'Extended' breastfeeding

[Tatties]

What are peoples opinions on this? When do you consider it 'extended'? Do you think there is an age past which BF is unacceptable?

my mil never thought it was 'acceptable'in public.in her opinion it should be done in a bedroom if you had folk in.unlucky for her that i didn't agree eh? an ex friend of mines dh used to make her feed newborn at home only in case other men saw her boob!!

This is interesting. My opinion on it has changed since becoming a mother. I suppose I used to think it wasn't right to have your toddler helping himself, but I have been BFing for over 7mths now and it has become such a way of life that I really can't see it ending until ds doesn't want it any more. Someone recently asked me, "How long are you going to BF for, a year?" as if a year was the absolute longest that was desirable or acceptable! Yes Spidermama, I know that it's 'curtailed' BF we practice in the west - seems like we have these babies and due to financial reasons or our need for independence we sever the ties a bit prematurely. But it's the people who carry on doing what is natural who are made to look odd!

do you know tatties i never think about dd being the age she is and still bf.it was never intentions to bf for any particular amount of time. it does just become so normal to be bf you just carry on and all of a sudden they're 2.5.

I fed dd until she was 17 months, she just stopped, I was heartbroken.

Yes agalch, I think it doesn't feel strange is you have always done it. People have said to me, "oh I couldn't BF my 3 yr old, it would just be wrong.." But that is because they hadn't continued to do it. Of course it would be strange to just suddenly feed your 3yr old out of the blue, but if you've always done it then it doesn't feel that way. I think it would be wrong to suddenly start giving my ds bottles! But some people don't get why you don't snatch the first opportunity you can to switch to bottles in order to get a bit of freedom.

Ds is 16 months & bf and I consider that perfectly normal. As someone has already mentioned, WHO recommend 2 years minimum so I have no idea what age would be extended. I am not sure I even like the term "extended" as it does imply there is an age when it should be stopped. Babies will stop when they are ready and every child is different so I prefer to use the term "natural term feeding". Breastfeeding is such a natural thing that to describe it as extended seems a bit odd to me.

don't like the term extended either saz.if my dd gave up now i would ok with it tho,i had a post on earlier,i can't go out at night because shes a mummys girl in the evening for bedtime.

DS (14mo) has just started the rather unattractive habit of belching after a booby feed, in a "mmm, lovely curry and lager" sort of way. It's putting me right off

This is going to sound mad but i still wind my dd after a feed. She clearly(at nearly 16 months) does not require winding but even when i really try to stop myself i can't,i have been immersed in bf and dd much too long!!! Somebody help me please

I think that after a year, your breasts are extended enough for it to be called extended breastfeeding. All this talk of pulling at tops, DS used to lift the hem of my skirt

Not really. I just am trying to vary my posts on bfeeding threads. How am I doing?

would anyone like to hear how fab and easy it is to tandem feed a 2 day old and a 2 year old??

so far

oh and how my midwife told me I should wean the two year old onto MILK SHAKES instead of nasty old breat milk because it would be "better for her"
I was PMSL

HC, did I miss your birth announcement?!

Oh, wow! Congratulations!!!

As for milkshakes...gah

daren't make one in case cod makes a snotty remark
i know it's a CLASSIC isn't it? bless the lovely stupid mw
she was OK otherwise

Fed my youngest until he was about 18 months old when he stopped of his own accord. I was happy to continue longer than that.

First one - well a spell in hospital put a stop on that when she was 6 months old (spent days crying because I had to stop)!

Yes, the term 'extended' BF makes it sound as though it's happening for longer than necessary. So what do you think about the new BF bill which proposes to protect breast (and bottle?!) feeders of children under the age of 2 from discrimination when feeding in public? I mean I'm sure that many people maybe don't need or even want to BF in public once their child is past the age of 2, but I think it is unnecessary to write this age limit into the bill. I understand that the proposed bill wouldn't prevent you BFing your child over 2years old in public if you wanted to, but you wouldn't be protected by the law if someone asked you to move. Sends out the complete wrong message. I said this on the other thread about it but nobody commented! !! I want to know what you think

i probably would not be in a position where i will need to give dd a feed in public over the age of two,but suppose shes 2.5 and we are out for a meal and she really needs a feed,i would give her one for sure

Tatties, I'm in Ireland but can't see why the law should draw the line at 2, either!

I hadn't known the law only went to 2. What an odd rule!

I am mostly stopping bf DS2 in public, but if he fell and hurt himself and needed soothing, I'd still bf in public now, and no doubt at 2 years.

Actually, he had to get tape and glue put near his eye the other day (nasty fall), and the nurses were very happy to have me bf while they did it, so he'd be in a comfortable position and stay still. They even told me off for not getting myself in a proper (comfortable) position while feeding him! That's not the reaction I expect from medical staff!

yes I knew about the 2 yr thing in the proposed bill. Scottish law has the same I think - silly when 2yrs is the minimum recommended age to feed until. I am sure more people would feed in public if there weren't an age limit - its often very hard to tell how old a child is so I can see lots of mums having trouble with feeding toddlers.

btw I think most people would consider "extended" bf to be:

when the toddler has a word for it...
and when people ask if you are "STILL" bf...

tish tosh I say. I have promised dh I will stop before dd goes to school, no poking through the school railings for me

I have the most wonderful breastfeeding conversations with my little extended breastfeeder. I have asked him not to chat too much while he is actually feeding, as it is not very comfortable, but last night he said "I'm just going to tell you one thing. I'm just going to tell you your milk is sweet and tasty."

(He is only 2.5 but a great talker, btw.)

I have heard people say children are too old when they are:
walking
talking
can lift up the shirt etc.

I am personally hoping he will self-wean before he moves in with a girlfriend. I think it could be awkward otherwise.

(hc, fancy seeing you here...)

hi franny
am typing with one hand ....
have emailed you

Now, when dp and I first met he used to write me emails with one hand, as well. I'm surprised you have the energy to be thinking of smut at a time like this to be honest.