almost only one way to eat, relying on the natural resource that mothers are able to provide. Without the vital act of breastfeeding, they are at a higher risk for weaker immune systems and sensitive stomachs down the road, among other things. Breastfeeding carries a child through their first year, as teeth develop and solid foods are introduced, allowing a broader spectrum of health benefits. The mental and physical advantages that breastfeeding an infant provide help many mothers make the decision to feed their baby naturally, but if moms are still nodding their heads yes to this decision five years into their child’s life, it is not farfetched to say that a child will develop psychological issues.
A May 2012 TIME magazine cover depicting mom Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her son, who was just one month shy of four years old, sparked much controversy not only in the parenting world, but to people everywhere. The cover boldly asked “Are You Mom Enough?” leaving the 26 year old’s parenting choices under much scrutiny. Grumet states that she, as a child breastfed until the age of six, had a very secure feeling of confidence and love throughout childhood and strives to pass that nurturing environment on to her two children.
Australian mom Maha Al Musa publicly spoke out in May of 2015 about her experiences with extreme breastfeeding, arguing that because her six year old daughter likes it so much, she will continue as long as needed. Al Musa, claiming that it is all for the child, frequently posts pictures and encouraging words on social media for the world to see. Her daughter Aminah, although young and naïve about the subject, spoke to an reporter and said “I might stop when I’m eight,”
Veronica Robinson, a mother of two from Great Britain, was featured on a television special about the extreme breastfeeding craze. Robinson’s oldest daughter Bethany was weaned at age five, but her nearly eight year old daughter Eliza was still breastfeeding. Mrs. Robinson spoke for these extreme acts, bringing up the health benefits and the comfort it brings a child. The Robinson’s case may be one of the most jarring that psychologists have ever seen. Eliza and Bethany often play with their mother’s breasts, draw pictures of them, and even scold her for wearing a bra, as the girls think the breasts are trapped. This single documentation of extreme breastfeeding was enough for psychologists to deem this new form of attachment parenting wrong.
Although women like Jamie Lynne Grumet and Veronica Robinson gush about the bond that is made and the feelings of confidence and comfort that accompany breastfeeding, they do not see past their own attachment parenting. Practitioners of extreme breastfeeding are blind to the damage they are doing. Without independence, children are unable to evolve. Smothering them with attachment parenting will present many consequences during their very important developmental years.
At age two, children become aware that they are separate individuals, different from everyone else. They realize that they have control over many aspects of their lives, like what they want to eat or where they want to go. Breastfeeding a baby creates a lasting bond that eventually grows into hugs, cuddles, and kisses, but when a mother realizes that she is no longer a necessity at all times, she may feel unwanted. This is where attachment parenting as a whole stems from. Mothers want to be the source of their children’s happiness, so much that without realizing it, they may inhibit the physical independence of a child, suffocating the newfound control a toddler has. Afraid that the needs children possess may dissipate at a certain age, mothers can prolong their significance by breastfeeding as long as possible, keeping their child close literally through physical touch, and mentally through mother-child bonding. This gives kids the idea that they can do nothing without their mother. Separation from both mother and father play a key role in the development of independence. Children must learn to cope without their parents and become