The New York Post recently reported that Gwen Stephani is still breastfeeding her son Kingston, born May 2006. In an interview with Observer Woman Magazine, Stephani was quoted as saying, “I don’t know when I’ll stop breastfeeding. I’ll just keep going while I can - like, he’s getting teeth, so it is a little bit scary.”

You may be among those who don’t care how high profile entertainers feed their children or for how long. In which case you’re not alone. Focus group data gathered as part of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign (NBAC) clearly showed that, while the rich and famous may influence fashion decisions, they have little impact on infant feeding decisions. As a result, NBAC images reflected the non-rich and non-famous, women other women could relate to.

However, given the current social climate and the ongoing controversy surrounding breastfeeding and bottle-feeding, it is refreshing to see a report of a mother breastfeeding a toddler that isn’t framed by negative commentary.

The New York Post’s timing is perfect - World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2007.

P.S. In case you were wondering, you don’t need to wean just because a baby has teeth. If biting occurs, it is usually at the end of a feeding, when a baby is no longer hungry but still playful. Simply press your baby’s face against your breast with a firm “no.” This will cause your baby to release the breast. Babies soon learn not to bite the breast that feeds them!