To be bothered by this comment re extended breastfeeding?

[bingbangbing]

Possibly being a bit sensitive but it has slightly changed how I view someone I considered a friend.

Met up with a mum friend i hadn't seen in awhile. General chat about how our kids were doing, sleeping, nursery etc

She asked how long I breastfed my son for, I answered truthfully that we stopped when he was two.

Her reply was well "it clearly didn't do him any harm!" And burst out laughing.

AIBU to find this a bit hurtful?

Why upset?
I proudly state that I breastfed until my sons 3rd birthday. PROUDLY.

I would probably have challenged that if I was made to feel upset or any other emotion.

But then I don’t give a second thought to other people’s opinions on what I chose to do with my child.

I would never ever ask for their opinion as I don’t care what they think.
No need to be upset, your pride and 2 years of effort should completely overshadow one seconds worth of a comment and laughter.

It’s like one raindrop on a bright sunny day, it’s that insignificant.

No, describing this feeding choice as “creepy” is nasty and you know it. It reflects badly on you, especially on a thread that is inevitably full of women who did feed longer than eg 1yo.

Exactly this.

The insinuations about sons are disgusting btw.

I think she's being ironic! Chill out, you don't sound very hippy like!!

Bloody hell after reading all this you sound like hard bloody work

2 is hardly extended breastfeeding.

Well that escalated! 😆

I've heard that expression said a few times hun and it's always been meant (in the context I've heard it anyway) as a compliment. Meaning he looks well, healthy etc 👍

Saylwhat - I find your existence creepy and offensive.

I bet you would find my family pretty offensive - my first 2 daughters were breastfed until 5yrs old (they stopped with some encouragement as I'd really had had enough by then), my son is still breastfeeding aged 3 and does not appear minded to stop. Apart from the initial few months (after the 3months of hell I had to go through with my first child before we got the hang of things) I never found it particularly beautiful. Useful and something I felt my children were benefiting from yes, but also incredibly tiring and frustrating at times especially going through pregnancy at the same time. I did what I felt was best for my children. Surely that's what we all do.
As a general rule twomenrld is also telling you that your opinion is weird - whilst breastfeeding rates are sadly very low in the UK, if you will find that in many places in the world it is the norm to breastfeed children past the age of 2.
You are entitled to your opinions but it would be good if you could look into it a bit more and certainly avoid voicing them to young women/vulnerable women that would be great. It's hard enough supporting breastfeeding in the UK without people like you undermining it.

That weird word should be "the world" ..

I always think people who describe it as "creepy", are... creepy. Like, what's going on in a persons mind to find it creepy? Do they think it's somehow... sexual? I find that really alarming that a persons brain would go there. Makes me think either maybe something bad has happened to them as a child, god forbid, and it triggers them, or they're just a bit... deviant?!

I’m certain that poster is on a wind-up - you wouldn’t come onto a thread filled with women who have breastfed past 1 or 2yo and announce that you find it “creepy” and try to link it to threads about mothers and older sons without having a wind-up agenda. The “just my personal opinion, nothing to do with me” get-out is the clincher.

I'm basically your stereotypical sling-wearing hippy and she is more career driven. Sorry I can't get past this. I wear a sling, breastfed my first until he was 2 and I am breastfeeding my second aged 4 months. I also have a good career which I started to return to a few weeks ago. Please stop the stereotyping, it damages women.

and are now acting like you had wasps for dinner.

I just don’t get why people care (a) what other do in terms of feeding their child and (b) about perceived slights which may or may not be contained in comments from others. Why is it such a sensitive subject.

This comment could be taken any number of ways. Why not just ask her what she means ? If you think so badly of your friend that you think she’s judging you, focus on other friends.

OP though really - if you’re happy with your choice who gives a flying f*ck ?

Oh, the irony.
OP is told to not be so over sensitive, to stop overthinking etc.
Then the same posters get over sensitive because of OP's choice of words.
Priceless.

I have already said that I dislike the term" extended BF", that's not to say I find it insulting in any way, just inaccurate.
But yes, call me a hippy, call me career driven, and I'm fine with it.
I fail to see how these are bad things.
And yes of course you can be both, just like they can also, sometimes, be opposite.
Sure, career driven doesn't describe a parenting style in any way.
But why be outraged by this?

It is just , like extended BF, an inaccurate statement. By all means ask for clarification, point out that it doesn't make sense, but no need to be quite so aggressive with OP.

I don't know how anyone can accuse op of being unreasonable. Her friend is obviously judging her, or inferring that other people would, ie that 2 years is too long. "And there's nothing wrong with him", clearly implies that there should be.

It's none of her business. She sounds like a patronising cow to me.

SnoozyLou it could just as easily be that yes, friend knows people judge BFing a toddler, and she is pointing out that OP has proven them wrong.

@RunForBurritos No idea what you're on about love. If someone wants to breastfeed their 2 year old, they can crack on in my book. I don't see anything wrong with it personally, but that isn't my point. Point is, it really isn't anyone's business.

Be confident in what you did and resilient.

It sounds like a positive throw away comment. I wouldn't worry about it.