AIBU to be surpised at an almost 7 year old still being breastfed?

[Toomanycuppas]

Met up for lunch with friends we rarely see last week and was not aware she was still b/f. Almost 7 year old came running back from the park, went to the mum and lifted her top up and she said "no, it's not an appropriate time for that".

I can understand that it's normal for the child but wouldn't they be teased by school friends if it's asked for/done in public?

Housework
I don't know about the 9 year old - perhaps he was late getting his adult teeth? I don't know the poster so I can't possibly explain that, I suggest you ask her. I've never seen anyone say they breastfeed a 9 year old.

A 14 year old breastfeeding just because they had never self weaned seems unlikely. I think it's likely something weird probably was going on in that case. But again, I don't know the person, how can someone on an internet forum know what was going on with a complete stranger?

I stick to the theory that they lose the ability to by 7 or 8, and most children stop by then anyway. I can't find a source for this now - it may be in the politics of breastfeeding? I can't remember.

Rhonda - Reassurance in that situation maybe, I'm not sure. DS tends to nurse at bedtime, sometimes first thing in the morning if he gets up before me, sometimes if he's really upset, and he will ask if we're at a friend's house and they are feeding their child (I have a few friends from LLL who are also feeding older children)

TruthSweet :( :)

Oh yuck, that is disgusting, sorry but not right. Over the top! And that's from someone who breasted each baby for 23 months

Both are wrong and unneeded. We're not in a third world country, we've got plenty of nutritional food, drink and clean water.
Yes, feeding a 7 year old is disturbing. It smacks of wanting to baby your children forever and not wanting to let go and let them grow up.
It's all about the mum's needs. There are other ways of comforting children, showing them love and affection with cuddles, they don't need a boob in their face for that. Babies, yes. Toddlers, yes. Grown children, no.
They should be learning to become more independent and if you're a mum of a 7 year old you should really be doing what you should be doing as a parent, and encouraging them to become their own person, not babying them for ever due to an inability to let go.
You personally may not be like that, I don't know. BUt I've seen plenty of people on these threads before who say they were sobbing and crying when little one tried to wean, and they were devastated and wanted them to carry on and kept trying to make them carry on a bit longer, so in half the cases it most blatantly is down to what the mother wants. Balls to what the little one needs.

Ok I've come to the conclusion:

It's not for me.

For some people, it helps them feel closer to their child.

I do think it's quite unusual in our society ( not weird, unusual)

I think the OP is probably made up to start a fight given what the extended feeders on here say.

I'd probably rather extendd feed than bottle feed.

Bertie dunno what LLL is?

Bertie - it's on the Kathy Dettwyler site which I have linked ot and quoted from above. but doing isn't interested in reading any research on the topic her opinion is more than enough it seems.

LLL = la leche league

Ta.

I'd be interested in any studies that indcate that it a) obstructs independence and b) causes psycholgical damage
I'd also be interested in what the psychological damage is and how it manifests itelf.

You can link to as many breastfeeding articles as you like to try and justify your beliefs, it still doesn't detract from the fact that it's not a healthy mum and child relationship people have going on at that age.

They aren't 'articles', Kathy Dettwyler is an anthropologist. now, come one, some studies or research that backs up you points. You back up your opinions.

Weird.

I would say that the mother had issues of her own. It isn't in the child's best interests.

I would say that the mother had issues of her own. It isn't in the child's best interests.

I have seen the channel 4 programme with a mother bfeeding a 7yr old and the DDs were obsessed with breasts-probably because the mother was.

Exotic, research please?

Watch
I don't think it healthy.

Yep any mum who bf's a 7 yr old has serious issues going on...and I pity the child tbh..

Sorry-I meant I don't think it healthy for the child-the parent is too needy and passing it on to the child.

I would love to hear from an adult who was extended breastfed in this debate.

Anyone?

Is that from 'Extraordinary BF' or whatever it was called? The ITV or CH4 programme. Of course they've in no way gone for extreme examples have they? Interesting that the elder girl BF til 5 and mother didn't try and force her to carry on and at 3.22 the mother says 'They won't BF forever, it's just that simple. They won't BF when they go to College or get married. It's never happened. It's never going to happen'
I'm not actually getting what's so extreme or disturbing about that video. The younger girl is only 7, still within that window.

There is a poster who can remember being BF somewhere on the bords. They reckon they are normal but they would say that.
FWIW I know someone who was BF to school age and she's lovely, she remembers tandem nursing with her sister.

and she is close to her mum but not unhealthily so. Has moved out of home, has a career etc

Well I watched the clip there, and I don't want to extrapolate into any other circumstances, but I did wonder in that particular situation if there was something significant in the youngest continuing to breastfeed much longer than the older. Who sounded as if she would still quite like a go herself.