Just last year, at 68. Age is taking its toll, rapidly. I guess this is what happens when you write & publish 3 books in a year.
Click to ENLARGE. Me, last year, in ‘Shenandoah‘, just after my 68th birthday.
Wow. Wow. Wow. How I have grown. How I have changed. This was I just after my 1st birthday.
Me at age 1 in 1954. Yes, I was Ceylon’s “Lactogen Baby” 1954 to c. 1963.
Time, as you can see, has not been kind or gentle. C’est la vie. But, I will not trade the life I have had for anything else.
I never thought I will live to be 69. I truly believe I am living on borrowed time. I have now outlived my adoptive mother by 7-years. As a teen I never thought I would live to see 30.
Click to ENLARGE. Paper clipping c. 1959 as I as a ‘Lactogen Baby‘.
Before anybody even thinks of getting on their high horse and claiming that I, as a man, have no right, or say, when it comes to breastfeeding, let me give you the FOUR (4) reasons that make me uniquely qualified.
1/ I am a father of four kids all of whom were breastfeed.
2/ My youngest, soon to be 16, was breastfed for 27 months (i.e., 2 years, 3 months).
3/ I am & have been for as long as I can remember an ardent & committed supporter of breastfeeding.
4/ For 9 years I was a poster child, a ‘Lactogen Baby‘, for a Swiss baby formula company!
As stated above, my youngest was breastfed, daily, directly by her mother, for 27 months. At that stage it was getting slightly out of hand & we decided to stop.
She has grown up to be quite the young lady, & incredibly gifted artist.
But, recently she has had some medical issues. We lucked out. She got to see some really good pediatric doctors at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Facility in Lebanon, NH. One of the things that we discussed was the length of time she was breastfed. WHY?
Because, push comes to shove, there is really NOT THAT MUCH data as to what happens to kids breastfed beyond 1 year.
The BIG, unanswered question is what medicines can get transferred from the mother to the child. We are talking about prescription medication DEEMED safe for breastfeeding mothers. But, here is the PROBLEM. The ‘SAFE’ in this instance does NOT take into account long-term.
Get it.
Doctors know that ‘so-and-so’ medication is safe while breastfeeding — BUT, they are NOT sure whether their claim & beliefs extend when the breastfeeding was done for 27 months. Basically, the concern, as you probably worked out by now, has to do with possible ACCUMULATION.
A kid breastfed for 3 months — fine. 6 months — ditto.
1-year. Not as sure. 27 months?
Yes, it is possible that chemicals from the mother could have got through in large enough quantities.
The problem is that they just don’t know. There is no data. No studies have been done.
Now YOU know.
Hence, why I am advocating prudence.
I will go as far as 24 months — BUT that will be max.
Click to ENLARGE. Me at 68 years of age.Me at age 1 in 1954. Yes, I was Ceylon’s “Lactogen Baby” 1954 to c. 1963.
You can see that the years have NOT been kind to I. C’est la vie.
I never thought I will live to be 68. I have now outlived my adoptive mother by 6-years.
These were taken earlier this week when I was in ‘Shenandoah‘. The room had a big mirror & as some of you know I can’t resist. Plus, I get complaints that I don’t post many pictures of myself. Well this lot should take care of it.
