Breastfeeding Cover Photo: What Do You Think?
May 21 issue of Time magazine shows picture of Mom breastfeeding young boy standing on a chair.
Photos
Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents, caregivers and other members of the community are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting topics.
This week’s Moms Talk question relates to a Time magazine cover photo of a breastfeeding mom used to illustrate an article about “attachment” parenting.
The May 21 issue of time magazine features a cover photo of a mom breastfeeding her three-year-old son, who is standing on chair to reach her breast. The photograph is being used to illustrate an article about a concept in childrearing known as “attachment” parenting. The cover headline asks the question “Are You Mom Enough?” The article delves into the history of attachment parenting and some of its main philosophies including extended breastfeeding and co-sleeping. However, the buzz so far is less about the article than its provocative photo spreads. Now we’d like you to share your thoughts:
What do you think about the Time magazine cover photo of the Mom breastfeeding the young boy standing on the chair?
Our Moms Council members include:
- Lisa Amey of Upper Milford Township is a stay-at-home mom to an 8-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. A past president of the MOMS Club of Emmaus and longtime member of MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers), Lisa is an Independent Consultant for Arbonne International.
- Lisa Drew of Emmaus is a certified nutritionist and personal trainer, wellness and fitness coach with more than 17 years of experience. She is the mother of a 13-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy.
- Jennifer Elston of Emmaus has almost two decades of professional experience in child development and counseling. She is currently a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful girls. Together with her husband, Chris, she owns Christopher Elston Photography.
- Jeanne Lombardo of Nazareth is the mother of a 10-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. She’s new to the Lehigh Valley, having moved to Nazareth from Bergen County, NJ in January.
- Lisa Merk of Lower Macungie is a stay-at-home mother of four boys – a 12-year-old and 6-year-old triplets. Lisa is a past president of the MOMS Club of Lower Macungie East. In her “spare” time, Lisa teaches piano to school-age children.
- Zoila Bonilla Paul of Bethlehem is a stay-at-home mom to two girls – a 5-year-old and a 14-month-old. Zoila is a member of her local “moms’ club” and says she is “well-versed in the fun that children can bring.”
- Beth Sharpless of Emmaus works part time in a local emergency department as a nurse and part time from home as a customer support specialist. She has two children -- a boy who is almost 2 and a 5-year-old girl. She says they love spending time outdoors and dancing.
- Jennifer Willenbrock of Nazareth is mom to two beautiful daughters, ages 5 and 6 weeks. She was previously employed by Catholic Charities, where she worked in a girl’s group home in Phillipsburg, N.J.
If you would like to become a part of the Moms Council and/or have ideas for future Moms Talk questions, please email jennifer.marangos@patch.com.
Scott Korin
2:48 pm on Sunday, May 13, 2012
Every time I see one of these Mom Talk articles, I get confused. Where's the content? Or is the point just to leave comments?
Susan Koomar
3:16 pm on Sunday, May 13, 2012
Hello Scott, thanks for your question. Mom's Talk is designed to stimulate discussion among Patch users. One of our Patch editors works each week with our Mom's Council to try to craft an interesting question and choose a topic for readers to converse about. In today's case, we have a topic that sparked some controversy recently - so we'd like to see what our community thinks about it.
Lanya
8:56 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
I agree Scott. After reading Susan's comment, I finally understood that the point was not for the Moms Council to offer their opinions, but rather for the general public to comment. (From a design perspective, I think maybe cutting most of the text from the opening article would be less confusing and generate more participation in the comments area.)
Beth
8:46 pm on Sunday, May 13, 2012
I personally did not chose to breastfeed my children that long and to each their own. It's too bad it has to be on the cover of a popular magazine to get attention. I think it's less to do with this "attachment parenting" and more about a "provocative" photo on the cover of TIME. And, whose needs are being taken into consideration here? Is it about the parents or the child?
Lanya
7:55 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
I am a proponent of breastfeeding...but I find the cover photo of TIME magazine to be grossly sexual in an Oedipal way and I think it was unnecessary.
Chandler
8:29 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
I feel the cover was out of line--but if a mother wants to breast feed a child to whatever age--that is her decision.
WILFREDO G. SALCEDO, Sr.
8:47 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
It's a statement, just as photos of abject poverty being portrayed in magazine covers...If people find this offensive, seeing downtrodden folks in print is beyond pale...The issue is not breastfeeding anyway, but parenting, which could be presented in all sorts of ways, in this case, tongue in cheek...Besides which is better, cow's milk or mom's?
Lisa Amey
8:55 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
I agree with Beth in that of course this photo is meant to give shock value to sell magazines. It certainly has its own impact. It certainly conveys "physical attachment"! As far as breastfeeding, allow it up to the parents to decide what's appropriate for their own children.
Lisa Merk
9:00 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
I think a women should be able to feed her baby however she chooses. Baby being the operative word here. It is my opinon that if a child can ask for the breast they are probably to old to breast feed. I also wonder is the child benefitting from this or is the mother trying to "make a statement" or trying to keep her child a baby a little longer than they should? I mean take for instance the picture on the mag. Is there any bonding happening? Certainly not for that child, he doesn't even look comfortable.
Sunday
10:54 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
I think breastfeeding is a very beautiful, natural thing for mothers and their babies. There are many wonderful benefits to breastfeeding your baby. With that being said, my opinion, however, of a 3 or 4 yr old that is still breasfeeding from his/her mother is that I feel that the mothers are still doing it for themselves more so than their children. It just leads me to wonder about the mothers state-of-mind and reasoning. If she truly wants her child who is no longer a baby to continue drinking her breast milk, then why doesn't she pump her milk herself and put it into a cup for her child to drink it? Years ago, I had a very good friend who breastfed her 4 boys until the age of two and a half. I have a daughter and when she was a baby I breastfed her too. But when the child is no longer a baby or even a toddler and can literally run up to you and lift your shirt up and unbutton your bra and help themself....I think they're too old at that point. It just makes me wonder if the mother has a problem with emotional attachment and just can't let go. Or, perhaps she likes to be in control and feel needed. Not sure. But I definitely believe that there is a fine line to be drawn when it comes to actual nursing from your breast and the age of a child.
Robert Jordan
11:06 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
Is there some sort of logic to breast feeding this long. Human breast milk has the least amount of protein out of any other mammal and more fat than cow milk. All you are really giving the child is all the poisons and pollutants that you have ingested over the years. Breast feeding is good in the beginning of life to give you all those antibodies and stuff, but there is no purpose to it after that. It becomes a psychological thing, the child feels safe and comfortable at it's mothers breast, and the mother feels loved and a special bond with the child. In my opinion it is not healthy physically mentally or socially.
tamarya
7:32 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Unfortunatly canned formula has polluntants also, baby food is injected with the same amount of chemicals as our food and even pet food has.
Monday
11:55 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
Totally inappropriate!! When that child gets to school he'll never hear the end of it, may be bullied, tormented, have nightmares, the whole nine yards. Clearly nobody was thinking about the lingering issues... Clearly nobody was thinking clearly!
Jennifer Elston
11:55 am on Monday, May 14, 2012
I think the cover is for shock value--so it worked.
tamarya
12:10 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
No bother at all. Too many people get offended by something that is natural. Now I know why I formula fed my kid and I am sure the public would thank me too, because if my kids would have gotten hungry somewhere I would have just whipped them out and started feeding them lol.
Carl
3:37 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
I think the moms breastfeeding looked hot.
ann schmidt
4:02 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
I fully agree with the person who said breast feeding is for babies. If a woman feels her toddler should still have breast milk, then fine, pump it and serve it in a glass. I think the mother who needs to have her toddler nursing does indeed have a pyscological problem. Does she still have them in diapers too at 5?
roger
5:45 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
breast feeding is natural but this photo put breast feeding in a negative light. It sexualized the act of breast feeding. I also think that the kid is a bit old to be breast feeding, 2 years old should be the oldest a infant is breast fed
WILFREDO G. SALCEDO, Sr.
8:06 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
When does the milk dry up after childbirth anyway...I suspect the boy in the photo is sucking cuticles (?) already!
Rachel
8:24 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Generally speaking as long as you keep nursing enough, your body will keep producing milk.
Rachel
8:12 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
My issue with the Time magazine cover is that they clearly did it to sell magazines. I am offended by the way that they portrayed breastfeeding. I am still nursing my 10 month old and I plan to continue for as long as we both enjoy it. Children who are able to wean themselves are less likely to be clingy and more likely to develop into well adjusted independent children. There are many benefits to extended breastfeeding, but rather than share these with the public, the magazine chose to focus on the extreme (attachment parenting).
Dana
8:18 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I agree with Roger! Breast feeding is natural and personally, I feel that the age limit of 6 months is appropriate. The nutrition/immunities contained in breast milk is passed to our baby's during the first feedings and gives them the boost they need. Blasting a magazine cover of a boy standing to feed from his mother is sexually disgusting and degrading. There are many other ways to make their point and this is not one of them. Disgusting...Oh wait, did I use that term already? How about revolting, repulsive, nauseating and just plain gross.
Rachel
8:28 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
There is not limit of 6 months! Where did that come from?
From the World Health Organization: Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
From the American Academy of Pediatrics: The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant.
tamarya
8:44 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Usually you formula or breastfeed up to the first yr, some babies longer if they have developmental problems or lacking in growth. Rachel her theory may have come from a long time ago, because I know my mom said when I was born you were pulled from breast and formula when the baby doubled birth weight because she said I was on cows milk by about 6 months.
WILFREDO G. SALCEDO, Sr.
9:28 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Many more disgusting, revolting, repulsive, nauseating, gross, obscene displays are out there for all to see but as they say, censorship is even more unacceptable.
Dana
12:36 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Read my comment-- "I FEEL etc..." It's just my opinion. Geez, talk about having your cheerio's pooped in... I don't give a rats hiney about statisitics... I make my own decisions and find my own conclusions. And besides, this article wasn't about 'how long is it appropriate to breast feed', it is about a magazine cover. Take a chill pill and smile on this rainy, cloudy day Rachel :) and Tamarya, it was just my opinion...no long time ago theory, no sceduled feeding stipulation :)