DEAR LISTEN:

I just read in the New York Post today that the production company behind “Dance Moms” and “American Stuffers,” is developing a reality series based on mothers who breastfeed older children. The Post article included a picture of a Park Slope mom breastfeeding a 3-year-old. What do you think of this phenomena?

Thanks,

Should We Be Breastfeeding 7-year-olds?

DEAR SHOULD WE BE:

Years ago, I remember reading about Viva, one of Andy Warhol’s Superstars (and member of the Factory) in the Village Voice. She said she’d breastfed her son until he could ask for it himself, “Hey mom, give me some tit!”

I remember thinking: that is just so weird. That was, of course, before I had my own children in Park Slope in the 1990’s when attachment parenting was all the rage.

Time’s front cover photo of a toddler boy standing on a chair drinking from his mother’s breast has caused a torrent of opinionating and hyperventilating. I think it’s pretty rare for 7-year-olds to be breastfed.

That said, when is enough enough?

That’s a damn good question. Oh yeah, that’s the one you asked me.

For health and nurturing, breast feeding is the best thing ever during the first couple of years of a baby’s life. It’s fairly easy to do if you’re staying home with the infant. It’s not so easy if you have to go to work. Office pumping is a bit of a nusiance but it is doable if you have a private place to do it at your work place. I was lucky to have an office to myself and I’d just shut the door, put up a sign “pumping in progress” and my co-workers would leave me alone.

But I was lucky to work for a great company at the time. Sad to say, that company is no longer around.

I believe that parenthood is a slow, gradual process of letting go and creating an independent creature that can survive and thrive away from you. That said, a cozy, loving, attentive beginning is fundamental to create a strong, healthy human being.

So, when is enough enough?

Damn it, I don’t know. I think it’s an intuitive thing. My children seemed to lose interest at a certain point. They were each different. If the mom isn’t enjoying it anymore, it’s probably a good time to stop. If the child can ask for it like Viva’s kid and even be spoiled about it I think he or she has had enough. I don’t think you’re doing your kids any favors by prolonging what is essentially an important mother-infant bonding into later childhood.

But hey, I’m not one to legislate what others do. I didn’t breast feed past the age of two but that’s just me.

Sincerely,

She Who Listens

Note: Dear Listen is OTBKB’s new advice column. Send your questions about anything to dearlisten@gmail.com