Time Magazine Shows 3-Year-Old Boy Breastfeeding On New Cover
Time Magazine stirred up some controversy today as it debuted its new cover. The cover photo, which shows an attractive young mom breastfeeding her three-year-old child next to the words “Are You Mom Enough,” is the first photo for the cover story about attachment parenting.
Dr. Bill Sears, author of “The Baby Book,” promotes attachment parenting in the magazine. Sears encourages parents to breastfeed their children longer, to allow their kids to sleep in their beds, and to wear clothing that literally attaches them to your body.
Time Magazine editor-in-chief Rick Stengel said:
“He wants you to spend every waking moment, and pretty much every sleeping moment, with your baby.”
The Washington Post reports that Dr. Bill has authored more than 30 books about childcare. Sears believes that caregivers need to be more “emotionally available” and “immediately responsive” to the biological needs of their children. Sears says that attachment parenting leads to greater socio-emotional development.
Some people may not agree with Sears’ philosophy but he isn’t preaching anything too shocking. But that’s the reason why the Time photo has caused some controversy. Financial Times columnist Gillian Tett said that the photo was placed on the cover for shock photo and really has nothing to do with Bill Sears.
Tett said:
“I looked at this and my first thought was, it’s a really cheap shot. It’s a piece about Bill Sears, it’s not about an attractive blonde woman breast feeding… This is at least making us think about out approach toward parenting and our approach toward breast feeding. But it still makes me wince when I look at it.”
Rick Stengel added:
“It’s certainly an arresting image. It’s an image to get people’s attention about a serious subject. Judging by the reaction on Twitter this morning, some people think it’s great, and some people are revolted by it. That’s what you want. You want people talking…Do I expect some people to be outraged? Sure.”
Here’s the full cover shot from this week’s issue of Time Magazine. (You can see more photos here.)
The woman in the photo is Jamie Lynne Grumet. Grumet, according to the Washington Post, is a 26-year-old mother of two. She is an advocate of Sears’ work and frequently blogs about parenting issues.
Grumet, who says that she was breastfed until she was 6-years-old, said:
“There are people who tell me they’re going to call social services on me or that it’s child molestation. People have to realize this is biologically normal. It’s not socially normal. The more people see it, the more it’ll become normal in our culture.”
The boy in the photo, Grumet’s son Aram, will turn 4 next month.
What do you think of Time Magazine’s cover photo? Do you think 3-years-old is too old for a child to still be breastfeeding?
Tags : 3-year-old breastfeeding, attachment parenting, bill sears, jamie grumet, jamie lynne grumet, the baby book, time magazine, time magazine cover
Posted: May 10, 2012
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May 10, 2012
the most emotionally detached example I've ever seen of a women breastfeeding.
May 10, 2012
Beautiful picture. Great to see a bit of pr for what many of us advcate and do or have done in the past. I thought I invented attachment parenting until I read Bill and Martha's books
.
May 10, 2012
I think this is a great photo that has abviously been designed for it's shock value. I love Dr Sears work and have been attachment parenting for 16 years. And no, 3 is not 'too old' to be breastfed!
May 10, 2012
I don't think 3 is too old to breastfeed at all. More power to her!
May 10, 2012
And I thought I was bad when Ethan was 2 and a bit and still having boobie .. hehehe. As long as he isn't still having boobie at kindy then it's all good – lol
May 10, 2012
haha Liv – I think the photo makes it look a bit more confronting too – wouldnt look as Out There if she was nursing him in her lap. Yeah I think boobie at kindy is probably a bit too old (for me anyway haha).
May 10, 2012
Yeah maybe a little – though I am 100% for breastfeeding as long as possible – but maybe not that long – hehehe
May 10, 2012
Yep I hope E doesnt self wean like K did – I want her to bf until at least 2
May 11, 2012
sorry disagree, way too old.
May 11, 2012
What's interesting is the implied sexuality of the cover (and perversely the sense of indecency of a young boy suckling on his mother's breast) which if we are to go by popular culture, has sexualized the breast as a phallic symbol whilst at the same time neglecting to realize that breasts actually exist for a biological reason- to provide milk for the rearing of the young.
Turning a personal child rearing decision on a polemic on aesthetics is merely pandering and an ingenuous attempt by Time to stir the boat….
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2012/05/time-magazine-cover-are-you-mom-enough-shocks/
May 11, 2012
While socially abnormal, 'extended' breastfeeding is biologically very normal, with the average age of weaning at 4years old world wide.. How long did you breast feed? and did you get any strange looks or comments?
May 11, 2012
For me number one son weaned at 3, while number 2 and 3 weaned about 2.5 yrs old… all of them would have fed longer if i hadnt 'gently' weaned them
May 11, 2012
Great photo. 3 is obviously not too old for this child. Wasn't for mine, either
Congratulations to Time for publishing. One picture alone won't normalise breastfeeding, but it's another step forward. Only yesterday I was looking at something on the web, and it had a picture of an infant feeding bottle to indicate "parenthood" – we still have a long way to go.
May 11, 2012
I don't know why you say that Buster? They have obviously been asked to look at the camera – she has her arm around him and her breast is in his mouth – that's pretty indicative of an emotionally attached relationship if you ask me.
May 11, 2012
alfie was 3.5yrs when his granny told him he didn't need it anymore…he started going off it at that point, then used to want a go when i was feeding darcie up to a year later. darcie finished last year sometime in her 4th year…naturally<3
May 11, 2012
I love this photo, it's funny. Mine is 20 months and I could see her doing this.
May 11, 2012
Well I'm glad you both approve cause let's be real……. This is prob me! Hehe
May 11, 2012
Great to see breastfeeding and attachment parenting in the mainstream media. Three years is certainly not too old to be breastfeeding. My first decided to wean shortly before her fifth birthday; the second a couple of months before she turned seven; and I realised that my third had weaned when she turned six and I couldn't remember the last time she had breastfed (but knew she had continued to breastfeed after her fifth birthday).
I love Dr Sears – there are lots of people claiming to be parenting gurus, but Bill and Martha Sears have both the theoretic expertise (paediatrician and midwife/lactation consultant) and the personal experience (parents of eight) to be trustworthy.
May 11, 2012
I am so for breastfeeding, but this pic does it no justice.. would have been better a pic son and mum cuddled up together.. not standing on a chair sucking on the breast. My opinion, just saying…
May 11, 2012
Maybe the cover shows the importance of breastfeeding is up to 3 years old.
http://www.igotscoop.com/2012/05/time-magazine-cover-shows-breast.html
May 11, 2012
Old enough to ask is too old I reckon. But then what do I know, I'm just a man. BTW – how you guys all doing?
May 11, 2012
Gabbie Cook I agree, the style of this photo is to get us all talking. If mum and the toddler where all cuddled up on a lounge they probably wouldnt have got the same press… thats what us media soaked people need in 2012.
May 13, 2012
There is a product called a hooter hider! I don't want to see another woman's breast, mom or not. But 3? If a child is old enough to chew, he is old enough to stop breast feeding.
May 13, 2012
he"s going to get made fun of if he goes to a regular school.
May 14, 2012
as Catherine implied I am blown away that a student able to profit $5911 in 1 month on the internet. have you seen this page.
MakeCash10.comONLY
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May 15, 2012
We are all very different, but we are all human beings of the same kind. Our kids too, are different. So the simple answer to the question "when?". Every single kid finish his feeding in their time, and sometimes much later than may be considered "correct" in its environment!
May 16, 2012
This child in my opinion is way to old to be breastfeeding! If they can eat and hold a cup and go to the bathroom on their own which at 3 yrs old all mine were quite capable to be doing on their own, then they certainly don't need to be running back to the breast to get any milk..go get a cup and some milk from the refrigerator! I think by 3 yrs. old, this boy has enough immunities that breast feeding gave in the first year. After that, NO WAY! This boy is pretty much ready for pre-school and should be getting all his drinks on his own! It disturbs me…
Jun 30, 2012
Disgusting!
Jun 30, 2012
Disgusting and, I think, an attention-getter!
Aug 24, 2012
I think extended breastfeeding is fine, all depends of what works foer mum and bub and definately has great health benefits,particularly where nutrition is poor. the worldwide average wouldn't be 4yrs though as WHO states only 50% of children are still breastfeeding at 2yrs, continued breastfeeding is a big problem in developing countries due to alot of misinformation that has been provided to mothers, so sadly it is not a norm in much of the world (Yes i'm studying maternal and child international health…..