You might find that they've "lost" their latch.

My friend remembers her mother giving her ebm in a cup to drink when her little sister was born, and says it made her feel all warm. Is very nutritious for them too i think.

Absolutely nothing wrong with offering them the breast though - be prepared for them to get frustrated if they can't get any milk out though.

Quicksilver, I just don't know.
And if I do, do I express it into a cup and offer him to try ?
Or do I actually offer him the opportunity to actually breast feed ?
Is that wierd/wrong/unusual to offer bf to a 4.10 yr old, when they haven't done it for over 4 years ?

mum2ben your ds sounds like mine.

Oblomov do you think you will let him try some breast milk if he asks?

I am pregnant and ds(4.4) will be 4.10 when baby is born.
Ds has always been very interested in my boobs and is fascinated by the idea htat he used to bf, and always wants to see the one picture that we have of of him breastfeeding.
I was wondering how he will re-act when baby is born. I don't think he will be jealous, because he desperately wants a sibling.
But he may be VERY jealous of the fact that baby is bf and he can not.

I had lots of milk one day so expressed it and put it in a cup for DS2. DS1 picked the cup up and had a sip and spat it out and saying "Bleugh - I don't like DS2's milk!"

I did ask him when DS2 was younger whether he wanted to bf and he said no. He is fascinated by it though. If DS2 is crying he shouts out "DS2 wants his nipple"!

LOL Quicksilver!

Yes 4 year old speak is amazing - no tact, no malice, no agenda - just saying what to them is a simple fact.

When ds was asked a question at his pre-school recently, he replied to the teacher 'Well I would have expected a 53 year old to know that already!'

She dealt with it rather well I believe and said that she was hoping for a vaginal birth but if there was an emergency she would have a caesarian.

No further detail though, I expect DD explained it all in the playground

When I was still feeding ds dd would often ask for some, in fact when I got out the pump she always crowded round for a share. In fact when ds now 2 was about 9 months old he and dd had a horrible stomach bug and the dr actually asked if since I was bf I could express some for dd if she would drink it.

Oh my god VictorianSqualor what was her reply - or is your dd still waiting for her answer?

DD1 was playing with a little girl at the park yeaterday, who was deaf

DD said on the way home, "I made friends with X and X had a baby brother and X is deaf because her ears don't work very well and she has lovely pink things in her ears to make her hear better and X had the same sandals as me and...." blah blah blah

All said so normally and naturally, and straight to the point

I've offered DD and DS my milk but they both say yuck and ask for the milk from the fridge

I love the way children are so blunt, DD(7) explained to FiL how babies are squeezed out of the vagina, and then durng a Q&A session with her pregnant teacher asked her 'will you be having a vaginal birth or a caesarian?'

I love it

I think it's such a shame when kids 'lose' the ability to say things EXACTLY how they are

You know where you are with a 4yr old

"Mummy, those shoes are like old ladies shoes, I don't want you to wear them" (dd1, 4.4)

You are right Wigwambam, I am going to let him try some in a cup.

Notnowbernard ds is brilliant in his forthright manner.

How else do you expect him to describe it, though?

Children never call a spade a shovel; they always tell it like it is!

I would agree that it is normal. DS1 and 2 "breastfed" their teddies while I was feeding DS3 when he was first born - they just want to do what Mummy does don't they!

But he's being matter-of-fact about it, isn't he?

dd is sucking her milk from mummy's nipples!

Why would he be traumatised? It's milk, not arsenic.

You don't have to let him breast-feed; he probably doesn't want to, anyway. If he asks to do that and you're not happy, just expain that babies drink that way because they can't use a cup; he is a big boy who doesn't need to drink that way anymore.

A drop of milk in a cup won't harm him, physically or emotionally, and might help him feel less left-out, and more involved with what you're doing.

DP wanted to try it, lol.

Agree with Windygales

barking, my ds tells everyone he meets that dd 'sucks her milk out of mummy's nipples'.
It can be very embarrassing.

my dd (5) is fascinated. Always has been interested in hearing about how she drank milk from me. I've promised her that she can try some breat milk once i've had the new baby in July - so she is beside herself with excitement. Dh has warned he she might not like the taste cos now she's not a baby her tastes will have changed....

Perfectly normal thing for them to ask, and ime, perfectly normal to let them try.

I can understand, Quicksilver

The thought of BF dd1 2yrs after stopping bf wouldn't have suited me, either... simply because it would have been SO LONG since the last feed

But if she'd asked for bm I would have given her some

I'd be delighted if my DD had done that barking! Nobody, but nobody that I know at the school breastfeeds! It's totally appalling and I'd be very pleased to brainwash the reception class.

I know what you mean though - a had a fear that my 4 year old might want to talk about it in 'chatting and showing' at school

notnowbernard, he hasn't specified.

I wouldn't even consider actually bfing him though. That would be too weird for me.

I was just thinking about expressing and giving him a cup.

its quite normal its natural curiousity - i think id be inclined to offer him a glass of big boy milk instead tho.

Is he asking to be breast-fed or to have bm in a cup?

I suppose you are right. It is normal to be curious about it - I can't tell you the number of questions I have had!

I suppose I don't want to give him some breast milk now, and him remember when he is older and be traumatised!

i thought it was chalky and weird - I think that's because it was body temp, whereas I am used to hot or cold drinks iyswim

My four year old is the same as I'm still feeding my toddler. My dh was very uncomfortable about it but I let him try in the end but he got frustrated with the sucking then it turned into a bit of a game with him blowing raspberries at my boobs! - I think he just wanted the comfort and not to be left out - especially as my toddler still spends a lot of time feeding.
Please don't worry x

I remember being curious myself so had a taste. It was much more sweet than I'd imagined. I offered some to DH but he didnt even want a sip.. I was very offended!

My DD asked a few times when I was feeding her little brother - she was nearly 4 when he was born. I said she could try on one occasion but she didn't really want to, just wanted me to say it was OK I think. Can't remember if DS#1 was the same - too long ago.

No, it's not weird. He's just curious about something he can't remember for himself - and perhaps a little envious that the baby is having something which is forbidden to him.

Let him have a taste; what's the harm?

I offered dp some and he turned his nose up!!!

When I started bf I was fairly curious myself and wanted to know what it tasted like!

there seem to be a fair few threads about this sort of thing, and general consensus is no, it's normal

(I only have one DS so can't comment)

Sounds completely normal for him to express a desire to try it

Bet if you were ff he'd want a bottle, too

I wouldn't find it odd if you gave him some to try

Since I had my 12 wk old dd, my ds has been fascinated by the feeding process.
He keeps asking if he can try some of the 'special baby milk', but I say no and that it is just for babies.

However i am now starting to feel mean and am considering expressing some milk for him to drink.

Does this sound odd? Has anyone else done this?