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"?

alright even a 4yold as 2shoes asks..sorry but i dont understand how the progression is different from bf to cup of ff to cup...

I know moa and joyful I'm just saying that if for some reason this had not happened I think there would come a time when it would become inappropriate. I wonder when people think that is? Do the 'it's never weird' people really believe never? At 12? 15? 18? still fine?

Well 2shoes if you did bf, then you would understand what I mean , eh? It's special, intense, and got fuck all to do with any one else

12? 15? 18?

It's not going to happen. Childrens jaws and teeth change. It is a non question

2shoes why BF when the child doesn't NEED it?

everyone because children derive comfort happiness and security from many different things that they do not technically NEED including BF. Why deprive them of something unnecessarily?

2shoes why is everyone so defensive?

I bf my DS1 and am currently bf DS2 (4 months)
Am pro bf and think its all about the mother if a child who is 4/5 years old being bf. they are a grown child eating food and if they want milk of any description drink it from a cup. They dont have a teated bottle at that age as they aren't babies so no need to suck a nipple either.

doormat My BF 11mo already uses a cup for water and expressed milk etc.

moa well i think it is weird for a 4 yo to have eith a bottle or to be bf... unless they have a physical disability the child needs to learn to progress...

i suppose you keep your nt child in a pram too

Why do people come out with such stupid things?

Of course I don't keep them in a pram. I carry them in a sling

Sorry bit like the I don't piss in public so why should you breastfeed statements. Tosh

doormat but BF kids do use cups etc. and potty train and all of those things? Why have you determined (apparently for everyone) that BF is something that only babies do?

The only weird thing is that a lot of the developed world have been conditioned to think that drinking the milk of one's own species is weirder for a child than drinking that of an ungulate.

So right, a baby doesn't 'need' breastmilk after x (insert v young age here). I assume that everyone who thinks that will naturally extend the same logic to the product of a cow's udder, yes? Aha no, that is perfectly normal! Beam proudly as apple-cheeked 3 year old drinks lovely healthy glass of milk. While Dad probably pours the same over his morning cornflakes - yes, he's 33 and still enjoying MILK.

Breastmilk is, by definition, a better version of that lovely healthy glass of milk for - well, any human really. All the good fats and protein etc. etc. but ACTUALLY DESIGNED for humans not baby cows. It's just flipping obvious. Or not, it seems. Bottom line, if you have a pint of milk in your fridge intended for the enjoyment of your family, you sound like a fool if you query why a child wouldn't be breastfed for as long as possible.

bronze I'm not convinced that it's always the case, I think it is physically possible for an older child or adult even to bf. I think in that article about bf in Mongolia that someone mentioned earlier it references adults and older children relieving a woman of engorged breasts if her baby was not to hand.

Can you link to evidence to show that it is always a physical impossibility?

i am talking about children progressing...my hypothetical situations are for ppl to recognise that children need to learn behaviours and learn to let go of babyhood (unless the child has sn to the contrary where they are physically or mentally unable)

and btw dont judge me as a ff as i have bf but didnt see the need once they were drinking from a cup...i wanted my children to be independant not hanging off my tit whenever they felt fit..i do have a life aswell

Holy, the article I read about Mongolia said the engorged mother would express some milk into a bowl for anyone who wanted some.

holy- they express it 'If a woman's breasts are engorged and her baby is not at hand, she will simply go around and ask a family member, of any age or sex, if they'd like a drink. Often a woman will express a bowlful for her husband as a treat, or leave some in the fridge for anyone to help themselves.'

Holy I am still bf my 3 year old, but that is the oldest I have bf any of DC so I struggle to provide a definitive age where I would draw a line in the sand and say no more. I have not yet reached a point where I will say to my DC no. Perhaps one day I will and I can give you a difinitive answer! But at the moment I still keep to my belief that nature will decide when it's time to stop. Maybe it will be in 3 or 4 years time and he looses his milk teeth, maybe it will be in a few months time when he wants to be like his big brothers and drink warm milk from a cup, maybe it will be in a year when he doesn't want to fall asleep in my arms but wants to lie in bed playing on his DS reading. Children do mature at different rates, but I would be surprised at say a 10 year old still wanting to be bf! I suppose for me that's the key. I don't want to be the one who says no. I want to continue to provide that milk and comfort for as long as he wants it, but I am confident that it wont be forever! Nature is ensuring that he's growing up fast.
Sorry that was a very long winded way of saying I can't answer your question! And I'm off to bed now.

doormat okay how about crying? That's a baby thing right? So how is it acceptable that children aged 5 yo still cry?

See some things are things that babies do that they develop out of in their first few years...and some things they don't develop out of till much much later.

BF has a natural time limit set by milk teeth being replaced. That is the point at which humans are supposed to grow out of BF.

5 is younger than that and hence fine.