Why are people so offended by bf beyond 12 months

[username4868372]

NC for this as these kind of threads often causes a big debate/can get very emotive. But basically what is some people's problem with women bf beyond 12 months or even 6 months?

Basically someone shared an article on my social media about women who still bf their children past 12 months some were age 4/5. The comments I read underneath the article were appalling especially as most where written by other women. For the most part the general consensus was bf beyond a year is disgusting. Comments included ' if they want to carry on they should express and feed the child with a sippy cup.' 'It's not normal the mother has detachment issues.' And so on. I still bf my DD she is 16 months. For me I hope to stop when she is ready.

Is it simply the case that breasts are now seen as sexual objects? I don't understand when you look other cultures or especially tribe bf is normal and can carry on till natural weaning stage (normally between 2 to 6).

Why shouldn't a photograph like that be in a newspaper?

I am pro breastfeeding. BF my first until she developed a preference for the bottle at 6 months and my second sadly had to stop at 8 weeks for a variety of health reasons.
But I shudder when I see children walk over to their mum for a breastfeed at 2 years or whatever. I don’t know why because I am pro breastfeeding and well informed on the multiple benefits. But somethign in me involuntarily shudders.

I don't think there's anything wrong with it, and if you want to do its that's great. I personally wouldn't as I think its probably unnecessary from a health point of view, and I wouldn't want my toddler to be reliant on me for that, however, that's entirely personal and I never enjoyed breastfeeding.

I have the upmost respect for anyone who breastfeeds, and especially people who do continue after 6 months because its bloody hard work!

It’s odd that people are offended by breastfeeding beyond one but many parents are seemingly happy for toddlers to walk about with a dummy.

Odd that you'd assume they're the same people.

Op people are very judgemental about women's (especially) mothers choices. I find ignoring them best.

🤷‍♀️I think the posters felt that the writer/instagram person was using her child to publicise her own story.

My point was that I read the same thing as the Op and thought the thread was very positive about the topic.

Sorry my reply was to flowers.

I think it is pretty inappropriate to bf older children. We should be helping our chidren grow up not trying to keep them babies for our own benefit. Bf a five year old is pretty unnecessary in the uk. They have lots of alternative nutritional sources.

I know someone with a 7 year old still BF.
Not really sure what necessity there is in a western society with no nutritional deficits what could possibly be the case.
She is secretive about it though is very active in BF classses that she runs and gave me a hard time about not BF my DD who was in SCBU as a premature 5 weeks and my own production just never kicked in. We tried, it just didn't happen but according to her, I didn't try hard enough.
In her particular case, the BF seems to be a personal mission or something
For myself, I love to see babies BF and it is a source of disappointment that it didn't work out for me and mine but honestly beyond 3 or thereabouts, it seems a bit extra though I amn't disgusted by it. Just a bit meh

kaytee87 what I mean is that most British people would consider BF a toddler inappropriate but very few consider a bottle feeding/dummy using toddler under 2/3 years old inappropriate. I would guess there is a huge overlap in this population.

Jealousy

They felt the stigma or didn't want to, so attempt to justify themselves by attacking others.

Rednaxela your comment is so hurtful.
I really wanted to BF but couldn't but it hasn't left me jealous or stigmatised. It left me disappointed and it was the root of the PND i experienced afterwards. I felt such a failure

Because tits are for sex aren't they???

Who knows. I fed all of mine for a few years. Going back to work made it even more important for me as I had to spend so much time away from them during the day. I will admit that after about 2 years I tended to only feed last thing at night or first thing in the morning - it was a bonding thing for us nothing to do with nutrition.

It is a bottle feeding culture. We’re told to stop dummies and bottles by 1 and therefore breastfeeding seems unnecessary when bottle fed babies are told that they don’t need comforting or nutrition that way after one.

Also breastfeeding mothers seem to be more tethered to their babies, unable to leave them in the evening or overnight until they’re weaned. The babies will often wake for night feedings for a lot longer and the mothers complain of tiredness - the solution seems clear to a bottle feeder.

@zsazsajuju it isn't about nutrition.

Dc1 bf until I was almost 3 months pregnant with dc2 and weaned himself off. I really miss it and it makes me sad.

I'm gently (and not so gently) trying to encourage my 4 year old to stop. I'm due my second child very soon and don't really want to tandem feed, though it's looking more and more likely.

Each to their own, I feel my DS would of continued for years. It's a personal choice but I would assume that going back to work stops extended feeding a lot.

That's when I stopped too. For my first, I did it a bit longer because I didn't know how to stop. For my second, I continued with only morning and night until she slept through. Because bf is a very useful tool to get them back to sleep. I think stopping at 6mo is very odd because they'll still need formula. To me, 12mo seems to be a natural time to start slowing down, introducing cow's milk in a cup, and they'll be eating a lot more food. And also, as you say, you have to go back to work by 12/13 months, so the child will be off milk during the day anyway.

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and am excited to breastfeed. Also a bit nervous. Scared I won't be able to etc. I plan on EBFing for as long as I can but sadly I have to go back to work. My workplace gives me paid breaks to breastfeed (if someone brings my baby in for me) or to express. It's in my contract which is amazing. It's such a shame that it's still so frowned upon by some. I heard two teenage girls discussing how disgusting breastfeeding is on the train literally this week and it made me a little sad that they're so young and already have this distorted view of breastfeeding.

Bloody hell, each to their own and do what works! Every family and every baby is unique, and every family must do what is right for them. I hate all the judgement around this subject. If you don't bf, you are selfish, if you bf too long you are weird...live and let live!