Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think their is NOTHING wrong with extended breastfeeding or wet nursing?

511 replies

Thisisaname · 10/02/2013 16:33

Look at the comments below

I was researching extended breastfeeding and came across this.
I see nothing wrong with this, I wouldn't be 'scared' for life if I could remember being breast fed or found out I was given someone else's milk.
I think the only 'scarring' would come from going from the natural environment of being fed from something to then finding out a large majority find it sexual, not the actual feeding itself.

OP posts:
FredWorms · 11/02/2013 00:08

Interestingly, though, unlike some others I find the idea of tasting it myself repellant, but I love cow's milk. That's weird really, when you think it through.

And on that note I'm off to bed.

Midori1999 · 11/02/2013 00:08

I can see why people feel the way they do with regard to negative feelings towards natural term BF. It may be biologically normal, but it is not the norm culturally in our society to even BF for a year generally, despite the WHO guidelines and I have a few friends who BF and weren't aware of that guidelines, the NHS don't really tend or mention it much either, I wonder if they think it will put people off?

I am nursing my 19 month old DD and if she feeds throughout this pregnancy I will hopefully tandem feed. However, although I sometimes enjoy BF her and am glad I can provide it's benefits, including comfort, if she self weaned during this pregnancy then I wouldn't really mind and I might even be a bit glad. On the other hand, if she doesn't then I'm happy to go to self weaning. I am also happy to and still do nurse her in public if and when she needs it and will continue for as long as she likes. I'm not really the shy type and the more people see or know of toddlers being BF, the more normal it will become.

fluffypillow · 11/02/2013 00:09

goldmandra My GP told me to stop, as I had 'done 6 months' and it was of no benefit to her anymore Sad . The attitudes to B'fing in this country are shocking, especially from alot of so called professionals who have no clue.

I am so pleased that my boys (15 and 10) are now totally comfortable around me b'fing. At first when I had her in the hospital, they ran out when I mentioned feeding her Grin but after a couple of days they became fine with it, and now it's just a normal part of the day. They will even come up and kiss her when she is feeding etc.... I think this is great as hopefully they will be supportive and comfortable with the mothers of their future children b'fing.

Maybe83 · 11/02/2013 00:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ResponsibleAdult · 11/02/2013 00:13

My husband regularly anaesthetises children 4-9 yrs old who have a mouth full of rotten teeth from breast feeding. Breast milk is v high in sugar and fat, entirely appropriate for young babies and little eeny weeny kids.
EBF is appropriate in hunter gatherers societies with limited access to clean water and fresh food, not appropriate for 21st century uk. By all means carry on post 3yrs old. But be clear it is not for any nutritional advantage.
FYI, bf both my children, but by 1yrs old I would be needing to lactate like a heifer, so thought best to look for alternative sources of food

Goldmandra · 11/02/2013 00:18

They will even come up and kiss her when she is feeding etc.... I think this is great as hopefully they will be supportive and comfortable with the mothers of their future children b'fing.

Natural, lovely and exactly as it should be. I just wish that more children were growing up with this as part of their everyday lives.

The attitudes I came across while BFing sometimes shocked and dismayed me, particularly when I was slated for feeding 4mth old DD in a restaurantby an otherwise intelligent and pleasant family member, but nothing blew me away like the appalling attitudes of some male medical professionals.

IneedAsockamnesty · 11/02/2013 00:18

Surely the children have rotten teeth due to bad dental hygiene and care.

Goldmandra · 11/02/2013 00:20

Surely the children have rotten teeth due to bad dental hygiene and care.

Why?

Goldmandra · 11/02/2013 00:21

Doh! I see what you mean now Sockreturningpixie! Sorry

Midori1999 · 11/02/2013 00:23

responsibleadult breast milk may be high in sugar, but it also contains antibodies and lactoferrin, which kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Also, because of the way breastfeeding works, breast milk does not pool in the mouth near the teeth in the same way milk from a bottle, for example, would. In any case, how could your husband know the cause of tooth decay in children? Confused

As for having to 'lactate like a heifer' I don't know about that, I manage to breast feed my DD from only one breast and have do me for almost a year now. Of course, like other toddlers, she's been on solids for some time now, it's now her sole source of nutrition. Hmm

IneedAsockamnesty · 11/02/2013 00:23

Because that is pretty much accepted as the biggest cause of bad tooth decay, tooth decay turns into a mouth full of rotten teeth if it is not treated appropriately

Goldmandra · 11/02/2013 00:24

My husband regularly anaesthetises children 4-9 yrs old who have a mouth full of rotten teeth from breast feeding.

How on earth could he possibly know this is as a result of BFing, not sweet drinks, snacks and treats, lack of brushing, etc?

IneedAsockamnesty · 11/02/2013 00:24

Grin x posted

Softlysoftly · 11/02/2013 00:25

I feel a bit ew at feeding past 4.

But then I never thought I'd bf and this thread has made me realise that as dd2 comes up to 9 months past that's consisted ebf???

So I guess I just broke my own ew factor, and in public I never even realised, seriously Confused.

Goldmandra · 11/02/2013 00:26

FYI, bf both my children, but by 1yrs old I would be needing to lactate like a heifer, so thought best to look for alternative sources of food

You didn't introduce solids until after one year?

AboutThyme · 11/02/2013 01:01

I am late to this thread I admit but I do find it strange to wonder why anybody cares? I didn't breastfeed. Not because I couldn't or triedn and then failed, nope, I didn't want to. End of.

I will support any woman who wants to breastfeed her child for as long as she and the child see fit. Why is it anyone elses business? I didn't. My choice. Lots of women do, and they do it for the period of time they see fit. All power to them. Surely the conversation ends there?

Mosman · 11/02/2013 01:16

I disagree. I think when a child gets to five years old its nothing to do with the child's needs and all about a selfish mother who is probably insecure and feels she needs to be needed far too much

I fucking hate breast feeding, my poor boobs probably my best feature have been ruined by it, I would love love to give up but he needs it for comfort, nothing else is the same so whilst he needs it he shall have it.

As for rotten teeth, I have never heard that from a dentist and it really doesn't reconcile with the facts that the highest rates of tooth decay come from area's with the lowest rates of breast feeding, Birkenhead/Glasgow etc should be an NCT's dream come true but quite simply isn't so I think maybe the coke from 6 months old along with ribeana and fruit shoots fruit juice might have rather more to do with it.

BaronessBomburst · 11/02/2013 01:24

Mosman Grin

WifeofPie · 11/02/2013 01:26

I can't believe this thread Shock. How can anyone, in any way, justify breast feeding a NINE year old? Ewwwww.... No words. I have an eleven, eight and six year old (all of whom happily weaned at one to get on with other things). Truly disturbing. I'm not surprised you don't want to be overly vocal about it...

cantspel · 11/02/2013 01:28

fluffypillow It is lovely that your children are comfortable around you breast feeding and will come up and kiss the baby whilst you do it but i doubt they would be so comfortable or free with their kisses if your baby was 9 years old.

TanteRose · 11/02/2013 01:29

The logic of rotten teeth is flawed, surely

If a dentist is regularly (several times a week?) anaesthetising children with mouths full of rotten teeth, due to decay from extended breastfeeding, then surely that implies that there are legions of children in the UK being breastfed past the age of 2 or 3, which is very much not the case.
The proportion of children being breastfed past 6 months is TINY!

So extended breastfeeding can hardly be said to be a major cause of tooth decay in children, quite apart from the fact that it tends to protect the teeth

SandCastlesGoSquash · 11/02/2013 01:38

EBF is completely natural, just not understood by some people in our society due to lack of information. I admittedly thought it was a bit weird until actually researching it, as I thought babies were "designed" to stop feeding at 1 year as this was all I had heard of.

I do feel slightly disgusted at the thought of my DD feeding off another woman though, especially as it's such an close bonding time, it just seems a bit wrong another woman doing that for your baby. Bodily fluids and all that. but I have nothing against other people doing it, just keep your boobs away from my DD Grin

Kiwiinkits · 11/02/2013 01:43

I think it's the extended BFing weirdies that give 'normal' breastfeeding of babies a bad name. When I say normal, I mean what most ordinary people do, which is feed their baby up to say 1, 1.5 or 2. Really, it's you lot that make young mothers and mothers without a family history of BFing take a look at it and say "no thanks, I don't want to end up like that weird woman".

Personally, I love BFing my babies. But I think BFing after say 1.5 years is just a prop really. It's unnecessarily babying. Sort of like having a dummy, or a bottle, or being carted about in a sling. Not a fan of any of those things for toddlers who have the emotional and physical ability to do very well without them.

Kiwiinkits · 11/02/2013 01:44

And being a wet nurse. Sorry, that makes me sick. Viscerally disgusted.

NotADragonOfSoup · 11/02/2013 07:12

Really, it's you lot that make young mothers and mothers without a family history of BFing take a look at it and say "no thanks, I don't want to end up like that weird woman"

No, it isn't. It's the Frothers like you.

And it's odd that another mother feeding a baby milk designed specifically for a human baby makes you "viscerally disgusted" yet the alternative, modified milk from another species, does not.