Is a Three-and-a-Half Year Old Baby Too Old To Breastfeed? TV’s Blossom Says No

Mayim Bialik, the actress who played the title role of the free-spirited teenager Blossom in the '80's, and is now featured on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, has written a book espousing her unconventional parenting style.  The 36 -year-old's book titled "Beyond The Sling:A Real life Guide To Raising... Confident Loving Children The Attachment Parenting Way" advocates a holistic approach to mothering.

Bialik and her husband Mike live in a one-bedroom house with their two children.  The children are not allowed to play with typical children's toys.  The unconventional technique also involves potty training without diapers, the children sleeping on mattresses on the floor of the parent's room, and wearing the baby in a sling to ensure they remain physically close to the parent's body.

The aspect of Bialik's parenting style that caught my attention is her decision to continue breastfeeding  her three -and-a-half year old son.  I thought that sounded like a long time to breastfeed, but I wasn't sure what what the norm was, so I did some research.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends nursing up to one year and as long as mutually desired by the mother and the child. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding babies up to two years.

Still, I have heard it's not so unusual for women in other parts of the world to breastfeed for even longer.

What's your opinion?  What has been your life experience and how long did you breastfeed?  Is there a benefit to breastfeeding for this length of time?  Is there any potential for warm in continuing to breastfeed too long?

Leave your thoughts and opinions on breastfeeding and Mayim Bialik's approach to mothering in the comments section below.