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Original poster

Too old to breastfeed?

69 replies

Mummybo · 13/12/2013 06:56

So I was walking through town yesterday with husband and baby and this short lady strides past us, up hill, boob out,carrying and breastfeeding I'm guessing a 3 or 4 year old. This kid looked huge, but maybe it was because the woman was about 5 foot tall....
Me and my husband are definitely pro breastfeeding and are not easily shocked (i thought) but our jaws were on the floor! Our response was, WOW she was amazing! Partly because I don't think I could walk and breastfeed our 8 month old, let alone with my boob out, in public, up a hill, with a giant kid....
I kind of felt bad for being shocked, and for telling people that id seen her, as it shouldn't be a shocking sight, should it?! I also felt like she was doing it just to shock people.... It has left me feeling like a judgmental mum which I never thought I was!!
I guess she made me really think about breastfeeding in public (which I do all the time) and how old is too old.....
When will you guys stop? If you haven't already.

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hercules1 · 13/12/2013 06:59

With ds I stopped at 4 and dd 3. Think you will find from responses you'll get that it's not as uncommon as you think.

hercules1 · 13/12/2013 07:01

Dh is from a different country and was bf till 4.

Artandco · 13/12/2013 07:07

I don't know, ds2 is just 2, however people often ask why he isn't in school so obv looks 4/5 years. Maybe child was younger?

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matilda101 · 13/12/2013 07:11

I don't think a child over the age of one should be breastfed in public, by then they should only be on a morning and an evening bf! People can so what they want in their own homes but I don't really want to see a toddler being breastfed. It's no different from being judgy about a toddler having a dummy or a bottle during the day which I am sure some of you lot are!

hercules1 · 13/12/2013 07:14

"You lot" - out of interest who are you referring to?

tweetytwat · 13/12/2013 07:15

oh matilda. I'm so sorry you don't want to see it. May I suggest you don't look?

gamerchick · 13/12/2013 07:18

Oh give your head a wobble matilda.. its not compulsory to look.

I'm Impressed she was able to do it while walking

Mine was 3 1\2... no way I could have nursed while walking about.. He was a reet lump.

TicTacZebra · 13/12/2013 07:18

It's because of people like you that I keep the fact that I'm still bfing my 2 year old a secret.

TicTacZebra · 13/12/2013 07:19

That was aimed at Matilda by the way.

PicardyThird · 13/12/2013 07:20

Dc1 was 4 1/2 when we stopped and dc2 was 3. Don't think I was still carrying them around while bf at that age, mind you.

I tandem fed for 2y of that too.

MoominsYonisAreScary · 13/12/2013 07:21

My family seem to think I should stop altogether when he turns 1, he's 10 months and I think he will probably have other ideas! I'm not sure, I don't think ill still be feeding him in public long after he turns one but thats because im hoping to gradually cut down and stop by the time hes 1.

Cant imagen feeding my 2.9 ds in public, hes the size of a 4 year old, I struggle carrying him never mind feeding him at the same time. He does still have a bottle at night though!

MoominsYonisAreScary · 13/12/2013 07:23

Stop by the time hes 1.5 even!

HerrenaHarridan · 13/12/2013 07:25

Personally once dd was getting towards a year ie old enough to be told to wait, albeit briefly, or be given a something else I preferred to do that.

I have no problem with any decision someone else may make.

Don't forget your perception if a 3/4 you could actually have been a strapping 1/2 yo. It's not uncommon for kids to be mistaken for 2 years older than they are.

I only bf walking down the street a handful of times when dd was in her 24hr feed phase as it was that or not leave. It was awkward and cumbersome with an 8wo corblimey managing it with a kid big enough to be taken for 3/4.

I do get where your coming from tbh a kid that's a bit older could in theory be asked to wait until you got where you where going and could sit down and feed instead of having to try and wall and feed

GingleBells · 13/12/2013 07:25

stopped at 4 and a half.

GingleBells · 13/12/2013 07:27

There is a danger with any 'uncommon' activity or behaviour or clothing, hairstyle, etc etc that you will be perceived as 'doing it to make a point' or 'doing it for the attention'.

This is often patently untrue.

matilda101 · 13/12/2013 07:27

By the way I did breastfeed dd1 until she was 14 mo (only stopped as I was pregnant with dd2 who is 4 mo and bf).

Original poster

Mummybo · 13/12/2013 07:28

Yeah if shed been sitting on a bench discretely feeding him I wouldn't have thought twice, I think it was the hardcore striding uphill with boob out that got me!
Just to be clear, I'm not saying thus was wrong, if anything I was impressed! It just hit me thinking as to why I was shocked by it.
Before I had my baby I always thought I'd stop at 1, but I now realise that was purely because of what other people would think.
He's 8 months now and still going strong, can't imagine stopping any time soon.

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themummyonthebus · 13/12/2013 07:29

DC1 stopped at 3.3 but I'm convinced it was only because I was pg and the taste of my milk changed. And now I'm starting a new bf adventure with DC2!

Original poster

Mummybo · 13/12/2013 07:30

*this not thus
*got not hit
Oh dear!

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EvilRingahBitch · 13/12/2013 07:32

Bfing a 3/4 year old on the move does seem a bit odd because it's normally something you do either for emergency hunger or while they're tiny and need to eat all the sodding time so if you didn't feed on the move you'd get nothing done - neither would normally apply at that age.

Probably therefore it being a younger child whose age you mistook, or an older child having some form of crisis (maybe an accident on the way to doctors).

ILoveAFullFridge · 13/12/2013 07:34

by then they should only be on a morning and an evening bf!. Unclench, Matilda, and your judgey pants wedged will be so much less uncomfortable. Who are you to dictate how often a child should breastfeed?

That said, I do agree that your average pre-schooler can wait until it's convenient for the mum to sit down and feed in comfort. And that I don't particularly want to see boobs out - it's perfectly possible to feed discreetly.

(5m, 2y, 3y)

Original poster

Mummybo · 13/12/2013 07:36

Very good point Ginglebells, I guess I brought this up as I felt like I was suddenly being judgemental, which I usually am not.
It's made me really look at myself and my opinions on BF which is a good thing.

OP posts:

ILoveAFullFridge · 13/12/2013 07:36

And that we don't know the whole story (actual age, child distressed, etc).

gamerchick · 13/12/2013 07:39

I don't think there's anybody who wouldn't be startled. It's not something you see much.

In a country where boobs were out pretty much all the time nobody would bat an eyelid at what you saw.

hercules1 · 13/12/2013 07:41

It's fine to be shocked. I was shocked when I learnt that dh was bf till 4. It was only having my own dc and bf did I realise it wasn't a freakish thing.

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