Do you have any opinions on how long is 'too long' to breastfeed your child?

[elephantonacid]

Feeling awfully judged and wondering if anyone has an opinion on this?

I wish you could see the irony in your argument. You believe that toddlers need dairy, but that BF them is 'grim' ? So they need milk from another species, but not milk from their own species?

I think it is harder to cut off BF when they’re a bit older and I think people don’t want to hassle of it when its easier just to carry on

I'm struggling to see what the issue is with this or why it might be 'grim'.

Many babies are only starting on solid food at 6 months. DS wouldn't have been ready to give up milk until well over one.

Well I’m not a vegan so I don’t see anything wrong in diary. But there are lots of alternatives if you don’t agree. And it’s more about the method of delivery than the actual milk. Having a glass of breast milk until later in childhood I guess I would find less ick than breastfeeding. But that would defy the point as it’s about the process of breastfeeding that people want to continue rather than giving the child the milk. So yes. I would also disagree with drinking cows milk straight from the cow.

It's the word 'grim', Cornflakes. Seems an odd choice of word when discussing mothers feeding their child. Or giving their child affection.

Can you indicate where you've seen WHO guidance of up to 7 years? Not saying you're wrong, just that I can only find guidance that mentions from 0 up to 23 months. www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/breastfeeding

Ok. Maybe that sounds a bit insulting, so sorry. I suppose it’s just how it feels to me. I’m not anti breastfeeding and did it myself. I just feel ick when I hear about people doing it over 2. The OP asked for opinions and that’s mine. Not sure of a better word really, it’s just a feeling that it’s not the right thing to do.

If they can ask for it, they're too old to have it IMO. But then, I don't want to breastfeed and plan on FF from birth so I'm probably the other extreme!

My first self weened at around 19 - 2O months and my second breast fed until 3.5 but mostly only at night. I was ready to stop then and he didn’t mind. I think some people thought it was weird but whatever, not my problem.

Babies can ask for it. If you're breastfeeding, it needs to be done up to age 1, minimum. Many babies will sign for it, or use their own action to indicate they want fed, many under 1s can babble or even say a word for it. My first asked for "booby" before his 1st birthday. 😅

Ask for it in what way? With language? So you believe a 10 month old is too old for breastfeeding then? How peculiar.

Mine were 2 1/2, 3 and 5. None of that was too long.

10 years def too long. Yes I know someone who did that. They weren’t british

It is the other end of the extreme. I pity babies who don't get colostrum. Their tummy's aren't designed for proper milk straight away and they miss out on a massive antibody boost. So I kinda understand the ick to natural term breastfeeding when you look at different opinions.

All in all though, it's no buggers business what people do with their own kids.

Yes I do think it's odd the whole squeamishness around breastfeeding for security when dummies are totally seen as normal everywhere and they're also suckling for comfort!

I BF my daughter til she was nearly 4. I never told people as I was aware of such judgement. My daughter took great comfort from it before bed and it was part of our routine. She also never got sick or had antibiotics.

in order to finally stop, I bribed her with a toy!

its now a few years later and I don’t regret it, I was responding to her needs and she is now super confident and happy!

don’t worry about the judgement of others - it normally says more about them than you - it’s you and your child so do what feels right

Yes I do think it's odd the whole squeamishness around breastfeeding for security when dummies are totally seen as normal everywhere and they're also suckling for comfort!

They're not seen as normal, though. As many on this thread have said, they would question a child with a dummy at a similar sort of age to when they would question breastfeeding.

@MaybeIWillFuckOffThen because Who as an adult wants to remember when they used to breastfeed? I know I wouldnt anyway but each to their own..

Oh cmon now, no one is this ignorant, a lot of women enjoy it, get comfort from it, feel close to their child from it. Many of us are mothers here, don’t kid the kidders, it doesn’t work.

Wow 7?? Really? I have a 7 year old nephew and I couldn’t imagine him playing for his football team on a Saturday morning, going to his badminton lesson in the afternoon then home for a breastfeed. Is this true do people actually breastfeed kids in year 2/3 at school?

Thanks, but my baby doesn't need your pity. Also, that was mean 😮

I pity babies who don't get colostrum

That's an unhelpful thing to say. There’s all sorts of reasons why for somebbabies getting colostrum is not possible. ☹️

Before I had children I said I'd do it for 6 months then stop. My DD stopped by her own accord at the age of 4 years and 7 months before she started school. She was ready and by the end it was just at bedtimes. I didn't talk about it in real life but it really was the most natural thing ever and something I will cherish forever.

When I read about the composition of breast milk and how it changes via messages sent from the saliva it blows my mind. Yes they may be on solids but what solid food is there that has such magical properties as breast milk?! I just treated it like an extra (free) vitamin gummy alongside her normal diet.

On a thread full of people judging breastfeeding past a certain age, and making all sorts of strange and nasty assumptions about why it happens, what @gamerchick said wasn't out of line.
She is allowed to pity babies who don't get colostrum as much as other posters are allowed to think people feeding past a certain age is "weird". It goes both ways - you can't criticise people, expect them to take it in good humour, then be offended when the same happens in reverse.

Grim?!
What is wrong with breasts being used for comfort?