The Bert Show — Vault: Breast Feeding
Episode Date: October 31, 2025
Host: Pionaire Podcasting
Key Cast: Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, and the Bert Show Cast
Main Guest: Jill
Overview
This episode dives deep into an unusual and highly debated parenting choice: extended breastfeeding. Sparked by a Good Morning America feature on an 8-year-old still being breastfed, the Bert Show team is surprised to find a local mom, Jill, who breastfeeds her 9-year-old son. The hosts, co-hosts, and listeners engage in a candid and at times heated conversation exploring motivations, cultural perceptions, psychological reasoning, and ethical boundary lines around extended breastfeeding.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction to the Topic: Extended Breastfeeding
- Segment starts as the hosts discuss a Good Morning America segment featuring an 8-year-old boy who is still being breastfed.
- They express surprise that similar cases exist locally, and Jill calls in to share her story.
[02:15]
2. Jill’s Story: Motivation and Private Practice
- Jill explains she breastfeeds her 9-year-old son mainly for comfort and emotional security, not nourishment:
"It's definitely a comfort thing... it's very healthy for him and it's always in the privacy of our home." — Jill [02:48]
- She clarifies her son understands it's a private act and wants to continue.
- The hosts question whether this might be holding her son back from independence:
"Why do you think it's taken him so long to get off your breast?" — Radio Host [03:51]
3. Therapists' Involvement and the Role of Trauma
- Jill reveals past family trauma—her son witnessed abuse before his father left. Multiple therapists, she says, recommended continued breastfeeding to help her son feel safe and recover.
"It takes me back to a time when he felt completely safe and loved and comforted... It's a way for him to almost return to the womb when he needs to." — Jill [04:09]
- The cast probes whether these were accredited mental health professionals or more alternative providers.
"Am I talking like new age?...or are you talking to someone...known as Shining Rainbow?" — Ad Expert [05:02]
- Jill says recommendations came from therapists referred by someone she does "energy work" with.
"They were highly recommended to me by a woman that I do energy work with." — Jill [05:45]
4. Boundaries, Duration, and Future Plans
- Jill reports therapists told her to stop when the child was ready. She speculates he may naturally stop around seventh grade (~high school).
"When he starts high school in seventh grade...by then I think he'll be ready to stop." — Jill [06:31]
- Hosts and listeners express concern over the lack of a clear boundary.
5. Listener Calls and Community Reaction
- Caller Michelle strongly criticizes Jill’s choice, expressing concern over potential psychological and even sexual confusion for the child:
"I think it's very perverted for you to do this to your son." — Michelle [07:12]
"You don't know if this turns him on or not." — Michelle [07:40] - Jill is visibly shaken and defends her parenting:
"I think that is a disgusting remark. I mean, this is something very natural." — Jill [07:51]
- The hosts discuss developmental milestones, the evolving understanding of childhood sexuality, and question Jill on why she keeps the practice private if she sees it as healthy.
6. Frequency and Process
- Jill shares it happens about twice a month now and her son initiates the act in a nonverbal way.
"Probably maybe like two times in a month." — Jill [10:48] "He just comes to me." — Jill [11:00]
7. Medical and Relationship Questions
- Another caller suggests breastfeeding is intended for nourishment, not comfort at older ages.
- The host asks if Jill has consulted more mainstream psychologists; she says no.
- Jill admits she has not told new romantic partners about her breastfeeding practice, confirming it's a private family matter:
"No. I want to say something that's private between me and my son." — Jill [12:17]
8. Show’s Tone and Closing
- Despite personal biases, hosts thank Jill for her candor and willingness to discuss a taboo subject.
"We appreciate you sharing your life with us." — Dana [12:20] "It's an unorthodox... practice." — Radio Host [12:38]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "Why do you think it's taken him so long to get off your breast?"
— Radio Host [03:51] - "When he was much younger...there was abuse in our home...several [therapists] recommended to me to keep him breastfeeding because of that..."
— Jill [04:09] - "They were highly recommended to me by a woman that I do energy work with."
— Jill [05:45] - "Are you talking about the therapists that sit naked around bonfires and sprinkle salt into cups of water...?"
— Ad Expert (humorous skepticism) [05:02] - "If this is so right, then why do you keep it so private?"
— Radio Host [10:17] - "He just comes to me."
— Jill, describing how her son initiates breastfeeding [11:00] - "No. I want to say something that's private between me and my son."
— Jill, about telling partners [12:17]
Key Timestamps
- 02:15 — Hosts introduce breast-feeding topic and Jill calls in
- 02:48 — Jill explains her motives, privacy, and son’s wishes
- 04:09 — Jill discusses trauma and therapy advice
- 05:45 — Questions about qualifications of therapists
- 06:31 — Duration and future plans for breastfeeding
- 07:01 — Michelle, first listener, shares strong opposing opinion
- 07:51 — Jill counters accusations and stresses natural bond
- 10:48 — Jill clarifies frequency of breastfeeding
- 12:17 — Jill on privacy with romantic partners
- 12:20–12:51 — Show thanks Jill, summarizes discussion as "unorthodox"
Conclusion
The Bert Show’s candid conversation with Jill shines a light on the complicated, emotional, and highly controversial nature of extended breastfeeding. The episode explores boundaries between nurture and independence, effects of trauma, and where cultural norms clash with personal choices. Listeners and hosts alike express strong feelings, but the tone remains one of open (if sometimes incredulous) inquiry, capped by a respectful thank you to Jill for her vulnerability in sharing her story.