chose for the cover is 26, blonde, slim and attractive (we're just sayin'...). Do you think the cover goes too far?

+33

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Beat Magnum True Hero 2012/05/10 22:07:26 (edited)

Yes

+23
Breast feeding a 4 year old? If your kid is big enough to stand and ask you for food, he's big enough to use a fork.

Also, where are the fathers in all of this? I can't imagine there are very many men on board with this, and if they are, they're lying.
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More polls by SodaHead Living

Cat 2012/05/11 00:09:10

Yes

+2
WTF?? That's just wrong!

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missoni to Cat 2012/05/11 00:58:02

Give me a logical response as to why its wrong?

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Cat to missoni 2012/05/11 03:31:25

The child was supposed to be done breastfeeding a long time ago. Then they showcase it on a popular magazine, that's stupid.

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missoni to Cat 2012/05/11 03:51:12

Who are you to say when a mother or child should stop breastfeeding? You sound like the government!

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Cat to missoni 2012/05/11 13:03:06

What's he going to do when he has to go to school? Bring his mother's boob with him?

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GLaDOS 2012/05/11 00:09:08

No

+3
Six-months isn't long enough to get the full advantage of breastfeeding. At least a year, possibly two. As far as four, that's up to the mother and child.

I don't care for the aesthetic of the photograph, itself. I think they could have done it better.

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notokand to GLaDOS 2012/05/11 00:11:51

She looks angry almost; I thought they were trying to sell more breastfeeding?

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GLaDOS to notokand 2012/05/11 00:16:35

+1
I would say proud and defiant, more than angry, but I can see the parallel.

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JCLadybug to notokand 2012/05/11 02:21:26 (edited)

This is not selling breastfeeding, it is going against attachment parenting. The article (not the picture).

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notokand to JCLadybug 2012/05/11 12:53:00

ahhh.

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Bearish 2012/05/11 00:08:38

Yes

+3
A dieing magazines gasping last breaths to catch the readers eye..
This is sick and it just goes to show how screwed up the liberal media has become..

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missoni to Bearish 2012/05/11 00:59:59

Sick and gross? A mother breastfeeding her child? I think you and many others are clearly overreacting. Why don't you go an boycott and protest again beauty pageants that sexualise young children. I think that is 91391823981 times worse then a mother breastfeeding a child who doesn't look forced into it and appears happy, healthy and normal.

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Bearish to missoni 2012/05/11 11:09:36 (edited)

+1

This is a mother breast feeding.. (above)

The picture on times cover is a mother emotionally abusing a 4 year old.. This is not normal.. Who said gross??
I agree, Toddlers in Tiaras, Those mothers should be shot.

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Brendakp to Bearish 2012/05/11 18:18:42

+2
That is beautiful, what it's all about!

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Bearish to Brendakp 2012/05/11 22:47:28

?

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Brendakp to Bearish 2012/05/17 17:42:11

The picture of the mother breastfeeding her child you posted.

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Bearish to Brendakp 2012/05/17 21:55:22

+1
Yes it is beautiful.. But when the kid is 4, Not so much..
Thanks for clarifying

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AnonRanGER to Bearish 2012/05/13 13:38:18

"Those mothers should be shot."

How Christian of you.

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Bearish to AnonRanGER 2012/05/13 15:55:52

Did mom not breast feed you today?
Have you ever heard of the word "Colloquialism"?
or "Figure of speech"?

Oh yes, That's what I do , I shoot people who do not fit into my parameters of good parenting..
What a dork.
Why do you morons assume that just because my profile says Christian , I'm a thumper?

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AnonRanGER to Bearish 2012/05/14 10:26:59

And you don't really find it incredibly exaggerated to want a mother SHOT for breast feeding her 4 year old, figuratively or not?
"Did mom not breast feed you today" really helps taking you serious, too. *rolleyes*

I also didn't know you have to be a "thumper", not just a Christian, to live by the teachings of Christ. Basically, you are saying you aren't taking your religion serious.

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Bearish to AnonRanGER 2012/05/14 20:19:53

No I'm just not taking you seriously..
Do the letters F O mean anything to you?

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Jay Calderone 2012/05/11 00:06:18

Yes

+4
This whole "attachment parenting" sounds like the dumbest thing I've ever heard... do the moms go to school and attend class with their kids, too? Do they go to college with their kids? (if the kids even go to college)

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««Gingey, the Master Debate... 2012/05/11 00:05:11

No

+5
Why don't they focus on real issues instead of a woman feeding her child?

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Linnster 2012/05/11 00:00:29

No

+10
Neither of these would have been my choice of answers. The magazine is reporting a story and decided to feature it on the front page. I don't find anything wrong with breast-feeding a baby in public. I do think it's rather odd to still be breast-feeding an almsot four-year old in public or in private.

I hope she has him weaned before he goes to prom.

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Inquisitve Kat 2012/05/11 00:00:25

No

+1
I don't think they went too far... they picked the perfect image to show how absurd "attachment parenting" is.
I can't wait to see the attachment issues these children are going to grow up having.

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PeggySpeaks 2012/05/10 23:59:05

Yes

+1
I am not against breast feeding because God put those objects on a womans body for some reason other than to attract the opposite sex, but hey, does it have to be shown on a magazine?

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missoni to PeggySp... 2012/05/11 01:01:09

I rather it on a reputable magazine then a porn magazine thank you very much.

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Shae 2012/05/10 23:58:50

Yes

+2
Well yes and no actually. I don't necessarily think they've gone too far putting this on the cover, people have different ideas about it and there are far worse things out there being published. However, my PERSONAL opinion is that I don't like the cover. I think breast feeding at this age is highly inappropriate..... and a tad disturbing.

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Aqua Surf 2012/05/10 23:58:26

Yes

+2
Four year old kids should not be breastfeeding; putting it on the cover of any magazine is just pervy. What's the matter, Time? Needed a circulation boost? Low, even for a leftie rag.

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tweet_tweet 2012/05/10 23:57:50

No

+2
I admit it's unsettling, but only because Westerners are neurotic and sex obsessed, and I fit right in with them.

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zbacku to tweet_t... 2012/05/11 00:02:13

Next time you see a 4 year old standing on chair to grab his mom's boob to suck tell me that it's OK.

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tweet_t... to zbacku 2012/05/11 00:05:31

+1
Wouldn't be my choice of parenting style, but a lot of tribes used to do this. We're unsettled by this because Westerners sexualize breasts. Given the level that breasts are sexualized, I recognize the social consequences of breastfeeding for too long and would quit when they could ask for it. As for other parents doing it in public, it would admittedly make me uncomfortable, but I don't think anyone's guilty of sexual abuse. I recognize my bias.

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Inquisi... to tweet_t... 2012/05/11 00:02:38

+1
I find it unsettling because we're the only species that has breastfeeding past infancy... I don't think it's needed in order to have a healthy bond, so it just seems pointless.

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tweet_t... to Inquisi... 2012/05/11 00:08:34

+2
I have a friend who was breastfeeding her daughter past her third birthday. She is way too attached to her child, and it's not healthy. I largely agree with you. It's not my place to say anything though. How people raise their children is largely their business.

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Pureblood_ 2012/05/10 23:57:02

No

+1
If you want to drink breast milk, why not get it from the source? Hahahaha, I'm kidding!! If the mother wants to breast feed her almost 4 year old, she can do as she pleases. Would you get pissy over a guy sucking on his lovers breasts while making love? I wouldn't, that's their business!

As far as I can see in that photo, her breast is being used for what it was made for...

Not my tit, not my business...

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zbacku to Pureblood_ 2012/05/11 00:03:30

+3
That is a pic of a baby. The cover is of a 4 year old standing on a chair. All the difference in the world.

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Pureblood_ to zbacku 2012/05/11 02:12:13

+1
I was just trying to say that she's using her breasts for what they were made for.
Here you go..

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jaxspratsuniquecollectibles 2012/05/10 23:56:57

Yes

+2
Three year olds is beyond the age really required.[...]

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Hales 2012/05/10 23:56:49 (edited)

Yes

+5
She thinks it's completely fine, wait till he starts school, then what will he eat for lunch?

He won't want solid cafeteria food when all he wants is a bottle of milk or his mom to be there to breastfeed him. Then his self-esteem will plummet when kids make fun of him for "being a baby".

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John Freeman 2012/05/10 23:56:18

Yes

+3

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