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?

[quote MamTDM]@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander - my DS came up with the name 'mambo' for BF (it was one of his first words - no idea where he got it from!) and christened my boobs Big Mambo and Slow Mambo [/quote]
Mine were Booby and Sweetheart Apparently Sweetheart made chocolate milk

@vintageyoda

Actually WHO says:: “Optimal infant and young child feeding is exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, and continued breastfeeding for at least 1 and up to 2 years or longer, with age-appropriate complementary feeding.”

That’s not all they say though is it? They go on to say why and it’s clearly due to under developed countries.

I’d had enough by 18 months but my child had other ideas! Carried on having the odd feed here and there until about 2 and a half. I was totally fed up of it by then! Starting all over again now though I itch my newborn and I’m literally taking it a day at a time.

@VirginiaWolverine

I was still breastfeeding both of mine when they started primary school. They are now teens/tweens. I don't know what sort of problems you think they might have, but unless you are concerned that breastfeeding a talking child with teeth leads to a strong interest in Minecraft and TikTok, I can probably reassure you, and if it does, there are clearly a lot of children around who breastfed for too long

Is that why DS2 loves Minecraft? Clearly the feeding past age 3 is to blame for TikTok because DS would rather poke his eyes out than use it and he stopped feeding at 3.

It's a very personal choice. My son stopped just before he was three. It had gradually gone down to one feed a day but sometimes he would go a couple of dats without. I had a chest infection and fractured a rib coughing so it stopped a bit more abruptly than he would have liked but I don't think he would have nurses for much longer.

2 and a half. Next!

Not read the thread but I'm 47 now and feel well past it.

Much past 2 years I find odd tbh. It might be helpful to soothe but it’s also helpful to teach kids to soothe with other methods.

Sorry yes if I saw a child aged over 4 breastfeeding I’d think it very odd and at 7 sorry just weird and borderline abusive to the child, as it indicates the mother doesn’t want them to grow up and is keeping them a baby for her own benefit.

I’d feel a lot less weird about it if I lived in a developing country where other food is available. But for British people my opinion is that the extended breastfeeding is entirely for the benefit of the mother.

Do you feel the sane way about a 7 year old whose mother let her sleep with a teddy bear or suck her thumb?

No, because that’s not suckling on the teat of another human being . Those are the other methods of soothing I mentioned.

I can remember when I was 7. I wouldn’t want a memory of breastfeeding.

@MsEllany

No, because that’s not suckling on the teat of another human being . Those are the other methods of soothing I mentioned.

I can remember when I was 7. I wouldn’t want a memory of breastfeeding.

because it’s not normal for you. It would be normal for a child who was breastfed until 7 to have that memory

@strappedup I’m still entitled to an opinion. My opinion is it’s weird and not at all necessary.

Feeding a school age child is just so inappropriate. Nobody I have known has done this.

@Viviennemary I’ve known one person - and she was a friend of my mother’s when I was in primary school! There were looks and whispers as she would feed the five year old in the playground before school . I’m nearly 40 and still remember how weird it was, and how the girl was basically ostracised when she was older and people still didn’t forget.

There are social aspects to this that can’t be ignored. And I stand by my opinion that it’s for the mother not the child to continue long term.

@Viviennemary

Feeding a school age child is just so inappropriate. Nobody I have known has done this.

Why is this biological norm inappropriate?

On the other hand @Lockdownseperation - if it’s appropriate to still breastfeed a school age child, then it’s appropriate for them to also have a dummy, to be spoon fed their meals and to wear a nappy at night just in case?

Would be it ok for formula fed babies to still be having formula in a bottle at age 5/6/7?

It is not needed from a nutritional standpoint in this and most other developed countries, and children should be encouraged to have other ways to soothe - like sucking a thumb or cuddling a teddy.

Make any choices that you want as a mother but don’t pretend that it’s completely selfless and only for the benefit of the child.

I agree. In the same way bottle feeding a school aged child would seem bizarre.

Why is this biological norm inappropriate?

What makes you think it’s the biological norm? All the millions of kids self weaning earlier would say you’re wrong, very wrong. Or do you think these kids are abnormal in some way? You must do if you think th norm is school age.

@Bluntness100

Why is this biological norm inappropriate?

What makes you think it’s the biological norm? All the millions of kids self weaning earlier would say you’re wrong, very wrong. Or do you think these kids are abnormal in some way? You must do if you think th norm is school age.

It is a biological norm, not the biological norm. As has been clearly explained in this thread already, there is a normal range for self weaning, and school starting age very definitely falls within it.

I thought bottles and dummies/thumb sucking were bad for teeth in a way that breastfeeding isn't? So why would I encourage those rather than provide comfort via milk? I've asked ds before if he remembers being fed and how he feels about it. He said he does remember and "why would I feel anything, that's how babies are fed" and that he loved being able to cuddle me and have "Mummy milk". He also announced that he was a weird child for naming them

I only know 1 woman who fed a school age child and that was because her ds had so many allergies that breast milk was one of the only things he could have.

When ever you feel like the time is right. But clearly your thinking now is the right time as your finding it gross so maybe get some advice on what's the best way to do it ? I wish I did it for longer I stopped at W few months old :( x

I’m not breastfeeding my 2 and a half year old for nutritional benefits.

It’s purely for comfort and an easy life with a dollop of COVID antibodies thrown in!

I’m quite set conscious so I rarely feed in front of others now.

My eldest still took a bottle to bed at 4 and I see it a bit like that. It’s not hurting anyone and it’s effective.

People are oddly invested in other people’s feeding be it breast or bottle.

OK why is A biological norm inappropriate?

@MsEllany because bOoBies aRe sEXuaL, yeah? 🙄

When they grow teeth