to think that allowing a six year old to suck her mothers breasts when she has NOT been breast feeding for years is wrong?

[toffetwist]

I have a friend. Who recently told me that she lets her 6 year old child suck her breasts. She is not breast feeding her and has not for years.

I am disturbed. Am I right to be? What do I do?

[thisisyesterday]

no, i don't think it is wrong.

I can remember asking my mum if I could breastfeed when I was about 5 lol. I just wondered what it was like. my mum said she had no milk left, but I pestered her for a while about it.

aaaanyway, like others have said, many people who breastfeed for a long time will let a weaned child suckle if they request it., nothing wrong with that.

[theSuburbanDryad]

Masturbation has nothing to do with breastfeeding. It would have - maybe - something to do with abuse.

You are a bit odd, toffeenose, or whatever your name is.

(YABU - btw)

[thisisyesterday]

well said suburbandryad

[toffetwist]

I said nothing about Masturbation, YOU DID.

Just to recap my friend in NOT BREAST FEEDING.

[Hecate]

FLUB it's lovely, isn't it.

[thisisyesterday]

yes.... tsd said that if the mother was doing that whilst forcing child to suckle you may have reason to be concerned.

as it is you have no idea what is going on. you are assuming that she is somehow abusin g her child by allowing her to nurse.

which is a slight overreaction on your part.

[theSuburbanDryad]

Fio - "This 'speaking as a mother' then - is it a metaphor for "Talking out of my arse""

(Bill Bailey)

Sorry - couldn't resist.

I mentioned the masturbation to make it obvious how ridiculous i thought the whole thing.

Toffee - who are you to say she is not breastfeeding? She may not be lactating but she is obviously nursing her child. You have issues with that - and I'm curious why.

[StellaDallas]

I STILL want the OP to tell us what she thinks is wrong with this situation and what she thinks she ought to do about it.

[Lauriefairycake]

if this was extended breast feeding then I have no problem

but I think she needs to find another way to satisfy her daughter's emotional needs rather than re-starting to nurse her now, 4 years later.

[thisisyesterday]

no, meant an overreaction on toffetwist's part. assuming a child is being abused just because the mother nurses her.

[thisisyesterday]

but Laurie the OP has no idea how long the friend has breastfed for. just because she knows she breastfed until the child was 2 doesn't mean that that is when she stopped.
I know several people who have carried on with a bedtime feed or morning feed until their children were around 5ish. no-one else knew, because no-one else needed to.
don't assume that you know when she finished breastfeeding.
and even if she did stop BF a while ago that doesn't mean it is wrong of her to allow her child to nurse now does it???

[theSuburbanDryad]

Fio - i take it you've not watched Bill Bailey's "Part Troll" then?

[Lauriefairycake]

but I can only go on what the op says

like you can with all threads

so.....if baby was breastfed til 2, then stopped, and then she restarted to nurse her 4 years later then my point applies

I can't second guess someone elses posts - just go on the info they provide

[theSuburbanDryad]

And - Fio - just because you wouldn't agree to nurse your older child does not mean no-one should.

I can't say that i would, if i'm honest. My ds is 18 months, so I can't say how I'll feel in 4.5 years' time if he wants to nurse again.

Perhaps the mother is just fulfilling the emotional needs of her dd the quickest and easiest way she knows how? Perhaps she's doing it because her dd asked her to?

I'm still curious why you would have such an issue with it though Toffee?

[thisisyesterday]

maybe, maybe not. if the child has asked to nurse and the mother has no problem with it, then why does everyone else feel they ought to have a problem with ti????

and that is, of course, assuming that the op has her facts right. which she may not

[toffetwist]

facts are 100% right.

As there is no milk and has not been for years I think it is wrong.It would seem that most people on this forum also agree with me.
However hearing conflicting views has helped me to feel less concernd and less isolated.

Thank you to all for your opinions.

I now have a clear idea of what I will do.

[Kelix]

Sounds a little strange to me

NOt sure that I would feel comfortable with a six YO sucking my breasts, unless I was still breast feeding. IMO there are easier and less unusual ways to nurse/settle a 6 YO.

Each to thier own I guess but

[daddymarv]

Hi Toffetwist. I've been lurking with some curiosity about this thread. It does not seem to me that most posters agree with your view. Anyway, what will you do next? Please do tell!