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?

@elephantonacid

No need to breastfeed when the baby is past 12 months old. It looks odd when I see anyone breastfeeding a child who is 2 years + Although like with women on here who say they had a baby at 44-45, I never see this in real life.

THAT is my opinion.

Fed my daughter until she was five, I weaned her. Son until four when my milk went. Tandem for three years. They don’t remember it now, although it was very important to them at the time.

I didn’t care what anyone else thought. Nobody really knew past about 3 anyway as it was mostly for comfort as they got older. It was right for my kids and for me so nobody else’s opinion was relevant.

Thank you. I really appreciate that response especially more so knowing you had limited time.
The rut and routine part is ringing true for us. Over the past fortnight we’ve limited bf to night time so I’m hoping we are on the road to the end. Then I’ll miss it and pine for these days back! 😆

I think I would find it weird for a child older than 5-6. Just that age were they generally start being a bit more independent and having their own lives.

Personally, I stopped feeding both mine a few months after they were 2. I was fed up of it. I think they would have liked to continue - the four year old still reminisces now and sometimes I miss it too!

Oh dear, did I upset you with a negative comment on how people feed their kids? Bowl me over with a feather.

It's the same shit. Comments on if they're able to ask for it then they're to old isn't very nice. It's none of anyone's business. Mother's get beat up from all angles, that shit needs to stop.

Here are a few things that I do remember doing as a child, which are genuinely disgusting -
Eating a whole bowl of the cat's food
Licking the asphalt in the school playground
Putting the cat's paws in my mouth
Doing 'experiments' with my brother's wee, to try to make it smell nice 😶

Heh they say that we as adults just 'know' how something inedible tastes because we likely licked it as little kid. Gets stored away in some part of the brain. Always tickled me

I mean in what world does anyone think it’s acceptable for a 6 year old to have a dummy or a bottle of formula?
Such a pointless comparison when it’s not even true.

That it? Oh my aching feelz. Bless your heart man.

There's lots of good guidance on slow and gentle weaning, but my opinion is that if they're still very keen and you're very not, the only humane thing to do for both of you is to just say no and then comfort them through the re

Sorry, comfort them through the resulting distress, just as you would comfort them when they get upset about anything else, but acknowledging what a big feeling it is - lots of hugs, empathy, naming feelings, offering alternatives, accepting anger (but not violence!), and just ride it out. You absolutely own your body and shouldn't have to feed if you don't want to!!

Wow bitchy much?

It’s supposed to be when they are getting adult teeth isn’t it when it needs to end?

That’s the only time I’d find it weird.. if a child was losing their latch due to having adult teeth and the mother was finding it painful and uncomfortable but nevertheless kept persevering… I’d probably just wonder why she was bothering when nature was telling her to stop.

I fed mine longer than most but probably not as long as many in extended / natural term breastfeeding groups as I did end it myself rather than waiting for them to be ready. The one thing I’ve learnt is that I knew when it was enough. Both times I pretty much woke up and knew that I couldn’t do it any longer. I went with my instincts.

Who is breastfeeding a 6 year old? 😂 🤫 You think nothing of a 2 or 3 year old having a dummy at night, but bf past 12 months is wrong. Shows how utterly simple you are 😉

I have zero issue with breastfeeding a 2 or 3 year old. But it is not true about dummies. Mothers are discouraged from using dummies as soon as teeth start to come through.

I wouldn’t know what the advice is surrounding dummies as none of my children ever had one. But I do know I’ve seen 100s more 2 and 3 year olds running around with a plastic dummy in their mouth than I have seen 2 and 3 year olds being bf. Im the only person I’ve ever seen in rl bf a 3 year old in public 😉

What people do and what is advised is often different.

Well actually a lot of the discussion was around the age of 5-7 being natural weaning.

Where did I say bfing past 12 months was wrong?

Maybe read the posts you are actually replying to and quoting before getting nasty and calling people “simple” when you are the one who lacks simple reading comprehension.

Dummy-usage advice varies & subject to change. It was quite hardline 'never' when my DS was born, but I think recently this has softened to 'after BFing is established, but before teeth come in'. Otherwise can cause issues with speech/teeth.

My friends child was having a dummy at night at nearly six, possibly older. I only know because we stayed over with them one night.

Not something they broadcast, but equally the child is perfectly fine physically, mentally, socially, emotionally - so I don't see any issue with that at all.

(a) After the baby has teeth.

(b) If it is restricting your life too much.

(c) If you carry on after you've got fed up with doing it (see b).

Dummies seem fine for some kids, but cause speech and issues with teeth for other kids. That is why they say not to use a dummy when teeth start coming in.

I’d say about 2 in my opinion. I did it until 18 months. When they don’t need milk anymore I don’t think it’s necessary but that’s just my opinion!

I'd say around 2 to 2.5

Everything has a stage. At some point you just move on.

I know a couple people who still suck their thumb as an adult.

My baby's first teeth came through at 3 months old.