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 feel sorry for the mothers who breastfeed older children. I agree it’s about giving the mother comfort more than the child. None will admit that though.

Second year of life is not really extended breastfeeding though. And all those nutritional requirements could be met in another way

No - but do you really think all of those nutrients suddenly become obsolete at a certain age?? Of course not. Even if those percentages are halved, it’s still providing nutritional benefit!

And yes, they could get hose nutrients elsewhere.... but why should they when they’re so readily and easily available to the child? And even tailored for them? Is it the packaging you disagree with? Would you prefer some gummy bear vitamins??

I feel sorry for the mothers who breastfeed older children. I agree it’s about giving the mother comfort more than the child. None will admit that though

How clever of you to know just exactly what other people are thinking and turn that from opinion to fact 🙄

feel sorry for the mothers who breastfeed older children. I agree it’s about giving the mother comfort more than the child. None will admit that though

None would admit it because it’s bollocks.

OMG I can never unsee this now!

I know someone who is CONSTANTLY posting photos on facebook and instagram and twitter of her breastfeeding her kids - 3 y.o boy and 4 y.o. girl. Telling us how perfectly normal it is and how acceptable it should be, and getting very irate with anyone who says the photos are too graphic. Weird, attention-seeking behaviour.

Having a poo is normal and acceptable, shall I post photos on social media of me doing that?

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.

100% this. It's actually quite vile.

'Extended breastfeeding' is fine - up to when the child is around 18 months to 2 years old ... (if you don't work and are able to do it.) But still breastfeeding the child when they are school age is odd... And allowing a picture of yourself naked in the bath, with your child (who is ALSO NAKED!) to be published in a shitty tabloid, is just wrong on so many levels.

I do agree also, with the posters who say this is about what the mother wants, as there is absolutely no reason on the planet to breastfeed any child past a year old.

@Namechangingagainjustbecause

You probably shouldn't be on a public message forum if you can't stand seeing views and opinions different to your own, and see fit to attack and berate anyone who doesn't share your viewpoint.

That is extended to anyone else attacking people, who think what this woman has done is wrong, and that there is no need to still be breastfeeding a child when they are 5!

There is no research at all to show extended breastfeeding provides negative or positive psychological benefits

Exactly - there is no research. Maybe if there was, it would prove that there is some nutritional and emotional benefit?

I agree it’s about giving the mother comfort more than the child.

Is this based on anything other than "I believe breastfeeding is only for little babies, so therefore any mother feeding an older child is trying to keep them as a little baby"?

I do agree also, with the posters who say this is about what the mother wants, as there is absolutely no reason on the planet to breastfeed any child past a year old

You are wrong. Completely and utterly wrong.

'Extended breastfeeding' is fine - up to when the child is around 18 months to 2 years old ... (if you don't work and are able to do it.)

Why 'if you don't work'? I went back to work at 5 months and was still breastfeeding past 2 years.

This seems to be part of the issue: breastfeeding in the UK is mostly only for tiny infants, so people assume that breastfeeding an older child is like breastfeeding a 3-week-old.

Why do you need to not work to bf a toddler? I worked full time and still fed mine. And of course there are lots of benefits to feedings an over one year old! Not least because there is simply nothing wrong with it, and it’s what the child wants (if he didn’t want it you couldn’t do it).
You sound very ignorant, butterflysugarbaby.

I wouldn't do it, it's not for me, but if others want to do extended breastfeeding that's up to them. I have no problem with it - each to their own, live and let live and all that..

But having photos in a newspaper and posting online? That's disgusting, vile and selfish. That's all about the mother attention seeking and not having one jot of consideration for her child who will have these photos follow them forever.

'Extended breastfeeding' is fine - up to when the child is around 18 months to 2 years old ... (if you don't work and are able to do it.)

So I should give up breastfeeding my toddler because I have a job? I don't believe breastfeeding an under two could possibly be classed as 'extended breastfeeding'. But then, I'm not really comfortable with that term at all. I prefer 'natural term breastfeeding'. Extended implies it is beyond the biological norm.

I do find it sad that we live in a society where many people would be more comfortable seeing a toddler with a can of coke than they would breastfeeding.

@Rebecca36 this article can't be real can it ??

when a baby sucks on a woman’s breast she experiences a bit of sexual pleasure. When a man does it, she receives even more pleasure because the breast is sensitive to facial hair, and now that my son Mason is old enough to grow facial hair, our breastfeeding sessions have become even more pleasurable for me.
I’ve even been encouraging my son to not shave because it feels even better when I feed him in public and I can feel his beard coming in.
--
I'm afraid it is. There are some odd people about.

@Rebecca36 if that article is 10000% factual then I find it completely disgusting!! That mother is admitting she gets a sexual pleasure from her son breastfeeding ?! That is completely vile and perverse!! gosh could you imagine a father admitting that anything he does with his daughter gives him sexual pleasure?! He would be arrested!

That article is clearly parody. Not particularly funny. But not real.

Jesus H Christ.

I'm afraid it is. There are some odd people about.

eh?

From the same author:
Read This If Your Child Was Eaten By A Pelican
Everyone Knows Virgos Are Rapists, But Why?
Hey Liberals: If The Stomach And the Vagina Aren't Connected, How The Hell Did My Son Get Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

Of course it's not factual, you gullible numpty.

If the child is happy doing it then it's ok. However this woman is dreadful posting a pic of herself and son in bath. Dreadful publicity seeking idiot.

Is this based on anything other than "I believe breastfeeding is only for little babies, so therefore any mother feeding an older child is trying to keep them as a little baby"?

I never said that. Why try and make out I said something I didn't. I simply said that when women breastfeed their kids past 3-4 years old, that it is for the benefit of them, and not the child, as there is no reason to feed them past a year old. And I am not wrong when I say there is no need to breastfeed them past a year old. There is no reason on earth to.

I do find it sad that we live in a society where many people would be more comfortable seeing a toddler with a can of coke than they would breastfeeding.

I said school aged child - 5 y.o. (and older,) NOT a toddler. Don't make stuff up to suit your agenda.

But yeah I WOULD rather see a FIVE YEAR OLD with a can of coke than see him NAKED, suckling his NAKED mother's breast in a shitty tabloid..

Also, I don't know a single female in real life, who breastfeeds their baby past 6 months old, when they have a full time job/career... So yeah it really is only possible long-term if you don't work. I know a bunch of posters will come on and insist THEY do it/did it, but I find it very hard to believe this tbh.

@jackietheduck

I feel sorry for the mothers who breastfeed older children. I agree it’s about giving the mother comfort more than the child. None will admit that though.

You were right about that. No-one will admit it.

Of course it's not factual, you gullible numpty

Is this based on anything other than "I believe breastfeeding is only for little babies, so therefore any mother feeding an older child is trying to keep them as a little baby"?

I never said that. Why try and make out I said something I didn't. I simply said that when women breastfeed their kids past 3-4 years old, that it is for the benefit of them, and not the child, as there is no reason to breast feed them past a year old. And I am not wrong when I say there is no need to breastfeed them past a year old. There is no reason on earth to.

I do find it sad that we live in a society where many people would be more comfortable seeing a toddler with a can of coke than they would breastfeeding.

I said school aged child - 5 y.o. (and older,) NOT a toddler. Don't make stuff up to suit your agenda.

But yeah I WOULD rather see a FIVE YEAR OLD with a can of coke than see him NAKED, suckling his NAKED mother's breast in a shitty tabloid..

Also, I don't know a single female in real life, who breastfeeds their baby past 6 months old, when they have a full time job/career... So yeah it really is only possible long-term if you don't work. I know a bunch of posters will come on and insist THEY do it/did it, but I find it very hard to believe this tbh. wink

@jackietheduck

I feel sorry for the mothers who breastfeed older children. I agree it’s about giving the mother comfort more than the child. None will admit that though.

You were right about that. No-one will admit it.

And I am not wrong when I say there is no need to breastfeed them past a year old. There is no reason on earth to

Wrong. There are plenty of reasons to bf after a year. The main one being because the mother and child WANT to.

who breastfeeds their baby past 6 months old, when they have a full time job/career... So yeah it really is only possible long-term if you don't work

I have a full time job and career and still breastfeeding my 11 month old.

But since you’re an expert on all things bf’ing I must be making it up.

No YOU are wrong ethel.

No valid or logical need at ALL to carry on breastfeeding a child past one year old.

You would be doing it for YOURSELF.

As I said, I know NO-ONE in real life who still breastfeeds their child when they are back at full time work. Only on the parallel universe of mumsnet.

Also, no need to feed them past a year old. You are WRONG.