breastfeeding at 5 (and above?)

[cleopatracomingatya]

fully expecting to get some extreme opinions here.

www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/7286609/mum-breastfeeds-five-baths-naked-normal-break-stigma/

This is the article (and the bath photo is disturbing enough for me as it is)

interested to see the general consensus on this. AIBU to think this is just... no!!

I’m normally a very each to their own person but I feel all kinds of yuck about this.

It's ridiculous and of absolutely no benefit to the child. It's all about the mother and her emotional dysfunction. Just my opinion, (as a mum who breastfed all of my children for 14 months each), and I don't care who disagrees with me.

Poor child having his picture in a national newspaper.

Oh do jog on you judgmental lot.
It's a natural beautiful thing to do, though I must say I massively disagree with her choice of rag to post this in.
It's the biological norm to breastfeed. Natural term weaning occurs between 4 and 7 years of age when the child loses their milk teeth and therefore their latch.
Of course there is a benefit to the child.
I'm still breastfeeding my 2 year old and will do until he naturally weans. Even if that is another 5 years.

I'm surprised they're so surprised about her bathing naked with her child - surely that is totally normal. My 6 year old jumps in the bath with me if I'm in there.

As for the breastfeeding it's just cultural - most kids will self wean around 3-6. I chucked both mine off at 3 because I wanted my boobs back and I was worried about what other people might think. In other countries they breastfeed for longer and it's fine. I don't think it's necessary though and doesn't have any huge benefits so it wouldn't be something I would go out of my way to do.

I couldn’t do it - I’d feel my personal space was constantly being invaded, and there’s perhaps the possibility the child continues to see mum as simply something available on demand rather than developing a fuller relationship?

Also think that in some cases it’s so much more about fulfilling the mums emotional needs by wanting feel needed - or to keep their child baby-like - for as long as possible.

Completely with you @BunchOfBobs

It’s sad we think of this as disgusting, it’s within the biological normal age for a child to breastfeed.

I opened that afraid it was going to be a friend of mine. She is breast feeding a five year old and three year old with no intention of stopping and if I’m being honest I don’t think it’s needed especially for the eldest child.

I think her wish to normalize extended breastfeeding doesn't override her son's right to privacy.

Children at his school will have seen that article and recognised him. Those pics will still be out there when he gets to secondary school. Did she give a thought to the embarrassment, to say the least, that she was setting him up for?

All shades of strange.

It’s not about it being “needed” it’s about comfort to the child and also distress caused by making them wean.

I would never in a million years share photos with a newspaper though.

It’s completely natural for a mother to fed her child, it’s why we have breasts you know?

Some people are so weird about breast feeding , it’s milk from a mothers breast meant for the child yet it’s ok to feed a child milk from a cow just weird!

@Cookit it's the negative views that disgust me.

Nothing wrong with longer term breastfeeding or bath sharing with little ones.

An awful lot wrong with taking pics of it and putting them in a newspaper.

Each to their own. I support breastfeeding to whatever age both mother and child are happy with. I breastfed until around 2 when pregnancy stopped my milk. Who knows when we'd have stopped.

I think it's a real shame to judge people on this. Breastfeeding rates are pathetic in this country and people's judgements at whatever age of child won't help.

I do disagree with putting it in the paper along with photos of the child.

Just no. This is very off putting. It's all about her and getting attention - hence nude pic in the Sun. Her barriers are all askew and I think naked BF has the potential to cause problems in the child's sexual development. I was aware of sex differences at five. I cuddled my DSs a lot, but never with both of us naked.

’Even breastfeeds naked in the bath’

Clutches pearls NAKED IN THE BATH

Why do you think you find it disturbing op?

But to play Devil's advocate, people would not make the news if a toddler/preschooler has a bottle with milk in. Yet both sets of children are still having some kind of milk....

How much was she paid for flogging her pics to the sun and how's her dd going to feel when she comes across her pic in years to come
Attention seeking at its best
Nothing wrong with bf everything wrong with flogging it

@BunchOfBobs

Yes, I agree with your post.

@Prawnofthepatriarchy

Exactly my feelings, I remember my very first year of school (age 4 I believe as im a summer baby?) I kissed a boy for the first time. I feel coming home to this would have confused me…

Why be so judgey about something so natural? If she and the child want to keep breastfeeding, I don’t see why that’s a problem.

Someone on a previous thread said something along the lines of: isn’t it absurd that we think taking a cow’s breast milk meant for a baby cow and giving it to a human child is fine, but giving human breast milk to a human child is considered strange? I completely agree.

I think other things than breastfeeding are more appropriate for a five year old.

@Littlechocola the photo disturbs me as it shouldn't really be plastered over the sun and im surprised they are legally allowed to

Nothing more heartwarming than a bunch of women bashing another one on the internet. Her kid, her life, her choice.