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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

why should i be made to feel bad for still bf ds

362 replies

mehdismummy · 20/04/2008 14:08

i am so so sick of getting strange looks off people because i still bf(2.3years) i dont bf in public and he only really has it at night also sometimes if he is tired or upset. He is a happy healthy contented little boy(see pics) and it really annoys me when you encounter negativity. My gp and health visitor are both guilty of the look. The final straw which started this rant was when my boss(i use the term loosely) said i should not still be feeding him. This is all because i tell him i cant go and get pissed because i bf. Anyone want to join an extended bf thread?

OP posts:
Spidermama · 20/04/2008 15:56

Well done dotsie. I tandem fed too. I had my first three very close together so was milky for years and they could all have a tipple now and again. I loved it and found it was very helpful for easing in each new member of the family.

Original poster
mehdismummy · 20/04/2008 15:56

lol at spider he is one of those amongst other things! Elli. You are just very ill informed and it saddens me. You didnt bf at all did you?

OP posts:
BandofMothers · 20/04/2008 15:59

neither should we judge those that didn't

Dotsie · 20/04/2008 16:01

oh and sibling rivalry between my eldest 2 certainly didn't appear when dd was a toddler and ds1 a baby - they both had that same closeness by both bf. mind you, now they're 8 and 10 sibling rivalry, or outright warfare frequently manifests itself, but that's another matter! my dd, btw is soooo proud of her baby brother being BREASTfed! it's rather sweet, although i could do with slightly less emphasis on the BREAST bit sometimes!!!

Original poster
mehdismummy · 20/04/2008 16:02

im not judging because she didnt. My ss and bf ff and i think thats up to them. I just was wondering if elli had tried bf and had a hard time and maybe needed support?

OP posts:
ellideb · 20/04/2008 16:03

Like I said from the outset, I knew I would be in the minority here, but that fine because at the end of the day I'm happy with my opinion and I'd never want to make anyone feel bad about doing what they believe to be the best for their child. For your information mehdismummy I am pregnant and I fully intend on BF him/her because I believe that there is nothing more superior than mummy's breastmilk, but you will not find me Bfing a toddler!

chunkychips · 20/04/2008 16:04

I fed ds until he was 2.6 and only stopped to have a little break between babies. It felt quite liberating to begin with, but I did miss it in the end. Wasn't long before dd came along though and we're still feeding at 15 months, morning and night. Will carry on for a bit longer, not sure if I'll do it quite as long, but we'll see. Would not stop for any other reason than it's the right time for you. It's a personal thing and nobody else's business really. What reasons do people give to stop?

Original poster
mehdismummy · 20/04/2008 16:05

i did not mean it to come across like that

OP posts:
Dotsie · 20/04/2008 16:07

eli, you don't suddenly find yourself feeding a toddler, it's a very gradual change. i hope that when the time comes, you decide that you don't want to stop bf after all. You may be amazed at how your attitude changes after your lo is born. When are you due btw? hope all goes well...

motherhurdicure · 20/04/2008 16:07

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motherhurdicure · 20/04/2008 16:11

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girlfrommars · 20/04/2008 16:12

Ellideb, it is such a rare thing to see toddlers being BF in this country that it does seem 'strange'. In some areas I'm sure people would react if they saw you breasfeed a 7/8 month old because they're not used to seeing children of that age being BF.

A child's immune system is made up of several parts, some of which are developed at 18 months, some not until the age of 6/7 years old.

BTW, Dr. Hillary criticised BF children over the age of 12 months in that interview, though the WHO recommend it for at least 2 years.

Dotsie · 20/04/2008 16:13

my kids used to call it "mummies" which was rather sweet, and a friend of mine's toddler called it yummies i think...

pooka · 20/04/2008 16:14

But you don't go cold into breastfeeding "a toddler".

I would also find it odd to be feeding ds if I started now, when he is 2.5. But if it had been a continual process and occurance from when he weaned at 13 months, then I don't think it would be odd or unusual in any way. Ditto my dd.

I fed both of them until they gave up. Too early really, but I didn't know then as much as I do now about feeding strikes, and I did rather want to be excused from bedtime duties because until then a lovely breastfeed had been very much part of the bedtime process. However, if I did have another baby I would choose to try extended breastfeeding.

StealthPolarBear · 20/04/2008 16:15

ellie, your question seems to be why? And the answer is why not

A child's immune system is NOT fully delevoped at the age of 2

Milk is a nutritious drink whatever the age of the child

There are no studies that show natural term breastfeeding leads to emotionally stunted children, however there is a hell of a lot of prejudice and myth which perpetuates that

Original poster
mehdismummy · 20/04/2008 16:17

congrats btw elli what wonderful news. When are you due etc etc. I also said that i would only bf until six months and now look at us! Is this your first? It really just crept up on me too. I said at one ok i will stop at two. I bet you if you love it will feel the same!

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 20/04/2008 16:17

IIRC - that GMTV programme, Jenny who was the extended breastfeeder came on a MN thread about it and said the GP and LK had been a lot more sympathetic off camera, but had to play devil's advocate on camera.
Still doesn't excuse the fact that he reinforced a lot of crap info on TV but still.

ellideb · 20/04/2008 16:17

Thankyou Dotsie its nice to hear a kind word when you feel so verbally battered!

I'll certainly let you know if i suddenly find myself one day in the distant future with a 2yr old dangling from my breast, reminiscing (right word?) about the heated debate I got into on MN in 2008! It so won't happen

Due september BTW.

girlfrommars · 20/04/2008 16:18

Motherhurdicure, that's mean.

I like coots.

JulesJules · 20/04/2008 16:19

My two call bf - "mook" - fed until 2y and 3y 6m - their choice to continue until then - you simply could not make a child continue to bf if they did not want to. Both WHO and Unicef recommend bf until 2 at least

lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 16:19

ellideb, I think once you are BFing your attitude may change . After all, a lot of women on here who have extended BF have said they never set out with the intention of BFing a toddler......they just BF their son or daughter who happened to grow into a toddler if that makes sense.

Original poster
mehdismummy · 20/04/2008 16:20

mother mehdi kisses my boob bye and says clap milk clap!

OP posts:
lackaDAISYcal · 20/04/2008 16:21

My DD (10mo) says gee-gee, which we think is her trying to say hungry.

Original poster
mehdismummy · 20/04/2008 16:24

aah lovely elli. I shall stalk you until 2010 then! Bet you do times infinity! Are you hoping for dd or ds? Any names etc

OP posts:
Dotsie · 20/04/2008 16:24

Eli, you never know!!! but good on you for wanting to bf at all. the more the better imo! i had no idea ex bf was possible until i found myself not giving up at 6 months, 12 months, 18.... and i didn't ever have a toddler dangling from my breast - they were too darned heavy and it hurt!!!!!! sitting on my lap was much more comfortable!