Quick question for extended breastfeeders...

[agnesnitt]

Okay, this might sound odd, but here I go anyway.

I know an extended breastfeeder whose son is completely and utterly uninterested and has to be practically forced to feed. Do you think mum should be thinking of letting him do as he wants instead of what she wants now?

Agnes

Apparently anything over six weeks if you are my MiL

Over 12 months is seen as extended.

Oooooh, I feel really hard core and Earth-Mothery now!

LOL at chicken nuggets

I did persuade ds to have one last breastfeed

he said "WHY?" I said "because I like it too!"

so phone social services on me, I dare you

Oh no, chicken nuggets require chomping on - it'd have to be nipples dipped in sherbet dibdab or wotsit powder or something.

hey franny dd1 asked for some "more" this week
it's been at least sis months since her last feed.
so don't give up yet
I am hoping that she will ask again in six months so I can say she fed till she was 4 and really freak people out

LOL ds said this week "Have you got some milk for me?"

"Oh yes darling do you want some?"

turns out I was meant to be the milkman with my milkfloat

I don't use the term at all Apostrophe any more than I'd use the term 'curtailed breastfeeding' for those who stop earlier.

I think the label 'extended breast feeding' implies it's abnormal in some way which, if you look at global bfing patterns, it's not.

I've fed all my four kids until I noticed one day that they didn't seem to be doing it any more. I couldn't do it any other way.

BTW rowan I love 'Get your nanas out' and 'Get your nanas out please'.

I use the term "weirdy breastfeeder" to refer to myself only.
in a kind of "reclaim the insult" kind of way.

good point spidermama. I've never heard it used in RL actually, only on here. I have said of myself though "I'm still BFing DS", which is just as bad really isn't it. Mental note to self to leave out the 'still'.

am loving this thread.

DD2 is now 8 months wtf? Why am I not ridiculously thin I ask you?

Franny I am loving the scramble to feed him I would do the same. I have had the occasional feed to sleep after phasing it out because it is just so so lovely feeding them and feeling them go and warm and limp in your arms.

As a "natural-term" bfer (hate the term extended - implies there is an arbitrary limit for all children beyond which its wierd/odd!) I do offer the boob to DS a lot during the day still...just as I offer him a drink or something to eat or ask if he needs a wee as he tends to get so engrossed in things that he forgets.

Most of the time though he will come up to me & ask for boobie milk or just come up & snuggle up to me & I just offer it without asking iyswim....

...there have been times though when I have not forced him to feed but kind of persuaded him to...when hes having a big paddy or is really upset about something because it does calm him down really well - it looks really bad from an outsiders pov but all I am doing is holding him close & putting the boob in front of his face - there is NO WAY I would get him latched if he didnt want to - that requires full co-operation. I cant see how a child could be made to do that all - they need to actively suckle to get milk out - its not as if you are force feeding them the liquid. There are times when he has shouted "NO!" so Ive left it & tried another way of bringing him out of the tantrum...but others he just relaxes & has a feed. If he didnt want to feed he simply wouldnt suckle - he would probably chew - hardly a pasttime I would want to partake in

The child needs to actively suckle to get milk from the breast & Im not sure how you would force a child to suckle....with cups, bottles & even solids food the "forcer" can basically tip the food into the childs mouth meaning they have to either swallow or spit it out to stop it blocking or becoming stuck in their airway.

what is actually norm what does this mean who is to judge or decide what is appropraite or not- i breast fed 2 years + 1 week would have gone on longer for me and my girl would have also gone on was torment when i stopped she hated me. my dad breast fed his mum till he was 4. that was 70 odd years ago. now mums are breast feedin till 3 6 months and that suits them also its an individual choice and whatever it is should be respected. not frowned upon. also forcing a child to feed very difficult indeed i would think. in any event its a sign of love to feed your child wonderful feeling of being able to do so but at same time should not judge those that dont. i almost geve up after 4 weeks yet i made it to 2 years got through jabs sore teeth illness pain without any pain killers just breast, even had blood drawn and scans done while she was on breast gave her comfort and pain releif. which mother would deprive of comfort. hat off to all you mums out ther going long term

Terramum you could pin the child down, force their mouth open and hand express into their mouth

short of that I speak from experience that you can NOT force a child to breastfeed

Franny you sound like you have thought this through

harpsi

I suppose you could paint your nipples green, and pretend they were chupa chups.

purely idle speculation I assure you

Of course....in the same way i'd never paint my nipples green or roll my breasts in breadcrumbs ......