I still breastfeed my 5 year-old

[TandemFeeder]

I’ve had another baby too so am now a tandem feeder. Happy to answer any questions.

Are periods getting earlier due to our diets?! I didn’t know that, I wonder what the link is?

Interestingly, there is research indicating that bf to 6 months at least has a protective effect against early puberty (conversely, there is some evidence that weaning early may be associated with earlier puberty). I couldn't find any scientific papers about a parent bf a child post onset of puberty, and precocious puberty, though on the rise, is still not very common.

I don't think anyone sets out to bf until a child is 5/6/7 by the way, it's child-led

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265185534_A_Natural_Age_of_Weaning interestingly this article says average weaning worldwide is 2.8

I can’t say I’ve ever seen a child drink milk from the boob of a cow. Now sure what sort of circles you run in though apparently.

Speak for yourself. I went back to work full time when DD was 9 months. Shift work. Exams. I'm a doctor. Breastfed her to 3yr 10 months. You do know that breastfed children also eat food... don't you..?

Breastfed children get food and the nutrients and antibodies of breastmilk

but what are the benefits of these nutrients and antibodies? As I said, what do the the breastfed children have that their friends don't have?

It seems like people will try and find any negligible benefit they can rather than just admitting they do it because they want to, because people will question WHY they want to do it, because it's weird.

Quite a number of sources put the natural weaning age around this and up to 4 at the oldest, but people continue to spout that 7 is a worldwide norm which is just nonsense.

Do you just feed you kids crisps, chocolate and sweets?
Why feed them vegetables if they don't need nutrients?

Theories around high upf diets disrupting hormones, also more children overweight which has a link.

I do worry that there have been several people on this thread who say they remember breastfeeding and it has been a source of distress for them. I think this is definitely something to consider, along with the teasing that many experienced

Doesn't this beg the question why a child at this age isn't able to soothe themselves or find comfort in any other way, as the majority of others have? And also the fact that the children themselvs wouldn't admit it to their friends or do it in public indicates that there is something not quite right about it?

I didn’t know anything about this, despite knowing that hormones and food are linked. That’s very scary. Shit, what are we doing to our children?!

Eh? How does that link to what I've said. All children should be eating vegetables for nutrients, they don't need it from milk.

Honestly I think it's generally quite easy to spot a child who has a terrible diet out of a group of children. It's not easy to spot who was extended breastfed, because there's no difference

So your children don't have milk, cheese or yoghurt?

The nutrients in BM are beneficial (scientifically proven). If you don't believe in the science why would you believe vegetables are better than sweets nutritionally?

this is really fucked up.

You do not breastfeed any child who is of school age, they do not need it, clearly just for the parents.

honestly give your head a wobble and let your child be a child. You are so lucky they are not being bullied at school

You don’t have sense. Full stop.

Also excessive amounts of oestrogen due to consuming so much dairy ...

Lol, your post was removed by admins and you say I have no sense? Full stop.

@TandemFeeder @emmatherhino what's the difference between 6 and 8? Where is the arbitrary line between "it's fine they're 6" and "they're starting secondary school soon I should probably stop"?

If you're unable to tell me where the arbitrary line is then that means you've crossed it.

Everything you say is correct but if your child had been bullied relentlessly at school and you'd experienced how ineffective schools are at dealing with this then you would understand what people are trying to say and why they feel the child needs protecting.

It’s really common in lots of places, child will drop it soon enough as jaw changes shape at that age.

Due to limited data it isn't actually known if extended breastfed children are healthier than their counterparts beyond infancy. Obviously it is healthy and beneficial for babies, no one is arguing that it isn't.

Extended breastfed children are healthier in poorer counties due to more risk of malnutrition, deficiencies etc

No me neither. I can actually remember as a child being thankful that I was bottlefed 😁 even though I did bf my own babies for a bit.

But which places is it really common at 6?

The fact as they lose their milk teeth, their latch chances and becomes harder (and more uncomfortable) is the difference for me.