Attitudes towards breastfeeding a toddler

[Jaffaroo]

My baby is 6 months old and is exclusively breastfed. She was premature and it was quite a struggle to establish feeding but we got there in the end. I’ve had so many positive comments regarding breastfeeding my baby and my husbands family especially have been very supportive of this.

Yesterday, we were at a family party with my husbands family and I had a few people ask when I was planning on stopping, which surprised me. They said that my baby is too grown up now to be breastfeeding. Later on, an aunt asked me how long I planned on breastfeeding for. I said that I have no plans and will take it as it comes and said that the world health organisation recommend breastfeeding for up to 2 years and beyond.

This was met with gasps of horror, laughs and shocked comments from some family members. Even my husband chimed in ‘you can’t breastfeed a 2 year old, that’s just weird’ which really surprised me! His aunts all joined in, echoing how ridiculous it would be to breastfeed a 2 year old.

I find it interesting that breastfeeding is celebrated until they deem the baby is getting too big or too old for it.

AIBU to be quite shocked at the change in attitude towards breastfeeding all of a sudden now that my baby is a bit older?

I fed my boy until 3.5, just really at night by the end. His last feed was when I was in labour with my second...then she owned the books for the next 1.5 years. Sure a child needs formula or breast milk alongside solids for one year so if its going well and you still want to do it t would seem silly to switch to formula

I had all those comments too, even more so as he got older. I really struggled in the beginning but was too stubborn to give. Many people do give up and some might feel that still years later. You're doing great as it can be very hard, but very rewarding!!

They can have a balanced diet and still breastfeed. They don't tend to do it as often anyway as they get older.

Can't see the harm personally.

Not one of my three ever had an ear infection, has asthma/allergies/eczema etc. They only very rarely had a V&D infection, and they didn't get coughs and colds the way other kids did. They have always been amazingly healthy, which was great for us as working parents.

I don't know if BF created that situation but I wouldn't be surprised.

I flicked my sons cheek gently. Said no biting. Waited 5 mins. He stopped biting

Why do you think your GP said that to you?

Then resumed feeing him*

@Sometimeswinning

Generally you remove them from the nipple, make their behaviour known and and unwanted and that any continuation will receive the same

It's not fucking hard to learn, babies get it. Duh

Are you asking this question in good faith?

You teach your baby to stick their tongue out over their bottom teeth before latching on. There's a technique to it. You do this technique as soon as the first teeth emerge, so they learn not to bite while feeding.

Do you think the millions of mums who breastfeed older babies/toddlers with teeth are just getting bitten multiple times a day everyday?!

I absolutely agree.

I breast-fed for 2.5yrs but I would say, it's nit that common. I also think after 1, you need to keep this to the house. After 6 months, you don't need to feed for hunger, it's only fir nutrition so you don't need to do it in public.

Of course you would. What absolute bollocks

Nah, I was just too lazy to wean him off. When I could just pick him up and breastfeed him and he'd be instantly calm or would fall asleep within a few minutes, it was hard to find the motivation to stop. He decided to stop himself when he was 3.

I still BF my 14 month old (who is the size of a 2 year old as he’s tall) but tbf at this point I don’t feed him during the day as he’s in childcare then and expressing enough milk for him became impossible as my body simply wouldn’t produce enough and so he has follow on formula or cows milk during the day and breast milk before bed / in the night if he wakes / in the morning.

i did the same with my eldest until he was 1.5 years.

honestly, I couldn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks and it’s your choice so keep going if you want to.

I also think after 1, you need to keep this to the house.

Why?!

I disagree. Past 1 feed where ever you like

That’s sad 😔 and like rolling back time 30 years

When in actual fact, it's the toddler who doesn't want to give up bf - IME. I decided that enough was enough when my DS turned 2, but it did involve tears - on his part, not mine. DD on the other hand self-weaned off it at about 18 months.

As far as I'm aware, breastfeeding doesn't have much benefit once babies are on solids and eating a varied diet. The WHO recommendation for two years is mainly based on developing countries where they worry young kids aren't getting good nutrition through their solid foods.

I'm in my early 60s but thanks for the compliment lol! 😂

I can certainly. It's actually remarkably easy! I removed the breast, said "no" quite sternly, and waited a few seconds before offering the breast again.

Worked very quickly on all three of mine.

Toddlers biting at nursery is a different matter. I wasn't there to deal with it and nursery staff can't actually tap them gently on the nose!

Eldest was bitten (can't remember but think she might have bitten once too), youngest was nearly friggin' 4 and bit her sister!!! Don't remember any biting with the youngest but that might have been lost in the mists of time.

YANBU to breastfeed your child as you see fit.

YANBU to be rankled by family feeling so free to express their opinions to you on how you choose to feed your child but you are being unreasonable to pretend that breastfeeding beyond 6 months isn’t outside of current western societal norms (regardless of what you think the norms should be or what is recommended by WHO)

Your husband should not have been joining in with the comments, I can’t believe he didn’t support you.

I can't believe that people are actually on this thread saying that mums of over 1s need to stay at home to breastfeed. Huh?! Next you'll be saying women shouldn't drive or have jobs

I agree and I am just sorry I never had the balls to feed in public at any age. Instead I skulked in the back of my car, or in the Mothercare feeding room if not at home.

Hopefully someone can find something useful from your comment. (I couldn’t have flicked my babies so it wouldn’t have worked for me.)

I understand, some people definitely seem judgy about it. My youngest will be 2 this month and he's still feeding, he was premature as well and it's a mission to get it established with a prem baby so well done to you- keep going as long as it works for you and your baby :)

Well you're spouting bollocks too lol!

I disagree and I breastfed my DC for about a year.