Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

What do you think is the UPPER age to be still breastfeeding or bottlefeeding?

102 replies

RTKangaMummy · 10/05/2005 10:59

.

What do you think is the UPPER age to be still breastfeeding or bottlefeeding?

I asked it on the other thread but no one is answering me so thought would ask again on another thread

They are going to be discussing it on THIS MORNING at 12 noon today.

I am surprized if children are still being fed with bottles and breast

AFTER 4 or 5 years

I believe in breast is best but why do they still need it when they are at school?

.

OP posts:
hercules · 13/05/2005 22:32

Yes, I think so. We might actually succeed in tempting a certain fish to comment here.

Blossomhill · 13/05/2005 22:34

18 months - 2 years max

stitch · 13/05/2005 23:05

2

joash · 13/05/2005 23:09

at around 6 months

joash · 13/05/2005 23:10

but then again, it's a personal decision isn't it.

Gobbledigook · 13/05/2005 23:33

ghosty - I think it was me that said bf to 2 yrs but off bottles when children can self feed. I said 2 yrs for bf purely because that's what the WHO recommends and that's due to health benefits of breast milk presumably. I think once children are able to drink from a cup they should do so rather than a bottle - you could add to this breast too but then in order to continue drinking breast milk it would have to be expressed and then put in a cup which I can imagine is a lot of hassle. Pouring milk out of the fridge into either a bottle or a cup is neither here nor there.

Not sure I've explained that very well!

hunkermunker · 13/05/2005 23:45

Total hassle, GDG

Joash, yes, it's a personal decision - and I decided that as breastfeeding was going so well, I wouldn't swap to something that wasn't exactly right for DS's growing immune system - and was also going to cost actual proper money too!

ghosty · 14/05/2005 08:28

I see what you mean Gobbledigook ... can you imagine expressing BM and putting it into a cup just cos your baby can drink from one ... what a PITA
But I still think it is ok for babies who can self feed to have formula from a bottle rather than from a cup if they like it ... it is the cuddle factor for me and, well, she is my baby and ... and ... I won't be having anymore ... and ... and ... and ... sniff ... I want her to be a baby forever and ever and ever ... sniff ... sniff ... sniff ... sob ... and if she wants to drink from a bottle in my arms till she is 21 then she can ... so there

Can you imagine though? ...

Caligula · 14/05/2005 09:40

I suppose this isn't the time to say Bitty?

Gobbledigook · 14/05/2005 12:52

Ghosty, I think drinking from a bottle is not so good for their teeth either but milk and water are fine I'd imagine.

I don't know why there is this thing about bottles really - I'm just a snob about it but I can see that it probably doesn't really matter!!

ghosty · 14/05/2005 21:33

But she only has a bottle in the morning and at bedtime .... that is ok isn't it Gobble? Rest of the time she drinks water (NEVER juice) from a cup ...

Gobbledigook · 14/05/2005 21:39

Course! It's that '3 yr olds with grubby faces walking round clutching the teat of their bottle (full of ribena or tea) between their teeth that gets me!

hunkermunker · 14/05/2005 21:40

I hate Ribena.

dinny · 14/05/2005 21:48

oooh, I love it. For me though...when hungover

hunkermunker · 14/05/2005 21:49

Hate blackcurrants, so that may have something to do with it

And tried one of the other flavours in a carton and found it made my saliva all thick and orangey (was orange Ribena, I believe)! Yick! So won't touch the stuff - as for toothkind - pah!

dinny · 14/05/2005 21:53

You sound like my dh! He LOATHES it too.
ps Off THREAD - ha! - ds not bitten me today!

hunkermunker · 14/05/2005 21:56

Off thread indeed

Hooray re DS! Clever boy! Obviously knows which side his bread's buttered (or some breastfeeding analogy which escapes me - probably a good thing...!)

And your DH sounds very sensible

milkybarkid · 15/05/2005 19:47

Yes caligula, its possible to feed younger and older baby. Im doing that atm and also have enough to spare for milk bank. The milk changes to suit new baby

hunkermunker · 15/05/2005 19:48

What a perfect chatname you have then, hun!

milkybarkid · 15/05/2005 19:50

OOps just read flums comment about donating milk being a yukky idea!

hunkermunker · 15/05/2005 19:56

I think it's fab, MBK and will do it with next baby, should I have another. Would've done it this time, only by the time I got my act together, every last drop was needed for DS when I went back to work!

Eulalia · 15/05/2005 20:33

Yes this has been done to death. I think the bottles are a bad idea once baby can feed him/herself because the teats attract dirt and also the position they sit in the mouth is bad for the teeth. I think bottles should be given up before a year old.

B/feeding - well it's hard to say an upper limit. Generally the older the child is the frequency is much much less and could just be once a day perhaps at bedtime. No harm in this. This is different from a child wandering about holding a dirty bottle and using it as a sort of comfort thing like a dummy or 'blankie' and not being able to leave the house without it.

Having said all that most kids seem to wean themselves off these things before they get to school.

Someone below mentioned providing cows milk for their child because of URI - I don't see how this can help with infections. Also its not true to say that milk is only good for toddlers. Most heatlh professionals recommend plenty of milk/yoghurt/cheese etc till age 5 anyway and if not plenty throughout childhood because of the need for calcium. Sorry going off topic somewhat.

bobbybob · 15/05/2005 21:46

Eulalia, the wandering around with a bottle and not being able to leave the house idea is surely as unhelpful a stereotype as the breastfed toddler who yanks up mum's top and demands to be fed.

My ds does not fit the breastfed stereotype and it sounds like Ghosty's dd does not fit the bottle fed.

As long as enough attention is given to a child having a balanced emotional life (ie it's not all they think about), good dental hygiene and the parent is happy - then really what is the problem?

Eulalia · 16/05/2005 16:42

I know true, but we have all seen them haven't we? .... and there are who yank up tops and demand boobie - I know mine have done it! Until persuaded otherwise... dd is 3 and is still breastfed but never pesters me. At this age its done on my terms and is just last thing at night.

alterego · 18/05/2005 16:41

Just reverting to the bit about milk banks - I think there are about 16 breast milk banks in this country - the milk is pasteurised and used to give to pre-term and ill babies in special care baby units.