Reality show about breast feeding moms

Breastfeeding reality show from 'Dance Moms' producers: Worst idea ever?
By Jen Harper July 9, 2012 5:17 PM ET


As if the Time magazine cover showing a 3-year-old boy sucking on his mom's breast while he stands on a chair wasn't sensational enough, now a reality series on extended breastfeeding is reportedly in the works.

According to the New York Post, Collins Avenue, the production company behind "Dance Moms," is developing the show based on mothers who breastfeed older children. The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages nursing to age 2 and beyond, while the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests nursing till at least 1 year of age. In general, though, nursing a child beyond the age of teeth and talking -- much less doing it on television -- often invites at least a raised eyebrow if not a disgusted tweet from Kim Kardashian.

Predictably, lots of folks lost it over the Time image -- either in disgust at seeing a toddler breastfeeding or in rage at the people disgusted by it. And some mothers even took it as a personal affront for not breastfeeding their own children into toddlerhood. And that's surely what's to come of a reality show about the subject if it ever comes to fruition.

It likely wouldn't do anything to destigmatize breastfeeding older children and would instead continue to just sensationalize -- and, in turn, possibly sexualize -- the act and exploit breastfed toddlers and moms making this choice for their families. Now can't we just get back to exploiting dancing kids and their moms instead?

Would you watch a show about breastfeeding older kids?