Extended Breastfeeding on Desperate Housewives
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Monday, March 13, 2006
Don't know if any Lactivist readers watch Desperate Housewives, but last night, during the "next week on..." section there was a little snippet that said Felicity Huffman's character will be dealing with a new employee at work that wants to be able to nurse her child in the office. Apparently the issue will be that the child is five.Now, I don't in a million years expect that Desperate Housewives will do anything to promote extended breastfeeding, so I'm sure it will be the typical 'what a freak' storyline. I'm also wondering if they picked a five year old for that exact reason. We're finally reaching the point where more people are ok with a two year old nursing. It's when they start to hit three and older that people (myself included, I'll admit) start to get a little wierded out.
Now we all know this is a tough argument...what age a child should be weaned by, and there's no really good answer to it. It's one that depends so heavily on the situation. I'm just interested to see how it's going to get played here.
On that same topic, I'm reminded of Gray's Anatomy and how pleased I've been with a few things on it lately. Dr. Bailey's refusal of an epidural "because it increases the risk of c-section" springs to mind. Also, the episode where a woman started crying and Bailey's letdown reflex left her a bit...umm...soggy in the shirt. :)
Labels: Just For Fun
I can all ready tell by scenario that it will be portrayed as "weird" freaky parenting..
I am quite involved in LLL and because of the homeschooling/unschooling /attachment parenting connection most moms I know do "extended" breastfeeding . I nursed DD til she was 3 1/2 and still nursing DS age 2 1/2. If you had told me while I was pregnant with DD that I would nurse that long I would have said you were CRAZY!!! I would have thought it was freaky AND GROSS !! I do know moms who have nursed til the 5-6 year mark and to me it is WAY outside my comfort zone- but it has become normal to me, or rather not outlandish,IWKWIM. Here in Ontario nursing past 6 years is grounds for investigation by CAS (Children's Aid ; US equivalent is Children's Protective Services).
Of the many women I have met that nursed beyond the 4 year mark- the kids are nursing mostly at night and if that very sporadically - *maybe* once a day or every few days , etc I can't think of any instance where the 5 year old would have to be brought to the mother to nurse during the day-it just wouldn't happen. I know in theory it COULD but the reality is I have never heard of it. A mom who was nursing her 5 year old most likely wouldn't be going to work full time out of the blue - and if they were they would make it as stressless as possible.. easing child into it. The whole idea that she would need a place to nurse is ridiculous. As you can imagine if mom is nursing that long she could easily nurse at her desk and not require special room. Sorry I am rambling- the whole plot is silly and makes some of us moms look like complete nut jobs - when we are really only half -way there :-)
Hmm..was a rerun this weekend anyway, not sure when it will actually be on...guess I'llw atch next week.
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