Mum asked to stop breastfeeding a TWO YEAR OLD in shoe shop.

When my 2yo was ill, the GP was pleased she was still breastfeeding due to the health benefits for her. I honestly can't remember where we were breastfeeding at that point. Cafes maybe? Soft play? The park?

(I did draw the line at swimming pools but that was because the idea of milk and chlorine mixing put me off, plus the inconvenience of getting the swimming costume off!)

To put it simply ITS NOT YOUR BUSINESS

You are absolutely right, actually

Anyone that has breastfed their baby through to toddlerhood wouldn't think anything of giving their two year old a quick feed in public to comfort them. It's second nature and absolutely nothing performative about it.

I breastfed my 16 mo in the pool recently because she was unsettled and was asking for it, I just sat at the side in the shallow end and there was absolutely no issue. I wasn't exactly going to drag my older daughter out to come with us elsewhere for the sake of a two minute feed.

It's so depressing that women judge other women for such completely inconsequential issues. It's bad enough when men are showing their ignorance over this.

you are confusing your opinion with facts. HTH

Grow up

most mothers do NOT breastfeed 2 year old to be fair

Natural weaning age is between 3-7 years old HTH

It's not possible to breastfeed a child past weaning age. They lose the ability the latch effectively and stimulate milk production around they age they lose their milk teeth... Milk teeth.... Milk teeth. I wonder why we called them that?

Reasons to breastfeed a toddler:

• for their dental health
• to reduce the risk for gastrointestinal, ear and throat infections
• to reduce their lifelong risk of obesity
• to nurture a loving bond
• to comfort them
• because is free and convenient
• to reduce your lifelong risk of breast cancer
• to reduce your lifelong cardiovascular risk

Bitty! Bitty! (c) Lil'Britain

Attention seekers???

Your poor children having such a judgemental, insulting mother.

I've also breastfed three children until they were two. If we never fed 'in public' we'd never be able to leave the house! God forbid I see anyone having a coffee 'in public' or a bottle of formula 'in public' when we are 'in public' we should refrain from having a drink as an adult or feeding upset/hungry/teething/thirsty/overworked children in case it upsets some judgemental mare on Mumsnet!

hold on, why does it have to stop at 3! When it's about comfort and reassurance, any child (possibly with a devemental issue but not only), any child should be allowed to breastfeed for comfort.

Can't wait to see 16 or 20 year old doing just that in a shop 😂😂

No one can scream bloody murder and being offended when someone declares 2 or 3 is too old, but then put an arbitrary limit themselves, can they! Who are THEY to decide you must stop at 4, 5, ...8, 12, 16...

Cats and dogs breastfeed in front of humans. They must be attention seekers.

Maybe because they don't tend to go shoe shopping?

How often do your pets leave the house with their nursing offspring? Never?

Of course mothers have a preferred 'spot' when nursing at home. Personally, I preferred the armchair to the sofa so I had support under both arms.

I can only think you feel inferior to the mothers you deride in some way to be so unnecessarily bitchy. Just let them get on with their lives. Why does it affect you? And I say that as someone who formula fed both of mine after six months!

How do you know what had happened before the feed. Maybe the toddler was very upset about something? That is just one reason why it would be a good thing to do in the shoe shop.
I fed both of mine and barely went out 30 years ago because of dreadful public attitudes. My Dd BF her Dd until she was 3 and she did it where ever she wanted it. I was very proud of her.

🤣🤣🤣

I agree that breastfeeding in public is fine but I'm not sure about your reasoning.

We have plenty of body parts designed to do things that I don't think are acceptable in public.

I hope your dc's friend is aware of how arrogant and judgemental your teenager is and has the opportunity to befriend someone who doesn't judge her entire family based on a 3 year old being fed lovingly and appropriately.

When I was expecting first baby many moons ago my GP was Indian. He asked if I was planning to breastfeed and I said I hoped to be able to. He said it always puzzled him that that was what British women always said, he said in India the assumption was you would and if you couldn't that would be dealt with when the time came.

He also found it odd that breasts were on show in the Sun, yes it was long ago, but the idea of a woman feeding her baby as nature intended seemed so horrifying to so many people.

I guess moving continents can be confusing.

Presumably Gina forded the fuck out of those kids 🫣

It's perverted to describe breastfeeding as a fetish.

My mammals (cats and dogs) always breastfed their pups in the privacy of their own space.

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”
George Carlin

This. All. Day. Long.

The fact this is even a discussion that needs to be had is sad. I breastfed mine until 2 and then weaned. If he was sick or hurt himself or was under the weather or extra clingy it was the easiest way to quickly soothe him. Mine has also always refused bottles (much to my disappointment because I really wanted him to be able to be bottle fed as well to give me more flexibility with childcare).

So to decide at 2 he should suddenly be handed a bottle which I'd need to go out and buy (never mind the pumping etc and equipment needed for that) would have made no sense whatsoever and been expensive.

Some children will also have a much harder time with weaning due to changes in their circumstances, trauma, autism etc and will be VERY attached to breastfeeding and I think it's great when mothers do their best to support their child with weaning at the time that best makes sense for THEIR CHILD rather than creating a rushed and distressing experience for the child.

I hope the shop owner gets exactly what is coming to them for breaking the law that's in place to protect children and breastfeeding mothers.

WHO recommendations are that breastfeeding is continued to at least the age of 2. The health benefits for child and particularly the health benefits for the mother are directly correlated to longer breastfeed (ie the longer you feed for the more benefit you get from it as a mother). And it's recommended for women like myself who had GD as longer term breastfeeding is linked to reduced likelihood of developing diabetes. After having GD you're 50% more likely to develop diabetes so I'll take that even if others choose to pearl clutch thanks.

The UK has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding globally and really we should be doing all we can to support and empower women who breastfeed so that other women are able to feel its an option for them if they so choose and if they are able.

WHY DO YOU CARE HOW OTHERS FEED THEIR CHILD….