JWs and breastfeeding past infancy

by rebel8 52 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  rebel8

  My JW mother breastfed my sibs so long they remember it. One she stopped feeding when she went to kingergarten; I kid you not.

  My mother justified it by saying Moses' mother breastfed him until whatever age and the Bible encourages it. I have always wondered if it was commonplace for JWs to breastfeed up to school age. Is it? I just think she came up with a biblical excuse to justify her attempts to have eternal babies.

  I've seen threads on breastfeeding topics on other forums immediately degrade to heated debates about the technicalities and moralities. The whole topic of breastfeeding makes me nauseous, so please spare me any graphic details. (Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to breastfeed if they want; to each, his own. No problem. I just want to know about the JW philosophy. Yes it's natural and healthy but that doesn't mean I want to hear intimate/graphic details. Pooing is natural too, and I don't want to talk about that either. As far as the "because it's natural it's also socially and morally acceptable for 5 year olds to breastfeed" debate, that's a bunch of hooey. Just interested in the JW perspective.)
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  carla

  In the US it is customary to nurse up till about one year old. In third world countries it can go much longer, but then they may not have access to tippy cups & bottles. My oldest is 18 and people started giving me a hard time for nursing her still at 6 months! I always regret giving up early due to pressure. People thought I was getting 'my' thrills by nursing! weirdos. But, women my mother's age did not nurse, so they kind of thought it was a little strange. Then when my 12 yr old was born I nursed for a year. By that time nobody thought a thing of it. Husband liked the fact that I nursed, he never had to get up! By the end of the first year they are definitely ready to stop. just my experience. carla
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  pennycandy

  I think you have both ends of the spectrum in the organization. I think it depends more on the individual and the local climate than on the religion.

  There are those congregations where most are involved in alternative medicine, homeschooling, and natural living. I would imagine these to be extended breastfeeders.

  Then there are the drug-happy congregations, very mainstream, which stereotypically would breastfeed much less.

  I don't remember any admonition either way in the publications, besides the usual "God-given mother's milk is best".
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  Billygoat

  I seem to remember a lot of JW mothers nursing very late. My exJW friend in Philly nursed her child until she was 2 I think. One sister in Wichita had a three-year old that still nursed. He would say, "Mommy, I want nuunuu." *shaking head* If they're old enough to ask for it, they're too old to nurse IMHO. LOL
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  fairchild

  As pennycandy said, it depends on individual choices and external circumstances, not on religion. I know JWs who stopped breast feeding before the baby was 6 months old and I know non-JWs who breast fed way, way too long. I remember being disgusted by a mother breastfeeding her child, because the child was going on 5 years of age. They were non JWs.
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  SixofNine

  It should give women a sense of purpose. Are you disgusted seeing a child drink cow's milk?
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  LouBelle

  I know is some asian customs that they would be nursed right up until the age of 6. Obviously this was not the childs' only source of nutrition.
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  scotsman

  I just want to know about the JW philosophy.

  There isn't one.
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  fairchild

  It should give women a sense of purpose. Are you disgusted seeing a child drink cow's milk?

  That is not the same thing. The child doesn't go over to the cow, lifts her T-shirt in front of everyone and starts sucking on the breast. This is how it happened, and yes, I was disgusted, and I was obviously not the only one, as it happened during a party with about 30 people present. Everyone was talking about it.. Perhaps there are no written rules on the duration of breast feeding, just like there are no rules on the duration of wearing a diaper, but fact is that when we see something that goes beyond what we are used to, we tend to react to it.
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  rebel8

  *sigh*