A mum of four who breastfed her youngest child until she was nine has come under fire from This Morning viewers after appearing on the show earlier today.
Sharon Spinks, 50, told presenters Phillip Schofield and Rochelle Humes the decision to continue feeding was entirely her child’s – and provided her with “a feeling of security, love, comfort and bonding.”
And although Sharon admitted to ending breastfeeding with her other kids after mere months, the north Yorkshire resident insists she has a stronger bond with the youngest because of the extended nurturing.
“I don’t refuse but I don’t offer, it’s all her choice,” Sharon explained as she said it had been a couple of months since her daughter last took the teat.
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She continued: “We have a really strong bond. Out of all my girls I would have said she’s probably the closest.”
Having researched the subject, Sharon also believes there are health advantages to be gained from breastfeeding beyond infancy.
“If they’re allowed to feed, [children] will carry on feeding for much longer than is seen as normal,” Sharon claimed.
“The World Health Organisation recommends up to two and beyond and it’s that beyond bit when they are saying it’s up to mums,” she continued.
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“They’re still getting those benefits, there’s nothing in breast milk which suddenly changes because a child gets to a certain age.
“Actually it improves and gears itself towards that child.”
However, a journalist joining Sharon on the sofa for the discussion argued she could potentially be holding her child back.
Rachel Halliwell asserted: “As parents, as mothers… we’ve got one job, and that one job is to raise our children to grow up to be people who can live without us who can be individuals and live independently and who aren’t reliant on us as their mothers.
“I think that if you are still breastfeeding a child when they’re nine, that flies in the face of that basic job that we have.”
She also suggested breastfeeding may do more for Sharon’s own bonding than it aids her child’s development.
“You talk about this great bond you share, you can have that bond having a cuddle on the sofa or reading a book,” said Rachel.
“You don’t have to have her doing an act which really is associated with being a baby.
“I think you’re allowing her to role play. I think that she is going to find that difficult among her peers.”
Many of those watching at home also disagreed strongly with Sharon’s approach to parenting, with one labelling it “sick” on social media.
“9 years old and breastfeeding? That just sounds wrong cause of the age of the child!” tweeted one observer.
“Wrong on so many levels,” added another.
Breastfeeding a 9 year old? It’s sick. If you can’t express at all, you haven’t got milk! Your daughter is just sucking for the sake of it. Terrible! #ThisMorning
— Colleen Hapney (@ColleenMason93) November 13, 2018
A third contributed: “I think it should be stopped when the child can eat solids on it’s own. Breastfeeding is for babies.”
And a fourth viewer suggested: “Once a child can eat and drink and get their nutritional needs from that it’s time to stop breastfeeding for sure. Would you still give her formula at 9? No.”
But not everybody objected. This viewer thought other viewers were overreacting on Twitter.
People saying that she’s abusing her child is a bit daft. I saw a woman give her toddler a sip of Red Bull whilst out shopping once, THAT’S child abuse. Like I say, I couldn’t see myself breastfeeding my daughter that long, but she’s not an abuser for doing it. #ThisMorning
— Stay-at-home Claire (@TinyScaryClaire) November 13, 2018
Others, meanwhile, felt This Morning was undermining a wider debate about how parents should be free to raise their own children.
@thismorning why do you keep lighting the breastfeeding debate. Breastfeeding is normal and the majority of women that are able to do so feed for under a year. Any amount of feeding is beneficial.
— Jenny (@jennybic1) November 13, 2018
Breastfeeding is a comfort. Its a taboo in society. Any mum should be able to breastfeed without judgement, Who is anyone to judge a parent on their choices. I still feed my 15 month old an intend to do so until she stops. but hey ho give your child milk from a cows breast right?
— Sophaia ‘Mamoloko (@sophaia_) November 13, 2018
Where do you stand on the issue?
– This Morning airs every week day from 10.30am on ITV
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