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?

mince - I bet they don't talk about having cuddles, or a kiss goodnight, or their bedtime routine or what they had for breakfast at school either?

Entirely different. What we are discussing is something that one of them does, and most likely, none of the rest of the class do. Not something that they all do to some extent and don't talk about. Although my sons class of 6 and 7 yr olds are all still happy to kiss and cuddle up in front of all their friends at home time.

I dont agree with it and i think its wrong. A child shouldnt have to be BF over the age of 2 imo.

I also started my periods at aged 8.

Monalisa - your opinion. If you don't want to BF your child over the age of two then don't but tell other people that they shouldn't be doing it.

So conform to make sure yyoure not bullied

How come this thread is still here when mine got moved to Breast and Bottle Feeding?

And also, how come everyone can say that breastfeeding a 7 year old is wrong but I can't say that I find it a bit sad that any random relative can pick up a bottle and feed a newborn with it?

Apart from that - agree with everything Stealth Polar Bear has said.

you know, it must be incredibly uncommon to breastfeed a 7 year old so i don't believe this has even happened, but I live by a dairy farm and they milk them cows twice a day until they can barely walk about they are that old and decrepit and I can't really see the difference. Milk is just a product.

Aww Countess, aren't you getting much attention there?

Anyhoo... this thread has another OP and is on a different subject...

Nope

I did start that thread in response to this one - which is probably against the rules. Not really a thread about a thread but I sometimes feel on here that you can say anything about breastfeeding but have to be really careful about mentioning bottle feeding . . sorry - I will go and post on my other thread now.

"They have enough to deal with socially, without having an extra stick for the kids to beat them with"

follow this logic to its natural conclusion and you'll be banning the gingers from breeding!

No, not simply conform so the child isn't bullied, although that is (to me) a good enough reason in itself. It's not that simple is it. But I don't think that breast feeding a 7 yr old has much to do with the interests of the 7 yr old. It smacks more of what the mother is getting from it. You have to weigh up all the things that are good for your child and that differs at different stages of their lives. I don't imagine nutritionally it is going to have that much impact at 7, whereas emotionally being seven is a difficult age and parents should be able to recognise that and be on hand to make the best decisions for their child and in the interests of their child, whether that stage is nutritionally, psychologically etc, etc and where each should take precedence.

Exactly, Yule, ;)

mince - as a mother of an 'extended' BF child(ren) I can tell you that I would cheerfully give up tomorrow although carrying on doesn't bother me if they want to this is the same for most other mothers I know who have BF beyond the norm (quite a few).

You coul always read the stuff I linked to upthread on biologically normal weaning ages etc. Or you coudl listen to people who have done it and know about it.

but birds surely they are 'funbags' really? Making milk is just their secondary purpose

As the mother of a seven year old ( trying not to make that sound like something out of 'to the manor born' and failing), I just know the amount of damage it would cause. I can only give you this from my experience, if his mates got wind of the fact he was still breast feeding, he would be mercilessly teased. And yes I am aware that you can't do things at the whims of a class of children, but at the same time, you cannot change that behaviour very much but you can stop your child from being set aside for being different, when it is something in your power to control. And that is just one of the reasons I think it is wrong, I think you are setting up all kinds of dependency issues too. Not to mention that at 6 and 7 they are learning sexual references etc in PHSE, how things are made etc. I think it's confusing for them.
You say you keep going because they want to. I think it's your decision to do what's right for them based on their needs, not their wants.
I also think it must be a blooming inconvenience for you too!!

FFS.

1. It's obviously not 'for the mother' if it's the child asking for it and the mother saying no. If you want to insinuate that the poor woman is a paedophile for breastfeeding, you're going down a very slippery slope which says pretty revolting things about your own psyche.
2. Doubt whether child will maintain ability to latch for much longer, making it physically impossible anyway. There was a tv programme about this not long ago and the mother was bf a child approaching 7 who was losing latch at that age.
3. It's not 'normal now' to start periods at the age of 9, that's clinical early puberty and indicative of obesity (oddly enough related to bottle feeding...) or a hormonal disorder.

And I say that as someone who stopped bf before the age of two with both of mine, so without any vested interest whatsoever.

Errr, weird thing to think from my post wobble. Probably says more about you than me?
As in, psychologically ???

Just had a post eaten :(

I've tried ot re-write

Inconvenience: BF a child isn't like BF a baby. I don't see why it would be inconvenient.

The independence (or lack of) thing: If Separation anxiety was liimited to BFchildren, or those sad middle-aged men who never move out of mum and dad's had all been extended BF I woudll say you ahd a point. However, al the children I know who BF to 4/5/6/whatever are quite independent now as adults and young people.

Confusing them: It's my job as a mother to explain things to my children. A lot of my friends smoke, sometimes in front of my children. I have explained that that is their choice but that cigarettes are very bad for you and that I would prefer tem not to when they are adults. Surely soemthing like that is no less confusing than - it might be best not talk about this in school as some children won't understand.

I do see your points WoT and I'm sure handled correctly you can limit some of the issues. I do just feel that once they are at school it is a huge can of worms. If the kids find out, they will cause problems. If the child is told not to mention it, then surely that sends out a message that it is something to be ashamed of (perhaps that's a bit strong), or at least something that they have to be wary of not mentioning , something that makes them different.
I am not an expert on this, obviously and don't really understand what the benefits are, nutritional or otherwise ?

If feeding past two is all about the mother and not the child will someone sodding tell my ds that please

Not sure where that one was aimed bronze. But to clarify, I am all for breast feeding, just not once the children have started primary school.

And also, how come everyone can say that breastfeeding a 7 year old is wrong but I can't say that I find it a bit sad that any random relative can pick up a bottle and feed a newborn with it?

Um... how are those two even comparable subjects?! A baby being fed? Huh, shocker.
That's just it though isn't it. A BABY.
It'd be just as weird if a mother let her 7 year old suck on a baby bottle of milk. It's not needed at that age.
As for the 'same as having a teddy for comfort at that age' argument, what a load of crap.
There's a world of difference to having a teddy as an older child to still sucking your mum's boob.
FGS, put your kids first and let them grow up. If they're still breastfeeding at the age of 7 and in the case of one that said 9, it's down to the mum's inability to let go and let their children progress.
Think of them for once instead of yourselves.

Agree doinghousework.