We would like to announce the beginning of a new project, jointly run by Jamie Lynne and Kendall from I Am Not the Babysitter, Abby from The Badass Breastfeeder, Kayla from Baby’s Breastie, and me here on Evolutionary Parenting – The Extended Breastfeeding Project (site coming soon).
The overarching goal of this project is to help normalize and put an end to the common misconceptions surrounding “extended” breastfeeding (we use this term simply because it has become the accepted term in research and public discourse, though in no way do we believe breastfeeding past infancy is at all “extended”). Specifically, we would like to begin by addressing the misguided notions surrounding the people (parents and children) involved in breastfeeding beyond infancy.
Jamie Lynne and Kendall received an overwhelmingly positive response after posting the side-by-side breastfeeding photographs on I Am Not the Babysitter. Many of you were also breastfed past infancy and have similar side-by-side breastfeeding photos. This confirms for us that the act of breastfeeding beyond infancy is done by, and leads to, normally well-adjusted individuals and families, despite not being socially normative.
Photo Credit: I Am Not the Babysitter
The argument against breastfeeding past infancy in Western culture is based on speculation. The people opposed to it imagine specific scenarios that could potentially ostracize any child who is allowed to self-wean. Although there is the obvious issue of conforming to social norms, even if it is not in the best interest of the child, we are going to put that aside for this project. Instead, we are going to focus on the fact that even with the antagonistic social and cultural norms of the moment, breastfeeding past infancy does not inhibit the normal healthy growth of a child who is allowed to self-wean in modern Western culture.
To start The Extended Breastfeeding Project, we would like to collect and share biographies of adults who were breastfed past infancy to show the world that these individuals grow up to become productive, sane, normal members of society. This is where you come in — we need submissions! If you were breastfed past infancy, we would love for you to share your story. (More requests will made in time, particularly for families who are currently doing breastfeeding beyond infancy, so stay tuned.)
Guidelines:
1. Write your bio. This should include childhood experiences (do you remember breastfeeding?) as well as any information you think would be beneficial to the reader (educational background, career path) and finally, any personal information on family and home life.
2. Photos. Not required, but very helpful. This will help tell your story. Obviously, if you have breastfeeding photos these would be ideal. However, any photos work. We would like to use one photo of you (with or without) your family in your childhood, and a current photo of you today (with or without children or family).
Send submissions to any of the following addresses:
tracy@evolutionaryparenting.com
thebadassbreastfeeder@gmail.com
Related posts:
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May 20, 2013
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May 18, 2013
Birth Story: Kristy and Baby Rainy
May 16, 2013
Birth Story: Kristy and Baby Astra
May 15, 2013
Formula Helps Breastfeeding?
May 13, 2013
Fighting For Homebirth (Again)
May 10, 2013
I’m Sorry, We Failed: A Follow Up
May 10, 2013
Do No Harm?
May 08, 2013
Review: Gentle Goodnight
May 08, 2013
Consent
May 04, 2013Share
Katie
Hi there, just wondering what age do you consider to be beyond infancy? Looks like a great project
Tracy
Katie – anything beyond a year
Brooklyn
I’d be interested in submitting a bio. I was breastfed until age 3.5 and have memories of being tandem nursed with my baby brother. I am now a 24 year old college educated woman with a daughter of my own, 13 months old and still a lover of mommy milk.
Tracy
That’s great
We’ll be adding a bit for current moms too and you can be part of both! Just email us over your bio and we’ll add it! Congrats on being a second generation extended breastfeeder 
Karen Gromada
From an evolutionary perspective, breastfeeding well into toddlerhood and beyond is NORMAL for the species Homo sapiens. Please don’t call it The “Extended” Breastfeeding Project for it is NOT. It is normal – not “extended.” It is our culture and it’s strange notions that are not the norm for human young. When we use words such as “extended,” we reinforce the idea that it is beyond the normal time. Words matter…
Tracy
Karen,
We all thought long and hard on this one. None of us use the term, but we felt that to reach the widest audience we had to use the terminology most people are acquainted with. Thus we used extended (and changing it now won’t work). But we will have the caveat on the site, as we did in this post, about the terminology and the fact that there is nothing extended about full-term breastfeeding.
Cheers,
Tracy
Karen Gromada
Make that “It is our culture and its strange notions…”!
Marie-Pier St-Onge
Fantastic project! It will help to normalize our vision of breastfeeding. I understand why you use the term “extended”, but like others, I don’t like it. It sounds like I’m doing something beyond normal limits… I too prefer saying: Normal Breastfeeding when I talk about my 3 yr old daughter… But I will sure share your project !!!
Tracy
I hear you
We all do! However, as mentioned, we are trying to reach women and men who aren’t involved in this and that means using words they hear and recognize. Otherwise we’d be preaching to the choir 
BUT that’s why it’s also keep to have a bit on there (which we will) about language!