At what age does breastfeeding become weird?

[TransatlanticCityGirl]

My MIL made a comment today about a mother who breastfed her child until she was 5 years old - as in, 'can you believe it???? that's just not right!'

Which got me wondering, where do most people draw the line in terms of how old is too "weird"?

2shoes Yes they can snuggle sown with a teddy, a blanket, some music or with their Mummy for a feed. There's no one right way for a child to drift off to sleep.

Exactly, Fliss.

I'm pretty sure I'll find breastfeeding 'normal' right up until the day I die. So for me some time after 31

ok I give u[p
I was trying to understand and yea learn
but when people are so defensive they won't bother to explain, just be rude......I get it

Bronze, are you still breastfed?

rainy - "5 year olds don't need breast milk nutrionally, and it stops them from building their own immune system."

You'll be posting a reference for that, or announcing your own proper research study, holding a conference, and letting the scientific community and health experts round the world that you have discovered this, now, won't you?

It's a real breakthrough in knowledge about immunity, and overturns a lot of accepted understanding of how the immune system develops.

Do share your exciting new findings!

and

2shoes I will do my best to answer you.

People BF because their children continue to want to and they are happy to do so.

Sure they don't NEED to get calories that way, but then I don't NEED to get my calories from cake/wine instead of carrots/lettuce.....

Sure there are other forms of comfort, but again, why should the child not decide for themselves what is comforting to them?

Again in general, if you are happy to continue to BF then why would you deprive your child of a source of nutrition and comfort that they still very much want?

when ds was more interested with tweaking my nipples than drinking milk.

No
I was answering the question in the title

Breastfeeding is never weird

Children reach an age where they cannot feed anymore. Before that time it is fine, after that time they can't do it.
If you don't like it don't do it.

Because 2shoes they might associate it with feeling warm, and safe, and loved - and presumably they like the very nice drink they get too?
Yes you can get the same from a cuddle, but it's just not the same - I say this from the point of view of my 3 year old (who, incidentally, gave up bf just before his 2nd birthday) - whenever he is sad / tired, his favourite thing in the world is to cuddle into my chest and he would love it if I let him feed. (Just so you know, my chest is usually out because I'm feeding his baby sister, not because I'm a naturist!)

I started at 35 after I had DS. Might be a bit weird now I'm 51 though.

I'd say it'd be weird if I was bf now too. I'm 42 and my kids are 17.

Well, some people think this IS weird:

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2142937/Time-magazine-breastfeeding-cover-Jamie-Lynne-Grumet-plans-stop.html

OP, your going to get them all jumping on you for asking this question, whatever age child they are BF will be the correct age you'll have a healthy dose of the words 'nurturing' 'mammal' and FF babies are the spawn of the devil.. Just don't ask is the answer to your question

erm yes and some people think that gay marriage and women with driving licences is weird...what of it?

Breastfeeding is not wierd while mum and child are happy with it. Ideally a child will bf for 6 months, which is all I every set out to do, but benefits continue long beyond that age. As bf worked well for us we continued and my 3 year old is still being bf.
I get that the child at the concert didn't want to bf, but the mum and the rest of the audience didn't want the toddler disrupting it. She tried something to keep the child quiet and it didn't work. Haven't we all been there with toddlers? You only see it as wierd because the thing she tried was bf. If she had tried a colouring book or a snack and it didn't work you would not see that as wierd and would no doubt be sympathetic.

"why do people do it? if a child is eating food, do they need it"

there seems to be a common question about why a child eating solids would continue to have breastmilk too. Or why can't they use a cup or a bottle.

you can't force a baby to breastfeed and many parents believe they should allow their children to breastfeed as long as they want to. THis doesn't mean they will carry on feeding until they are teenagers, it doesn't mean they are losing out nutritionally. if anything they are gaining.

re the cup issue, why would any breastfeeding mother want the faff of getting breastmilk out by pump and into a cup when they can just put the baby/child on the breast?

The idea that breastmilk antibodies prevent the body from building up its own antibodies makes me want to boil my own head.

For me personally I think about 2.5/3 years because that's the point where they move from baby to child. By 3 they're out of nappies, out of a pram, not having a dummy or bottle, feeding themselves, dressing themselves, going to pre-school/nursery, having proper conversations etc.

I don't care what other people do though.

God Victoria, not all of us who have done extended bf believe formula is the work of the devil - my opinion is that you should bf for as long as you want to, whether that is 5 minutes or 5 years... everyone has been perfectly pleasant till you waded in

Only person who has said anything like that on this thread Victoria is you

Moajab, I saw it as weird because the child didn't want to and she persisted.

but a 4/ 5 year old is not a baby, they are a child, this is the bit I struggle with, what is there to gain by BF them?
they don't need it.
they have to learn the word no
they don't need it comfort wise surely.....