Time magazine got everyone talking — and that’s the whole point of the cover photo they chose for their most recent edition.
The cover is a photograph of blogger Jamie Lynne Grumet, 26, with her breast exposed and nursing her son, who is almost four years old and standing on a little chair to reach her breast.
Obviously this pictures was chosen for the cover to sell magazines. It’s sensationalistic, and Time knows this kind of photo will provoke strong reactions.
Time magazine isn’t interested in educating people about attachment parenting — they are interested in selling more magazines.
I don’t know of a mom who would breastfeed in public with her breast exposed as depicted on the cover, at least not in the U.S.
I wish I saw more moms breastfeeding in public — when was the last time you saw one?
And not many moms would nurse a 3-year-old in public. At that age kids are usually not interested in breastfeeding in public anymore anyway if they are still nursing.
I very rarely still nursed my son in public when he was three, but I did it, and proudly. I never used a cover or bought special nursing tops, but trust me, no one ever saw an inch of my breasts. My son’s head was covering my breast and he was snuggled so close to me that most people never even realized I was nursing him.
I’m not sure what the headline “Are You Mom Enough?” wants to accomplish — are we attachment parenting moms supposed to feel good about our parenting choice by reading that?
Yes, I was mom “enough” to nurse my three-year-old in public, does that make me a better mom? No.
That just makes me a mom who believes that my child’s needs come first and not an adult’s feelings who might be irked by my decision to feed my child.
It’s a breast, for breastfeeding, get over it.
The subheadline “Why attachment parenting drives some to extremes” is just another way to create controversy and to increase magazine sales.
And judging by the comments and uproar, it’s pitting moms against each other, again. I just want to say to them, don’t let them, moms! Support each other, don’t criticize each other’s personal choices. Everybody’s circumstances are different, and therefore our parental choices are different. I might not like another mom’s way of parenting, but I have to respect it.
Attachment parenting isn’t extreme, and nursing a three-year-old isn’t extreme. It’s just not very common in the U.S, and just because some people aren’t familiar with attachment parenting doesn’t make it a wrong choice.
I’m glad about this cover and the story but wish it wasn’t about shock value and instead about educating people about AP. It’s about time that people realize the benefits of extended breastfeeding and attachment parenting.
I nursed my son until he was 5 1/2. I wasn’t doing it in public, I wasn’t bothering anyone, and he was down to nursing three minutes a night but he was still getting all the health benefits of breast milk.
Nursing him that long is not something I planned to do, believe me, but I’ve done the research and there is zero evidence that it could in any way be harmful — in fact the health benefits of extended breastfeeding for child and mom are amazing (much lower risk of certain cancers, diabetes…).
People need to get educated more before they judge moms who chose attachment parenting and are okay with letting kids self-wean.
Unless you have experience with it yourself, you can’t judge a mom who nurses an older child or chooses to share her bed (bed sharing/co-sleeping) or wear her child a lot in slings or wraps (baby wearing). What’s the harm in it? Attachment parenting is practiced all over the world because it works for many families.
Kids don’t just turn three over night, it’s a very slow, natural progression, and the breastfeeding adjusts and changes with the needs of the child if the mom is willing and able to adjust with it.
I was able to stay and work at home, was always available, never minded the frequent nursing, and I never had supply issues in all these years. That and the fact that I didn’t have another child contributed to my son nursing for as long as he did.
It’s unfortunate that attachment parenting is portrayed as such an extreme style of parenting on the Time cover and in the article. If you are interested to really learn more about attachment parenting, Mayim Bialik just released a wonderful, informative, non-judgmental book about her experience with it called Beyond the Sling.
AP is about listening to your instincts and actually makes parenting much easier, I have found. It’s practiced all over the world — because it works! Listen to your child’s need and answering it makes for a happy child, and happy parent.
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I raised my child thirty six years ago following what appears to be called attachment parenting. Like Liedloff, I had a negative view of children and then while traveling in Latin America, became aware of how the indigenous people raised children that were well behaved and WONDERFUL I changed my mind and decided to have kids . . . .just do it a different way. I got a lot of flack from family and also support from LaLeche League. I learned to carry my baby on my back with a triangular piece of cloth, nursed her, slept with her and spent 24/7 with her the first few years of her life. No doubt this had a positive affect. She exhibits all of the characteristics of an “attached” child.
I don’t find this a radical or unusual idea, but rather the way most children in the world are raised. My instincts became well developed, and I could anticipate her needs. It is tough to raise a child like this in the current economic climate with both parents needing to work. I also made financial sacrifices. I agree that it is ideal and natural to practice attachment parenting. We are so isolated here in the US and second guess ourselves. It isn’t for everyone and if one can practice portions of attachment parenting . . .like sleeping with your child . . . . it will be for the good. One just has to do the best they can.
Thank you for your wonderful comment! Moms need to hear this more often, I think.
I, too, breastfed my son till he was five – it was a three month count down till his fifth birthday, as in every nap time – every time nursing to sleep, remember, when you’re five, NO MORE NINNY!
In contrast, however, it is BECAUSE I had a second child that he breastfed so long – the ‘baby’ was weaned shortly after his third birthday… 70% him, 30% me.
With the oldest, we intended to wean at a year – which is when we got a good feel on just how many foods aggravated his stomach. Then at 18 months, but he came down with a vicious, vicious stomach virus that put several babies here in the hospital. Then at 2, but I found out I was pregnant – and breastfeeding = nap time…. mommy needed naps. Fast forward to after ‘baby’ was born, I would have had to beat him back to get him not to try, and again – that blessed nap time.
My pediatrician told me I would make him dependent on me (I co-slept, too). My husband was afraid of sissies. I have some of the most independent little boys that you’ve ever seen. Rough and tumble, but good manners, and they ONLY go to the doctor once a year for their annual check up – their immune systems are AMAZING. They sleep in their own bed, unless the weather is bad. They talk to me about what’s going on. They fit in with their peers.
I did it teaching full time – they slept at daycare.
Thanks for a great rebuttal from someone who knows. It is really too bad that Time picked such a sexualized, polarizing photo which I find very disrespectful and misleading about attachment parenting.
Who EVER breastfeeds on a stool like that looking at the camera? They purposely picked a young, slim mom in tight clothing with a large son and left out dad. They never mentioned she was highly educated, but then that is corporate media for you…selling and controversy is the game. It just feeds the fears and misconceptions.
It is so misleading because as you mention, most long term breastfeeding kids of this age ( almost 4) are only doing short bursts of breastfeeding usually at bed time, in the morning at awakening and when sick or hurt ( often with dad nearby) and in a comfortable bed or chair. Why do they leave out all the benefits of long term breastfeeding for the child and mom?
We had an extremely difficult birth that caused my child to have a feeding problem the first year and she was an odd combo of failure to thrive and advanced development ( walked and bilingual talked at 6 months)…attachment parenting helped us survive through this.
We’re huge fans of attachment parenting, child led weaning, long term breastfeeding, family bed, organic eating, sustainable living etc and now that our child is 11 1/2 we can see what a great benefit it has been. Now long past her breastfeeding years ( although she almost set a record) we all still enjoy the sacred intimacy of bedtime family closeness and reconnecting.
We’ve been traveling the world non-stop for the last 6 years ( 44 countries on 5 continents on $23/day per person) to educate her and continue having more time to bond and her long term breastfeeding helped give me more confidence traveling with a non-vaxxed kid and our close attachment supports us all.
Too bad Time didn’t give a fair look at it, but glad you did!
Hi Jeanne,
thank you so much for your wonderful comment! I can’t wait to check out your blog more and read about your exciting journey.
Attachment parenting is so rewarding, and I have never once considered another parenting style. It’s what comes naturally to me, I would feel like I’m forcing something if I parented differently. Glad to hear you have the same experience.
Yes, TIME wasn’t interested in giving it a fair look. I didn’t even like a lot of the info in the article. Makes it all sound so extreme.
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