Breast milk for a 5 year old

[ValeriaS]

I am currently breastfeeding my one month old baby. I leak quite a lot and am using breast shells during feeds. I have started offering whatever milk is in the shell to my son who is almost 5. it seemed like a waste chucking it out when i couldnt be asked to freeze it and i thought he could do with a little immunity boost with all the cold and flu viruses currently around. At first, he didnt want it but now happily sips straight from the shell. He isnt asking for the breast. He self weaned at the age of 2.8. i dont think he ever had any attachment issues but my husband is wondering whether i am setting him back psychologically because he knows that this milk comes from me. That didnt even cross my mind as i saw the milk just for its health benefits but am now thinking whether there is a psychological effect as well. Any thoughts?

I have done this for dd2 when she was 2 and I was breastfeeding ds. Dd2 was very unwell at the time and awaiting surgery, I figured every little helps. It didn't set her back at all. Milk from you is more natural than that from cows IMO.

AnotherStitch, i agree with you. It's just the fact that he is almost 5 and very aware of what's going on and that it's not the norm for his peers to do this.

Even midwives give me the funny look when i tell them how long i breastfed my first child although it seems totally normal to me. So i started feeling a bit self conscious about it.

Can I ask where you got your shells from? I leak loads.

I think it sounds fine. Some children are still happily breastfeeding at that age and I don't believe it does them any psychological harm.

No different from knowing where meat/milk etc comes from at that age.

Junosmum, mine are from Avent, bought them on Amazon.

Thanks, just ordered some. And no, I don't think you'll scar your son for life - it's amazing what kids accept as their normal, even knowing not everyone does it.