Breastfeeding till the age of 4 - what do you think?

[lisalisa]

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Giggling about that.. :-) Great argument!

not very scientific though...

But, bobbybob, I've never seen any scientific evidence for the claim that extended b/feeding causes over-dependence either. If you tried to look for scientific proof, you could find it...

oh dear its a bit depressing to see new people come up with the same old prejudices against ectended breastfeeding. i mean i know this thread is probably too long to read, but a skim read at least may enlighten some!

ectended? ex!

Please read the thread before you start the same old argument all over again, ilovehorses.

I just can't believe the fact that people use the argument that its not natural! What could be more natural?

Our entire society isn't natural, but breastfeeding is how every ancestor of ours was fed up until the last hundred years or so or they wouldn't have survived. We're lucky now that we have antibiotics and ready access to doctors so that babies can survive without mothers milk, but its not natural for them to.

Highlighter pens aren't natural and I use those. Sometimes.

the not natural argument is hilarious.

I try to limit the use of highlighter pens. I do feel that they cause me to be overdependant on them. I know I really need to let go but they're so bright and luminious.

Must go and highlight something.....

had to lol at teeth remark!

I told you that someone would bring up the little nugget about kids being clingy! As if you could force a child to breastfeed!

Ds has never been teased about being bf. Why on earth would he be? His best friend fed until he was 2 and a half and despite being close for the last 5 years they have never discussed breastfeeding. It simply doesnt interest 9 year old boys!

Missed this thread for a week as on holiday!

Child abuse indeed! Well, when I have discussed extended feeding with ds's allergy consultant and my own breast consultant, neither of them got on the phone to ss and both said what a good thing it was.

If you dont like something, fine, dont do it, noone expects you to. That doesnt mean it is wrong or bad though. I dont like celery but I know and accept other people do. Idont moralise about it and condemn them as that would be silly.
I empathise with them instead and accept that they like and do something I dont.

AS for those people who admitted they had no reasons why it was wrong but insisted it is wrong just because it is...
It kinds of stops any discussion doesnt it? I enjoy discussions where well thought out reasons are given but refusing to give reasons kinds of negates your point. I dont mean reasons for not breastfeeding at all. Personally just not wanting to seems a damn good reason not to.

still, what would I know, I hand my kids over to someone else

My favourite posts are the ones that say 'I haven't read any of the previous discussion, but WTF, I'll post my opinion anyway, because it's so bloody important that you know wot I fink, even if it goes over old ground and raises arguments that have been dashed to pieces down the thread.'

And herc....put those pens down now!!!

For all those people who are convinced children who are breastfed for a long time will be bullied or teased at school about it, who do you think will be doing this bullying??

Will it be the children of people who spout rubbish about it being child abuse, unnatural and wrong?

Just a thought......

If my kids gets teased about being mixed raced what should I do?? Children's attitudes usually come from their parents views. Perhaps ds hasnt met anyone yet who's parents take such views.

good post hercules. i really wasn't aware there were women out there with such frightening views about breasfeeding, stemming largely from ignorance.

I haven't read the whole thread but in my opinion people who use highlighters or celery are disgusting, unnatural people who make me sick. I think it should be banned or at least done at home in a locked room where other members of society aren't at risk of being exposed to these freaky, abusive displays of selfishness.

\link[http://www.abm.me.uk/10toddler.htm\10 good reasons to bf a toddler}

sorry

Brilliant link Hercules.

Ds would have needed Neocate - it would have cost the NZ Govt over $100 per week. Most of ds's neocate friends are still drinking it at 2.5. So thats 100 weeks at $100 per week (assuming stopping breastfeeding at 6 months). Did the Govt give me $10,000 to continue breastfeeding? No.

When ds had a gastro bug he didn't need rehydration solution because he had my milk. Saving to Govt. $80.

We've all got flu and I think that ds (who is the hardest hit - currently been in bed for 15 hours) would be in hospital if not for me. Cost to Govt - $500? a day.

Wouldn't it be nice to get a thank you card or something for saving all this money - I think it more than makes up for not supporting the dairy industry.

bobbybob just to say i had to give my ds neocate after trying everything to stop blood in his poo whilst breastfeeding - cutting out all sorts of things for ages. The docs wanted me to stopbreastfeeding altogher,but i managed to get rid of his symptoms by combined breastfeeding [and me on a gluten free dairy free diet] and neocate. Just to say breastfeeding alone does not always prevent the need for neocate...

I agree ruty - you had no choice, that's what it is for.

I've never heard of Neocate. What is it? What is wrong with your little ones?

beats me. My ds started having blood in his poo at 3 months old. And lots of mucus. He had only been breastfed. Docs said it was allergy to food proteins in my milk so i gave up dairy, then wheat, then eggs and soya. Didn't help. So after a lot of pressure i agreed to try neocate, tho i wanted to see if i could keep breastfeeding as well. I got advice from la leche league. An evil midwife gave my ds Donated breast milk after birth without asking me - she took him from me without asking too - and he was a big baby and overdue so didn't need it. An NCT breastfeeding counsellor told me she thought he had an allergic gut because he didn't have colostrum as his first feed. I guess I'll lnever know. Its very tiring us both being on a gluten free dairy free diet tho!