I breastfed my child til she was 6yr old AMA

[needmoresleepnow]

DD was breastfed til she was 6. Ask me anything

eyebags not at all. We have boundaries and she is a very well adjusted 10yr old

At that age I assume she was in Year 2 at school.. having a child about that age I would imagine other children would tease. Did you have to keep it a secret to avoid this?

I breastfed my elder daughter until she was 3 (DD2 weaned herself off at a year) and I have to say that I had had enough by the end as she was big and kicky and didn’t fit on my lap and it was uncomfortable. How did you get around these issues?

marypoppins not kept a secret no. But it was such a none event for her that she never thought to mention it - much like children wouldn't say mummy gave me a cuddle/kiss or o brushed my hair today etc breastfeeding was very much just part of our day to day boring routine! She was however more than happy to talk about it to anyone if it came up in conversation and was not at all embarrassed about it. Likewise now she is happy to talk about it if asked

Yes Maryann, 4.5yr olds don’t need bottles either. They should drink from a cup.

reggie 4-6 year olds are more compliant and will sit still. You can also negotiate much better with that age!

I bf DS2 until he was 4.5. I never intended to bf for so long (though I bf DS1 until he was almost 2) but he didn't want to stop and I didn't mind doing it, so there just wasn't a pressing need to stop really. From the age of 2.5 or so, it was just a bedtime feed anyway and I'd feed him to get him back to sleep in the night sometimes - he was a nightmare sleeper until 3 and isn't brilliant still at 6. It was a very effective way of getting him to sleep (the problem was the night waking not the getting to sleep initially) so I didn't want to jinx it! He stayed overnight at his Dad's twice a week from age 2.5 with no supply issues. He even went away for 4 nights once and it was fine when he returned. Now obviously if he could do that, he didn't NEED it, but why upset him when I didn't mind and he was a confident, happy well adjusted boy otherwise (he did get upset if I suggested stopping)?

My periods didn't return until six months after I stopped feeding him, which was a bit alarming (3m after I stopped with DS1). But everything was back to normal as soon as they did resume. So now I think I was very lucky to avoid periods for so long!

I didn't really talk to anyone else about it as they tended to assume I'd stopped long ago after he went down to bedtime feeds only. No doubt relatives would have been horrified but its none of their business. His father was aware and rolled his eyes a bit good naturedly but never said anything negative about it. His new wife is still bf their 3yo so it's not a big deal for him, clearly. DS has not had any dental issues due to extended bf btw.

roomba well done - DD also went away for a week when she was 4yr with her dad and no issue with feeding when she came back

So the week she's away does the milk not vanish

Sorry if I appear un informed

Well done OP. I fed my middle son until he was 3. I’m always surprised how many negative attitudes there are towards natural term feeding. I hid the fact I was feeding him for the last year or so because I had so
many nasty comments.

I think it's wonderful.

I'm breastfeeding my first at the moment and he is 7 months.

Returning to work in November for 2 days a weeks and I'm so anxious about it as he doesn't take a bottle/cup etc!!!

I hope we continue to breastfeed for some time x

@MarthasGinYard Yes, that was my experience with a child older than the OP's. DD2 went away to the seaside with her siblings and my parents for a week, and I did have the thought that if the milk were to dry up in that time, I wouldn't be too gutted, but it didn't. :)

I remember when I was pregnant with DD2 and still breastfeeding 3yo DD1, my doctor couldn't believe I was still producing any milk! I guess he wasn't a mumsnetter!

That's amazing OP. I'm envious. I only breastfed for a short while and it is honestly one of my biggest regrets.

Good on you mama!

Find it interesting that so many question this but are happy to give their children milk that is meant for baby cows... 🤔

I know @Onemorefortheroad

Especially when people say "they have no nutritional benefit" after a certain age.

What a load of rubbish, it's milk - produced by our species FOR our species.

Quite odd really how we're so conditioned to drink cow's milk.

Thanks for all the lovely comments

Praisebe in all honesty you should get HQ to rephrase your post, down playing rape is not okay, ever.

Hey OP.
I think you’ve been very brave talking about it here. Sadly people don’t really get it, do they? As a country with such abysmal rates for breastfeeding babies I don’t really expect most will “understand”.
We as humans have milk teeth which generally drop out age 6/7 so it makes sense to me that a child could want to have breast milk until then.
I think it’s admirable that you weren’t raising your child to worry about what other people think and I understand the bond you had. And that feeling that your child is never older than just one day older than yesterday is really familiar. I’m sure no one expects to be feeding a preschooler... but it’s not wrong when that happens.
😊

I'm very pro BF but when I read that it was more difficult when her adult teeth came through I did slightly shudder.

I only know one 'natural term weaner' and her 4 year old son was literally assaulting her, shoving his hands very aggressively down and up her top whilst screaming. The mother very patiently kept repeating that booby had gone on holiday and I must admit at that point felt that he was too old.

Did you have a definite last feed.

My daughter weaned herself just before her 2nd birthday and I always feel sad that I didn't cherish that last feed if that makes any sense!

Well that’s clearly your issue @oldglimmer78 and not the OPs

The very stage of adult teeth emerging would be the natural point of stopping BFing for many animals.

isadora Thanks she is a confirmation child and is polite but not afraid to challenge views and opinions of others if they challenge hers

oldgimmer Not sure why that made you shudder...

With your friends child that is about general boundaries and behaviour not because he is breastfed. My daughter learnt that there was a polite way to ask and generally I would say yes but if I said no or wait she had to respect that. Generally that worked well

I understand the health benefits of BF beyond toddler years but do you not feel that it ends up becoming a comfort vice for the child? Like a dummy or bottle? Rather than actually needing the sustenance.