To think BF-ing a 2yr old is, um, weird?

[Lucy85]

Well what do you think? I know it's a very emotive subject, but I've seen it a couple of times and it makes me come over all strange.
I BFed my baby exclusively until 7 months when I went back to work, but the thought of doing it now is just plain odd, - not wrong, it's just I can't imagine doing it to someone who can walk, talk, get their own drinks, eats proper food and is too big to lie sideways on my lap.

BF DC1 for 10 days the formula fed made to feel like shit about it. BF DD til she was 27 months old treated like some kind of weirdo you just can't win.

LOl at comment about bf a 2 year old being unhealthy. I havent read something that funny on mumsnet for ages.

Where are we digging these people up from?

I hate the assumption that young mums don't BF. I'm 23 BTW, 19 when TTCing our first.

Argh. At my support group someone was saying they'd registered a young mum (16 maybe?) and her MW had told her "you will be FFing" and the poor girl actually had to argue her right to try and BF? FFS (she did go on to BF though IIRC)

sorry that's the subject for another thread I suppose. I just think that assuming young mums will FF is very damaging.

Mathsmadmummy I agree a few of my friends tried bf but were given no support because they were going to fail anyway being young. My one friend was desperate to try breastfeeding but was told her boobs were sore while pg so she couldn't do it . she got clued up and bf dc2 though .

hobnobs sums it up pretty well. damned if you do, damned if you don't. whose rule book, exactly, are we supposed to be living by?

Not had chance to read all this thread but for me, I feel strongly that if you can and DC wants to, then following the WHO regulations which say to BF to the age of 2yo, is hugely beneficial.

I fully accept though that things are never that simple and if - for the overall benefit of the DS - BF is not best, then the mum should not be made to feel like a bad mum. Someone once said to me, the main thing is to feed the baby. How you do it is for you and the baby to determine.

DS is currently 13mo and I am still happy BFing. He generally feeds on waking and at bedtime.

One observation I have made though is that you cannot force a baby (or I'm guessing a toddler!) to BF. All this talk of mum's BF a toddler for their own selfish reasons is rubbish.

I am still half-PMSL and half- at the idea that BFing past 1 is 'unhealthy'. Eeeeeeerm hello, go ask the WHO. I think they'd know.

to whoever said BFing to 1yo is adequate - yes, it is. in fact it's bloody brilliant in the UK, a BF 1yo is unusual and it's great to get that far. but why not carry on? that's better than adequate. if it ain't broke...

Who could possibly think that BF beyond 12mo is unhealthy ??!!!
That's nearly as bad a so-called "expert" on GMTV a few months ago that compared BFing a toddler to giving them coca-cola to drink!

I heard about that! she's right you know, my DS is a caffeine junkie because of my milk

Yes!

DD3 is only 3 months old and I am already being asked by family (BIL, FIL), "how long do you have to do that for" as if it's really a bit of a nuisance for everyone. BFed for 7 months with my other 2 DDs but I might carry on for longer this time. This thread has been very informative. It does matter because it's such a taboo in our society and it would good to change that - this type of discussion can play a part. It certainly encourages me to try and BF for longer... although I'm still not sure I would be brave enough to do it in public.

Oh Crikey I cannot be arsed to read this whole blardy thread, but yes OP, breastfeeding a huge toddler is absolutely terrible, I don't give a SHITE whether other people do it or not but I wish MY three year old would learn to drink cow's milk because I really don't enjoy it.

Now get lost will you.

ReneRusso - congratulations on your DD and on getting to 3mo BF!
I also had comments from really early on about how long I was going to BF for but now DS is 13mo, I think everyone realises that I've done the best thing for me and DS. (Either that or they don't ask about whether I'm still BF as they don't want to hear the truth!)

Am BF my 9 month old. In my Mothers country it's the norm to BF. Most people I know here in the UK either FF or breast feed for a short time. I didn't realise that a natural act could be an issue. I will BF for as long as my baby wants my milk. Respect to those who manage to feed for such a long time

Who in hell has the right to comment (or not) on whether a mother breastfeeds her child beyond some kind of imaginary cut off date? If the circumstances are such that the child wants to continue feeding and the mother is willing and able to keep up the supply then so what?

I've read some crap in my time, and there's plenty of it on this thread. I'm no lentil eating earth mother, far from it, but I bf both my kids well beyond the toddling stage.

Never suffered any embarrassment from it, never got criticised for it, if I bf in public it was all very discreet and half the time no-one noticed. And if they had I wouldn't give a tinker's cuss anyway.

It's my child, my decision .. same as it's all of yours. There's nothing weird or abnormal about it.

It's personal. End of.

I don't give a monkey's whether people want to bf their toddlers or not - up to them.

However, I don't understand people who counterargue that it's weird to give infants 'milk for baby calves/milk from a cow's udder' etc.
Humans have been using animal products for 1000s of years - there is nothing weird about it, surely?

Why, only this morning I had baby calves' milk on my weetabix. And sometimes I have scrapings from a bee's house on my toast. And sometimes I have an unfertilised chicken's ovum, scrambled with butter...guess I'm just a weirdo.

Anyway, sorry for the off-topic...as you were.

Fontella, I couldn't have put it better myself.

just to cheer up all of us weirdos here is a quote from "breastfeeding older children" Ann Sinnott-
According to UNICEF, improved breastfeeding practices could save the lives of some 1.5 million children a year,and the National Breastfeeding Working Group calculated that if all British babies were breastfed for more than 13 weeks ,£35 million,in reduced costs of treating infant gastroenteritis,could be saved,and if all women were to breastfeed for three months or longer then 400 deaths a year from breast cancer might be prevented.
£35 million !

I do listen and appreciate other views, but I still stand by what I believe, and I just dont agree with bf a school age child sorry I dont. I will not show it, or be rude to someone if I see it, it does not mean that I disagree with bf per se, I do support bf but not after certain age. I am entitled to my opinion just as those from the extended bf camp are entitled to theirs. Just because I am a Mnetter does not mean I have to agree with extended bf etc. Each to their own, I would not personally attack someone for it or be rude and nasty.

Of course you're entitled to you opinion piglet, but it would nice to hear the reasons you think this.

Just wanted to say that I'm another one who has really thought about ebf as a result of this thread.

I'm actually feeling a little sad about having forced my ds to wean at 14 months now. I still think weaning him was the right thing for me/us as a family but I'm thinking about the downside for him now.

I'll really have to see how it goes with dc2 but I expect I'll bf for longer this time round.

I'm feeling annoyed with myself that I'm allowing myself to be influenced by society's negative view of ebf as quite honestly I think that's the main reason I'll wean DC2 rather than wait for self-weaning.

Just that it does not sit well with me wasting, deare I say it has the ick factor for me. However I feel I would not be rude like the op or seek to make people feel bad, just my view thats all really.