How old is too old to breastfeed?

[mrspoisson]

I won't share how old my child is (still classed as toddler) but just wondering when it becomes wrong to keep breastfeeding?

It's starting to feel gross now, but it sometimes works as a great comforter for DD when getting to sleep, when sick or upset. Doesn't have it to replace food though. Eats 3 meals a day plus snacks.

What age would you say could potentially cause psychological damage/hinder development?

If you’re both happy with it, then EBF will t cause psychological issues or be a problem for development.

Will not cause issues!

I think you're there. I BF ds2 until he was 2 yrs 8 months, but it was only at night and early morning (in bed) for probably the last year. I wouldn't have felt happy doing it in the day or in public. I say that as someone who has bf both son's anywhere and everywhere. He is a very tall child though so looks older.

Personally I was all touched out by 16 months and had to phase out from there but otherwise I would've continued until 3ish I think.

I must admit I'd be surprised to see a school age child breastfeeding but none of my business really!

Isn't there something about bones fusing in the jaw that inhibits their latch beyond a certain age which I guess is a natural stop .(I could be speaking shit!)

If I met a breastfeeding 7 year old I might think 'ohhh' but I'd also think, whatever works for them tbh.

I breastfed until 2.5. Had to stop at the start of lockdown because I couldn't handle waking up x8 a night and the day feeds increasing to the point where I just felt sick.

Too old = when the mum can't bear it any more.

I think when they start school around age 5 it needs to start stopping, I don’t see a problem at all but a five year old needs to learn to comfort in other ways and should be falling to sleep independently.

I guess it's personal but my personal limit was 2yrs. I fed DD until she was 2yrs (only at bedtime for the last 6 months) and she would've continued but didn't fuss at all being stopped. I was pregnant with DS and the last few months of it felt a bit grim. DS is 13 months and self weaning, he's just not really fussed. To be honest, I'm quite looking forward to not being a milk supply anymore 🤣

For me personally it was around a year.

It's personal. For me, over 1 year seemed too old really. I wanted them sleeping through, eating meals etc. And it was easy to give cow's milk. They could talk, had teeth. They just seemed old enough to me.

I’ve just finished feeding dd at 3 years 5 months. I’d had enough and she didn’t need it any more.

@Lipz

It's your own decision. Personally I feel 2 years max. I had a friend who bf to just over 4years, tbh it was fucking weird, I actually hated seeing her kid hanging off her as the kid was big and in playschool.

What a horrible comment

When it stops working for one of you.

Breastfeeding my 2 yr old through lockdown has been a godsend and I still use it to be able to sit and have a 5 minute rest in the day.

I always knew I didn't want to breastfeed beyond a year.

I don't judge other women for breastfeeding as long as they want to, but I guess it's time to stop when you aren't comfortable with it any more.

I plan on stopping ds when hes 1. I fed my other children to different ages. As long as it works. Though the teeth comment is silly as my baby's were early 8 weeks and they had 2 teeth.

Teeth made absolutely no difference for any of mine, who breastfed for 16 months, 13 months and 3.5 years respectively. That's a fallacy.
It all depends on the child, and the mother, and the circumstances.
I stopped with my first because I was pregnant with my second and something inside just triggered me to stop.
My third, I thought she'd never give it up, but one day, she just did. I'd have gone on till whenever, because it's no one's business and it was discreet and just a personal thing between us, but I was sad-glad when it ended.
All robustly healthy and great sleepers, and I do put the good sleeping down to them all being breastfed, but then I (nor they) know any different so... shrug.

Personally for me it would be a year (had to stop c. 10months due to it being too hard with returning to the office)- but I don’t care what anyone else does

I thought I'd stop at a year, still going at 20 months, plan to stop at 2.

I was done a long time ago actually but dd is a boob monster

If you want to stop, stop.

I mean, children can eat pizza well before they have adult teeth they get adult teeth at about six or seven years old.

Hi OP

Welcome to Mumsnet - I hope you enjoy your time participating on these boards

In relation to breastfeeding beyond the introduction of solid foods, there are countless threads on Mumsnet to offer you useful experiences and perspectives in relation to your own situation. But given that you haven’t gone into any significant detail on your own situation - is it the case that you want to see a broader debate on the topic of Mumsnet views on breastfeeding beyond solids?

I knew a woman who used to give breastmilk to her 8 year old (i didn't dare ask EBF or bottle!). She was quite proud at that although I'm not sure if it was a case of BS. I'm sure you're not that lady!!!

If you're not feeling comfortable then stop. I EBF to 18 months with both of mine and knew it was right to stop for them and me. It really depends on personal circumstances.

I find it a bit weird that you find feeding your child gross? In what way is it gross? It's no different to what you've been doing all along, your child just got a bit bigger, your child is still a toddler, what's gross?

@EdwardCullensBiteOnTheSide it could be nursing aversion, which I had with my first. It was awful, I couldn't stand feeding him. Which made me feel wretched. We got through it but honestly, I can't describe the feeling.

Honestly, it’s no one else’s business but yours I know people who have breast fed until 5 and there is no difference between them and those who have stopped very much earlier

Until when either the mother or the child no longer want to continue.

I bf'd DD until she was 3.5 years old. She was sleeping through from 6 months and eating 3 proper meals a day from 8 months.

I'm still curious as to what bad things people think will happen if they don't stop breastfeeding at birth/first tooth/6 months/1 year/ other randomly selected time.

I gradually encouraged DS to give up feeds during the day when he was about 3, at around the time he stopped napping, but he carried on having a tiny feed at bedtime for quite some time after that. It certainly didn't hinder his development or cause any sort of psychological harm. But if you are starting to feel an aversion towards it, maybe it's time to stop.