To find breastfeeding a 2 yr and 3 month old unsettling and slightly repulsive?

[Thinkingpositively]

I am guessing this thread might upset some people but really...? DH and i were shocked to learn someone we know is breastfeeding a child who can walk and speak and self determine...dh wouldn't discuss it over lunch...

Turns out, I could be arsed to read this thread. You and your husband are repulsive to be honest. You both sound very judgemental and uneducated.

Morning everyone,

We'd like to remind you all of our talk guidelines, with particular emphasis on the bit about personal attacks.

We're now going to go through this thread and remove posts that break our guidelines.

I imagine i'll gradually stop breastfeeding when little person starts on solids and is up and about being a separate little being. Who knows....

Yes, I imagined that before dd was born. She, however, had a different agenda.

Does it directly impose on how you live your life? Is the woman you're judging hurting others with her choices?

I also find candyfloss repulsive and unsettling. I wouldn't discuss that over lunch and in seaside towns have to cross the road if it is coming my way.

I accept that most people woukd find my attitude odd.

It's simple really.

Children need milk. There you go - definitely til they're 2ish, probably til 4 or 5. Lots continue to drink milk into adulthood

If your child is a human, human milk is best for them. Formula is a pretty good substitute, after 12 months any old animal milk is fine.

Never understood the horror of giving a child the milk it needs. Whether you choose to give them the milk they're designed to have or an acceptable substitute (whether it's from a cow, goat, bean, coconut...) is just a parenting choice and needs no judgement.

Ok so I breastfed DS1 for a week and was made to feel rubbish , breastfef DD til she was 2 yr 3 months and apparently thats wrong too.
((sigh))

OP, I am not a member of any BF groups, I don't view my own choice to BF or not as a political act, and I don't post here or on facebook or anywhere else about BF issues...I don't practice attachment parenting...I just do what suits my family.

But my DD will be three next week and is still BF at bedtimes. That suited us - she's an incredibly happy, healthy, well-behaved, secure little girl. I wanted to BF for the two years that the WHO recommends, and I was fortunate in that I was able to do so. After two years, I decided I wanted to wait until she was ready to stop, not turn it into something being 'taken away' from her - as someone said above, it has much more in common with a security blanket or cuddly toy than with milk, at this point! She's now ready, I think, and we've discussed ending it after her birthday, and talked about a new routine we will put in its place

I doubt most people I know are aware that she still BFs. I don't discuss it with the ones who are not parents, as it doesn't come up and frankly isn't that interesting to them.

I appreciate that you have been trying to learn from subsequent posts. But, yes, YABU - you can make your own choices and I wouldn't say a word; formula feed, BF privately, BF publicly, regurgitate in your baby's mouth like a bird - its up to you. This is up to me.

Ha ha you must be feeling brave today OP may I offer you a biscuit?

Repulsive? Really??? Oh FFS.

Personally, I find it weird too. But it's not my boobs, it's not my child, and it's not doing any harm, so it's not worth getting worked up about. Nor is it worth discussing over lunch.

^this

Your tiny newborn doesn't become a strapping 2 year old overnight. They grow, and lots of the time as you're feeding them, you barely even notice it.

Breastfeeding is normal. Not weird, or repulsive, or exceptional or amazing. It's just normal.

MNHQ, good morning. I understand why my post and the posts of others have been removed, however I find the opening op to be a personal attack on me and others who have chosen to bf their children for a prolonged period. Maybe it would be better to remove the entire thread.

I have to admit that before having DD I did find the idea of people bfing toddlers a bit alternative and eye-brow raising...two years later still bfing! Just shows that there is a lot of ignorance about bf, a lot of it because there aren't many people bfing (I didn't know a single person before having DD).

As for forcing the toddler, for me it's the other way round. DD is boob obsessed and recently I had to give up on 'don't offer, don't refuse' because she was bfing too much. We have cut down to 3 times a day, unlimited at night, but it has not been easy!

Have you considered masturbation?

Hmmm.

I personally think it's a little weird, and I do disagree with ppl who say it's normal - I don't think it's particularly normal, but hey, define normal! It's probably a very small % of ppl who bf in total, so by definition won't be normal, as normal implies 'common' to me.

But you know what? Who cares? Really?

If it offends you, don't watch, don't do it. But these mothers are just feeding their children. Not really any of anyone's business other than theirs. :)

BTW, dd was admitted to hospital a couple of times as a toddler, and wouldn't take any food or fluid other than breastmilk. The doctor said that she'd have had to go on a drip if I hadn't still been bfing her. I was so glad that I could provide the comfort that she needed at that time.

I personally think it's a little weird, and I do disagree with ppl who say it's normal - I don't think it's particularly normal, but hey, define normal! It's probably a very small % of ppl who bf in total, so by definition won't be normal, as normal implies 'common' to me.

It might not be "normal" in this country at this particular time, but if you look at the rest of the world, you'll find it's entirely normal human behaviour.

Well, there you go then! It's not 'normal' behaviour for people to see out and about in this country! We're not in the rest of the world. We're in the UK!

I wasn't having a dig. I was just stating the facts. Although trust someone to pick up on the one bit of my comment that could be seen as not pro bf'ing!

You think it's a little weird and not normal frissonpink

Just because you followed it up with a hey ho it's their call doesn't mean that your initial opinion shouldn't be challenged.

I am bf my nearly two year old and know lots of people who bf toddlers and Pre schoolers. For me, now, it feels normal. However, when sil bf my dn as a toddler and older, I found it really difficult to cope with and a bit weird. If you're not used to it, it can seem strange. It isn't "normal" in this country if you take normal to mean something which is common practice. However, it is biologically normal.
So, op, yanbu to feel uncomfortable about something you aren't used to and is still fairly uncommon in this country. However, you would be very unreasonable to suggest I or anyone else should stop.

I don't feel defensive about it, it's just another reminder to me that my "normal" is another person's weird and that I need to be tolerant of things that I am unfamiliar with.

One thing that strikes me reading all this is how "normal" it seems in this culture to have a yardstick for absolutely everything parenting related. Eg "I will give DD her first chocolate biscuit when she is exactly 9 months and 2 weeks old" (I actually know ppl who did this )

Really everything is a lot easier if you just go with the flow, follow the child's lead, and BFing is only one tiny example of that.

What people find repulsive is largely culturally determined. There's no logical reason to be shocked by a two-year old breastfeeding.

Ha this thread is funny.

Op might have been better to ask an open question such as 'How long did you plan to bf for when you were pg with first?'

Don't let it put you off mn though. You will find it a real source of support and info as you go through your pg. Honestly.