Breastfeeding a SIX year old - aibu?

[flufffffy]

I was taking to another mother at gymnastics yesterday. She casually mentioned that she sometimes still breastfeeds her SIX year old. That sometimes her six year old will come to her and “have a go” and that she has milk left. I’m not making this up, it really happened, and she wasn’t pulling my leg.

I truly had no idea what to do with my face, so I made it look very polite.

Isn’t this a bit weird? I mean, the six year old will remember it when she’s older, surely?

I want to be told I’m being judgemental and unreasonable - because I feel bad for being so judgmental and horrified!

This child has no younger siblings, btw, so it’s not like she’s doing it because they are.

I have a six year old boy and there’s no way in hell I would occasionally breastfeed him! I breastfed up until he was 18 months, so it’s not like I’m not sympathetic to long-ish term breastfeeding.

The WHO recommend feeding until at least 2 years. What is it about 18 months which you think is ridiculous?

This really happened and I don’t know what to think. I’m not making it up for fun, I just really want to talk about it to help me work out what to think!

My first instinct was to be grossed out, but I don’t know if I’m being too influenced by the formula narrative or sterile sensibilities or something. So I want to ask the internet if my instinct is wrong!

Also, I don’t want to gossip about it in real life because it feels like something the girl could get teased about, but I really want to talk about it to figure out what I think about it!

I told DH who was a bit “that’s strange” and then went on a work call. So mumsnet it is!

I wouldn’t personally breastfeed and 6 yo but if others do then it’s not my business. Not my circus not my monkeys. Families do what’s right for them

@Millie90 NHS recommend BF to age 2 and beyond.

You realise why milk teeth are called milk teeth right? And what age do they start falling out....?

I wouldn't be comfortable BF a 6yo myself but I wouldn't judge a mother that did. Natural term weaning is typically between age 2-7y.

Why on earth do you care so much?!

You are MASSIVELY and unnecessarily other-thinking this.

Why do you have to “work out” what to think?

Why do you need to think anything?

I think mums should feed how they want but it's really depressing hearing people calling others feeding choices gross.

I remember telling my English dentist who was going to prescribe me some antibiotics that I'm breastfeeding my (then) 11 months old and he turned around and said: you're stopping soon? This was 2010 so not ages ago. So the 'even 18 months istoo old to breastfeed' is an attitude I have definitely encountered. I think they have some complex around sexualising breasts and breastfeeding.

6 is very unusual admittedly but with extended breastfeeding you dont just wake up one day and think “they are too old, this is weird!” because they are only a day older than the last time they fed.

I breastfed one of mine to nearly 3, which while much more in the normal range I never expected to do. And looking back at pictures from that age I think now “I can’t believe I was still breastfeeding him then, he was so big!”. But it felt totally natural at the time because it is just one more day after the last day.

What a stupid comment.

The longer you breastfeed your child, the better according to the World Health Organisation.

However, until a child is six maybe pushing it. 😏

wtf? sick

I would expect most 6 year olds to have some front teeth coming through making it impractical. Obviously there's a range of normal with teeth.

You’re comparing extended breastfeeding to the sexual abuse of children?

What a disgusting and shameful thing to say.

Reminds me of Little Britain.. Bitty, bitty..

Can you back this up with scientific, evidence based links please that show there is no benefit.

So I can be educated.

😂

There’s this website called google, try it

I breastfed my ds til he was 6. He was just having a night feed at this stage.
I was teased by my family, I got the whole ‘bitty’ thing chucked at me. It didn’t bother me.
Once a child loses their MILK teeth they generally self wean. This is usually between the age of 2 and 7.
I’m also a trained breastfeeding supporter so I have quite an in depth knowledge of baby feeding and the psychology behind it.

Yack

WHO recommend 2 and beyond. I breastfed till 2, curious what benefit you think a mum is getting out of extended breastfeeding

Filth 🤣🤣

I’m sure there are many mothers out there who are so desperate for you to “respect them” that they’ll be prepared to stop breastfeeding their child.

I doubt any mother gives a shit about whether you respect them or not.

What a really weird thing to say.

At two it’s a biological norm, a WHO recommendation and very normal all over the place. To see it as filth is very very unusual and while your opinions are clearly strong they are factually wrong and deeply unpleasant in their implied critiques of mothers.

Gosh, thinking it's 'absolute filth' really says more about you than anything else. Why are you sexualising it?

Perfectly normal in Mongolia. Makes the strongest wrestlers, they say.

https://www.naturalchild.org/articles/guest/ruth_kamnitzer.html

Fed my first until 2, second until 4.

Actually there is a benefit to extended breastfeeding to both mum and toddler. Breastmilk becomes more concentrated in bug fighting stuff as natural term weaning is approached so it can help fight off the constant bugs. Amongst other benefits.