Even though breastfeeding is legal in the U.S., mothers get a lot of heat anytime they're caught breastfeeding in public or posting images of themselves nursing their babies.
There have been recent cases where breastfeeding moms have been threatened and called out for being "offensive" simply for nourishing their babies.
Some mothers have even posted hilarious responses when they're asked to "cover up" in public. Check out this one below:
A friend's daughter-in-law was told to "cover up" while feeding her baby, so she did!🤣 I've never met her, but I think...
Posted by Carol Lockwood on Monday, July 30, 2018
There's no question that mothers should breastfeed their babies, but for how long?
The popular Instagram page, Love What Matters, posted an image of a mother nursing her four-year-old daughter and it's getting a lot of hate comments.
The Controversial Post
As part of the page's post on the beautiful breastfeeding journey of mothers, Love What Matters shared this photo below, taken by amateur photographer Samantha Munoz.
In the image, you can see a mother breastfeeding her toddler while her other daughter is watching.
The mother hopes that by sharing her photograph she will be able to normalize breastfeeding and change society's expectation of what they consider to be appropriate.
"I tandem nursed until my oldest was 4.5 years old. My youngest is 3.5 years old and is still happily nursing. She will wean when she is good and ready. Sometimes when people hear that my children nurse for much longer than what is seen as normal, they get weird and disgusted. This is exactly why we are so passionate about these photos and normalizing breastfeeding."
Reactions
One Instagram user argued that the mother is breastfeeding beyond the normal age:
"Mom using her children for her own self pleasure. Those breasts do not carry enough nutrients for a child that age. But hey, whatever, her life, I just feel bad for those girls."
Other comments, however, were more offensive:
"This is very disturbing. Something is wrong with this lady. That child is going to be made fun of when she starts school. I cant even look at this. Shes gone way too far with this."
"Just sick"”why would you do that? Just doesn't seem normal ... maybe they won't be potty trained till they are good and ready - like 12."
Some people are angry that this post was made public:
"Breastfeed your kids until they're adults for all i care, just keep the attention seeking pics to a minimum thanks."
"Are we just going to act like this kid is never going to enter her teens and never be embarrassed that this photo is circulating the internet?"
But many Instagram users came to the mother's rescue:
"It's up to her. Let's not judge her. Most of us stopped breast feeding around two years, but she decided to go for a bit longer. She's not harming anyone."
"Do you genuinely believe women get some sort of turn on from breastfeeding? That's utterly vile and breastfeeding isn't the only food those children receive ... It's about so much more than nutrition, antibodies are passed through milk too. You know that breast milk carries stem cells? I feel sorry for you and your twisted mind I really do. I absolutely don't feel sorry for those girls."
"This children are LUCKY that their mother continues/ is able to feed them this way. This is how they are meant to be fed. This is what a woman's breast is intended for, and I guarantee these children are already (and will continue to be) healthier than most."
What Do Experts Have To Say About This?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfeeding is a "natural and beneficial source of nutrition and provides the healthiest start for an infant."
They recommend that mothers should breastfeed their babies for the first six months before switching to formula and introducing soft foods.
As for what age to stop, the academy says mother can breastfeed "for as long as mutually desired by mother and baby."
What age do you think mothers should stop breastfeeding their children?
[H/T: Fox News]
