Is it Okay to Breastfeed a Toddler? the Attachment Parenting Debate

Is it okay to breastfeed a toddler? Should children sleep in the same bed as their parents?

On Monday, Anderson and Co-Host Monday guest Rebecca Romijn discuss the controversial Time magazine story that sparked a national debate about attachment parenting.

The mom featured on the cover joins the conversation, along with "Big Bang Theory" star and attachment parenting advocate Mayim Bialik.

Mayim has written a new book, "Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way," and answers Anderson and Rebecca's questions about the principles of the practice.

Bialik says attachment parenting is "a style of parenting that basically harkens to the way primates parent -- things like natural birth, breast feeding, sleeping safely near your child, holding your child."

The actress and mother of two says the principles of attachment parenting mirror "the way mammals parent, the way primates parent, and pretty much all of human history it's the way people parented."

She continues, "A lot of people hear this term and think a lot of things -- that there's an attachment parenting police. That if you have a C-section you're out or if you don't breastfeed, you're out. And it's simply not that."



Mayim tells Anderson that she is told her child will want to sleep in her bed at some time between 5 to 7 years old.

Rebecca says she is not jumping to get a bigger bed for her family.

Mayim says it's not strange to sleep together.

"Most adults, you know, do not want to sleep alone -- it's not normal," says Mayim. "It is normal to be close to someone who loves you at night. There's nothing weird about it."



After listening to Mayim Bialik talk about attachment parenting, Rebecca Romijn comments, "It sounds exhausting. You don't get a break in attachment parenting. As a mom, you have to make sure you're happy for your children to be happy."

"It is normal for a child to want to be close to you" when a child is near to you, it's significant to them. It physiologically makes sense."



Does your child sleep in your bed? Have you practiced any principles in attachment parenting?

To see more on attachment parenting, watch "Anderson" on Monday, May 21.

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