This flashy trashy cover of Time Magazine —  is very demeaning to women who choose motherhood. The eye-catching photo of a young mother, breast exposed, feeding her three year old is meant to startle. And it does. It is frontpiece to an article about Dr. Sears, who has been a proponent of breastfeeding and attachment parenting. He has been a voice of common sense and good. Yet, the cover states, “Why attachment parenting drives some mothers to extremes — and how Dr. Bill Sears became their guru.” You see those words — drives and extremes and guru?  All Negative words. And the question posed, “Are You Mom Enough?”

The writer of the article says that some women subscribe to this theory of extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and carrying babies around in a sling, but others feel Sears is an “antifeminist tyrant, or that his ideas are just totally unrealistic.” That image, on the cover is trying to get you to agree, that this parenting method is over the top.

What a mother does in caring for her children does not need to be scrutinized by our liberal press. I think the child on the cover looks like he is five, and the stool, and the boobs, this is all meant to demean mothers — Especially mothers who stay at home with their children. You can’t nurse that long if you work. I know. I stayed home with my five kids. I sacrificed a career and monetary comforts. This is an attack on stay-at-home mothers. And moms who work from home.

As a new mom, I went to Leche League to get advice about breast-feeding. And I nursed my kids until they were two years old. The last one, until he was three. None of my kids are damaged, I am not damaged, my husband is not damaged. We still have great sex, and have had great sex our entire marriage. I didn’t know about Dr. Sears back when I started having kids — back in the 1980s, but I learned what worked for me. My babies got that attachment, they nestled into our family bed. Ohh, no…in your bed? You say? Yes. I am sure any teenager can tell you there are plenty of places to have sex outside the bedroom.

And I would never ever subject any of my children to posing for a nursing shot for a national magazine, with my boob topping out. When you mother a nursing toddler — it is private. I never wanted to receive the glares from opposing forces. I don’t think your should whip your boob out either, especially for a photo-shoot. I nursed in all kinds of places, discreetly, no one knew. Of course, at home it was a little easier, but I usually snuck the babe under my shirt. What nursing mom runs around in a skimpy tank, bra-less, nursing her child standing on a stool?  I think the majority of us are more modest. At home, in private, not infront of the older children, do what you want.

If I want to be an extreme mother, I will do that. It is my choice, so leave me alone.

I appreciated Diane Medved’s response to this Time photo as well. I feel a little camaraderie with her, knowing she is one of those moms, who breastfed a toddler.