Expressing for an older child - why?!

[hunkermunker]

So many times I have heard people say that once a child reaches some arbitrary age (for some it's six months, for some a year, for some 18 months), if the mother still wants to breastfeed, she should express and give the milk from a cup.

I thought I would explain the reasons why this is impractical and nigh on impossible, for me at least, and see if others who feed toddlers have had the same experience.

I expressed when I went back to work and initially could produce enough to leave 20oz a day, plus feed DS morning and night. I only worked one day and one afternoon/evening a week, so I breastfed him the rest of the time and my supply wasn't affected.

However, as time went on, I was able to express less and less milk. DS was eating more, which I think had some effect, but he didn't eat much until he was closer to a year and he still breastfed on demand.

Now he is 15mo, I have no desire to get the breastpump out again (and all the faffing about washing it and assembling it) and sit trying to express for the one or two feeds DS has a day. It would take a long time and why should I? Because society feels weird that I feed an older baby? It is much easier to give him a discreet feed when he needs it - he rarely asks when we're out any more, but does occasionally, so I just do it. He feeds quickly, then he's off to play again - no worries!

And don't worry about other people, do what works for you and your baby. I think extended breastfeeding is wonderful, and knowing my ds, that is what I will be doing too!

.....but we've been drinking cow's milk for centuries! Millenniums (millennia?) even. I know it's meant for baby cows but if we only did what was intended in nature we would have to reverse much of the develpments of the past thousand years. Come on. What about cheese and yogurt? How is eating that different to drinking milk? (And I am NOT talking about cows milk vs breast milk for babies, obviously, but children or adults drinking cows milk)

Blisfulmama, I don't want to start an argument but if you go doen the 'we are the only animals to...' route you could add things like "Walk upright on 2 legs" "Wear clothes" "Kill our meat humanely" "Live in houses" ad infinitum.

If we are like other animals maybe we should just abandon our children once they are old enough to walk and kill their own food.

We are not like other animals. Other animals have not developed to live in communities where they use other species as a source of food without harming them.

I do think this 'cows milk is for calves' argument is just a bit specious.

I love milk! I drink about a pint a day, plus cheese, yougurt etc. Can't think why anyone should think it's weird, but obviously horses for courses. Milk is a recommended part of children's diets and a great source of calcium which is good for women (warding off osteoperosis). Having said that it's always been a struggle to get it into ds, and many people don't like drinking it straight (still how many recipies need milk).

Hmm - off to the fridge I think

blisfulmama...know just how you feel. Starting to find the smell of dairy products really repellant....

Meant to add Blisfulmama (and everyone else) well done with feeding a toddler. I wish I had done it for longer than the 3 months I managed. But i dont think that means cows milk is evil once you've finished bfing

Noone is saying it's 'evil',merely that once you start thinking about who milk is far,logival conclusions lead you to some unpalatable truths (that,if you are to continue to eat dairy produce.you have to effectively ignore()

But moondog, really if you follow that line then you need to become a vegan. All credit if that's what you want to do, but why is dairy any worse than meat?

SO anyway, expressing for an older child...

Hmmm Moondog... if we took all humankind's activities to their logical conclusions and drew unpalatable truths, we would not have progressed past our primitive state. The fact is we have and it just strikes me that the 'bad diary products' argument is another example of the 'logical progression' of the argument that anything the caveman didn't do, we shouldn't do.

Bad diary products??

Of course I mean dairy.....

Fair point,wordsmith.
I happen to like yoghurt and cheese very much and eat them every day.Just can't stop myself thinking it over.Sister's kids here at present and seems so weird to see them guzzling milk (despite the fact that she continues to b/feed her 18 mth old whereas my 2 mth old s/weaned a while back,and doesn't drink milk.)

wow, fast response - nice to know I'm not the only one up grabbing some precious baby free time.

Very true all points made re cows milk - only a recent thought of mine that I'm still exploring and am not on an anti-cows milk/formula crusade - everyone is free to make their best choice for them and their family and ultimately these are all very interesting issues to think about and explore. I have always been fascinated by evolution and socioligical history - I know this is quite geeky but I absolutely love the Clan of the Cave Bears books because they show in great detail how according to the historical theories and evidence we may have lived at the time of cave dwelling and tool making. I do think a lot about how this compares to now. After a long camping holiday recently I had started out with romantic dreams of living close to nature and with basic provisions and found that i missed the TV and the internet and basic hot running water so much that it made me feel ill. Very horrified to learn that i was more attached to civilisation than I liked to admit! Anyway, thanks for all your comments - hope anyone didn't take offense as none was intended. Night all.