\> What would they do about the hair?? But oh boy, did some people push us to at least have my wife lactate. I’m with the rest of you here who say that it’s a purely personal decision. You don’t like the idea of a birth mother nursing her 3 year old? \*\*DON’T STARE THEN !! \*\*. ( I referred to my kid up there as he/she not out of some P.C. thing, but because I adopted one of each 😃 )
Sincerely, Your Non-Lactating But Still Inexorably Fascinated By The Human Breast T.M.,
Cartooniverse
---
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/10 "2001-02-18T12:19:49Z")
Oooops. Forgot to insert this cite into the adoption comment area up there. In case I sounded like a \* complete\* lunatic there ( and, it’s been known to happen 😃 ), get a load of [This](http://boards2.parentsplace.com/messages/get/ppadoptionandnursing2.html).
Cartooniverse
---
### Author:  [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2001, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/11 "2001-02-18T13:14:23Z")
tubagirl, I too wanted to point out that while seeing a child breastfeed at that age might be shocking, it’s not “wrong” or creepy. But I didn’t–because I thought it was a thread hijack. Besides which, even I would be shocked to see a child of that age nursing \* in public\*. It’s not shocking that he’s not weaned–it’s just very unusual to \*see[/] it. I never got back to check how the thread did.
I’ll get back there soon and see what happened. I am sorry they hijacked it. However, I understand how hard it is not to jump in if you’re informed about BF and see someone see what you think may be a misinformed comment. Although I understand moms who don’t BF feel pressure and judgment, in truth there is a lot of pressure the other way too–to wean. Even pediatricians start leaning on moms sometimes, against the policies of their own organization (AAP). I’m not a real gung-ho “Lactivist” myself, but I do believe that one VERY key thing to making society more breastfeeding-friendly is to address ignorance bpeople on message boards. Hijacking isn’t appropriate–starting a new thread, however, would have been good for the people there to do.
Did you want to make THIS a breastfeeding debate? Or should this thread be titled “Hijacking Bites” or somesuch?
I’d be delighted to debate breastfeeding age.
I’ll say this: IF I were still nursing a 4 year old, you can bet I’d make it a private thing. It’s just too “out there” for our society, and I think you’re setting your kid up for some hostile reactions if you don’t keep it a home event.
---
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2001, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/12 "2001-02-18T16:11:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by CrankyAsAnOldMan \*
> \*\* I’ll say this: IF I were still nursing a 4 year old, you can bet I’d make it a private thing. It’s just too “out there” for our society, and I think you’re setting your kid up for some hostile reactions if you don’t keep it a home event. \*\*
\<—putting on Well Mannered Yet Eager Cap. Cranky? Iffen I stop by your home, could we have an event? :D:D
Cartooniverse
---
### Author:  [@St.Attila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Attila)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2001, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/13 "2001-02-18T20:27:03Z")
**tubagirl** , et al, I apologize for contributing to the hijack on the other thread.
---
### Author:  [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/14 "2001-02-18T22:44:49Z")
Hello, Cranky, you idiot? PREVIEW!
---
### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2001, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/15 "2001-02-18T23:34:24Z")
Cartooniverse, you are just so damn cool it could make my heart stop.
Imagine! Introducing _data_ to a debate that sorely needed it.
---
### Author:  [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2001, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/16 "2001-02-19T06:17:53Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \*
> \*\*Cartooniverse, you are just so damn cool it could make my heart stop.
>
> Imagine! Introducing _data_ to a debate that sorely needed it. \*\*
Waaaaah! Waaaaaaaaaaaaah! I could have stuffed some data in too, but I couldn’t in the other debate (it was a hijack) and as for this thread, I thought this was a rant about hijacking, not breastfeeding.
Another lost opportunity for a pat on the head, goddamnit.
BTW, Cartooniverse, it’s wrong–bizarre, I think–for anyone to pressure you to force lactation in the case of adoption. It’s possible; I’ve seen it done; but damn it takes a lot of work and still no guarantees it’s going to work. I don’t think I’d be up for it myself. The people who do–wow. BUT–it’s a misconception that the window for benefits is mainly lost after the first few weeks. While there are some unique benefits of early milk to newborns, there are plenty of good things that come from BF later. I think that much of the rah-rah stuff emphasizes the newborn stage because it’s motivating to new parents to get it off to a good start. It’s hard to make up for it if you DON’T get off to a good start. I’m Exhibit A on that score.
---
### Author:  [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2001, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/17 "2001-02-19T07:19:15Z")
Piggy-backing onto **Cranky’s** post here… Yup, yup. There’s a tendency to really play up the benefits of breastfeeding in the first few weeks, both to give new moms encouragement to get started, and because many breastfeeding advocates feel it’s better to get moms-to-be to try breastfeeding for a few weeks (and hope they’ll decide to keep going) than to freak them out by talking about nursing for six months or a full year. Even if they quit, four or six weeks or whatever is better than nothing at all, goes the logic. Unfortunately that’s led to a common perception that the maternal antibodies are all transferred over, assembly-line fashion, in the first few weeks. Doesn’t work that way. A lactating mother produces antibodies against whatever infections are currently in the environment, and passes them on to her child. Those antibodies won’t last forever, but they give the child protection until his own immune system is mature enough to do its work.
The mechanism by which breastfeeding leads to a healthier immune system later in life isn’t well-understood, but it doesn’t seem to be the case that there’s a one-shot window of opportunity.
I have a tremendous amount of respect for any adoptive mother who gets breastfeeding to work, and would _never_ fault an adoptive mom who decides not to try. It takes a lot of time and commitment, and most of the time the baby’s going to need some formula anyway. It’s hard to make enough milk without ever having been pregnant.
No, my wrath is saved for biological moms who refuse to even try breastfeeding because “I don’t want to be tied down like that” or “It’s just disgusting, like an animal” or (yes I have seriously heard this excuse) “The baby’s going to be a boy and I don’t want him to see my breasts!” :eek:
---
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/18 "2001-02-19T15:51:25Z")
[QUOTE]
\*Originally posted by CrankyAsAnOldMan \*
\*\*
[QUOTE BTW, Cartooniverse, it’s wrong–bizarre, I think–for anyone to pressure you to force lactation in the case of adoption. It’s possible; I’ve seen it done; but damn it takes a lot of work and still no guarantees it’s going to work. I don’t think I’d be up for it myself. The people who do–wow. BUT–it’s a misconception that the window for benefits is mainly lost after the first few weeks. While there are some unique benefits of early milk to newborns, there are plenty of good things that come from BF later. I think that much of the rah-rah stuff emphasizes the newborn stage because it’s motivating to new parents to get it off to a good start. It’s hard to make up for it if you DON’T get off to a good start. I’m Exhibit A on that score.
\*\*[/QUOTE]
**Cranky** AND **Flodnak** , I’m in agreement with you here. I truly didn’t know that that supposed “window” is a falsehood. Thank you 😉 .
As for the entire idea, let me clarify a wee bit. ( First of all, I know this is deep into hijack territory, but here we are, enjoying a conversation, so whatthefuck). I’ve always found the idea of other people trying hard to press THEIR agendas upon me to be upsetting. I’ve never fathered a kid, so I _won’t_ speak out of my ass on what that must be like ( 😃 Another Cart first:D ). However, having adopted both of 'em, breastfeeding didn’t seem a part of the realm to me. I guess I NEED to think that it didn’t harm them any. Really, I’m not trying to hijack this deep into LaLeche territory, just explain that my reasoning for the rant up there wasn’t so much contempt for anyone who has the intestinal…well…lactational fortitude to TRY to get their bodies to produce breast milk, but rather for the people who wanted-needed-urged ME and the Wifestress to do it.
And, lest we forget our most humble roots here in the Pit, the topic of male lactation in mammals WAS covered by Unca Cecil in \*\*More of The Straight Dope \*\*, Pp. 321-322. I found it in the archives, but can’t see a way to link to the actual column. It’s also got a totally hilarious illustration by Slug to accompany. Perhaps the books aren’t readable on the Web, just the indexis thereof/therein/therefore/therethere.
\<–leaning over, patting **Cranky** on her adorable skull. There, there… 😛
Cartooniverse
---
### Author:  [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/19 "2001-02-19T16:13:35Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cartooniverse \*
>
> \<–leaning over, patting **Cranky** on her adorable skull. There, there… 😛
>
> \*\*
I noticed you trying to look down my blouse when you did that, BTW. Just so you know you weren’t getting away with anything.
I too am enjoying this hijack/discussion/whatever it is, even if it’s not at all pit-like. It’s not a myth, of course, that are some pretty cool things that happen with breastmilk in the early days which can’t be duplicated. There’s the colostrum thing, and also I believe that a newborn’s intestinal walls are somewhat more permeable than they should be. Breastmilk helps them close down right, in a way that formula doesn’t.
Our son started life with formula and didn’t breastfeed until he was a week old, so we missed out on these things, too. Hell, formula was pretty much MADE for situations like yours, Cartoon (birth mom not around to breastfeed) so you and the wife have nothing to apologize for (something you seem to be well aware of, I’m pleased to see).
I actually have some beefs with LLL, even though I was a card-carrying member and support their overall principles. I think their “grass-roots” approach is effective in some ways, but they could do so much more. They refuse political activism and public affairs efforts, at a time when I think they are most needed. And I think the grassroots format also leads to breastfeeding misinformation and myths being proliferated by leaders and members who don’t stay up-to-date. They also aren’t much help to people who supplement. I realize that for reasons flodnak stated so well, it’s not in the interest of breastfeeding to make supplementation easy, but the fact is, many people have to or choose to. In the absence of good information about how to do both, early weaning all too often becomes the next step.
Oooh, Cranky could easily get on a roll here!
---
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2001, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940/20 "2001-02-19T16:24:52Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by CrankyAsAnOldMan \*
> \*\* I noticed you trying to look down my blouse when you did that, BTW. Just so you know you weren’t getting away with anything._\*
\*\* BUSTED !!! \*\* :eek:
Cartooniverse
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/length-of-breastfeeding/54940.md?page=2)