The cover features a young mother breastfeeding what appears to be a 3-year-old son, standing on a chair in front of her.
While the image is quite provocative, it’s clearly meant to create dialogue about the touchy subject of breast feeding or more specifically “attachment parenting,” which has become an even touchier subject.
Time Magazine photographer Martin Schoeller photographed four families from across the country who practice this method of motherhood. Using religious images of the Madonna and Child as reference, Schoeller captured each mother breast-feeding her child or children.
Details + more photos…
Photographer Schoeller explains his concept:
When you think of breast-feeding, you think of mothers holding their children, which was impossible with some of these older kids.
I liked the idea of having the kids standing up to underline the point that this was an uncommon situation.
The article features 4 moms total who subscribe to the controversial method and Schoeller shot them all in a one day photoshoot for the mag.
?After six months, I decided I?d wait until he turned 1,? she says. ?But after my baby turned a year old, he was still a baby ? not talking, barely walking ? and I wondered why I?d stop now.?
The debate over right vs. wrong parenting will continue until the end of time, but “old school” mothers have always maintained that if the child is “old enough to ask for it, it’s time to stop.”
How old is too old to breast feed?
