When does extended breastfeeding become weird....

AimeesMum_2

I have had several comments made to me recently about how it really is time to stop breastfeeding my son now. He is 14 months old. I work during the day so he is bottle feed (cow's milk) and eats solids like a typical toddler but has a breastfeed before his bed and once still during the night.

I breastfed my daughter until she was 8 months when she self weaned. My son doesn't show any sign of self weaning.

What are your opinions on extended breastfeeding?

charlieann

I continued longer than others around me were comfortable with. Both me and LO were happy to continue. It was their problem not mine.
We stopped at around 14 months. But it was my decision not LO, as I was concerned about me losing weight. He accepted it and didn't make much of a fuss, but would probably still be BF at 2 if he was allowed to continue.

shirlgirl2004

As the World Health Organisation recommend at least 2 years then before that should be totally normal. I'm not sure why in this country it is thought terrible to breastfeed a toddler and yet it is Ok to give it the breast milk of another species. So I'd say in this country anything over 6 months is probably considered weird. I breastfed much longer than the WHO minimum guidelines so I guess that makes me weird.;)

Caroline73_2

Personally I think around a year old is the time to think about stopping with the child completely weaned off by 18 months to 2 years. Nutritionally the child should be getting everything from their food by then.

I don't agree with breastfeeding for comfort, to settle or soothe a child so base my opinion on nutritional needs only.

knithappens

dont give into pressure, i breastfed until my little one was 16 months, I reverse cycled so she fed when i got infrom work and during the night , and ate normally during the day. it is a personal choice, for me I think 3 would have been a cut off point, some may have found this weird.

I knwo some who continue until 4 or 5, i think anything past this I would not be comfortable with. Personally it would have been 3 for me, and even at this age it would probably have been a comfort feed before bed, as by that age they dont really "need" it in the same way as an under 2.

My 16 month old, would have a feed for bed, and then wake during the night, which was a comfort feed, I weaned her off this, and then the before bed, she was quite content without from there on in. I was ready to have my body bak by then, but just do what is comfortable for you

jtr2803

I think it's a completely personal decision and you should only stop when YOU are happy to stop, it's no one elses business frankly.

FatVonD

In my experience other people became uncomfortable about it the minute they themselves stopped, they became especially uncomfortable about it after one year. My son and I were happy to continue until his third birthday. Don't let other people stop you doing something that feels right for both you and your child

thunderbird

14 months is definitely not weird!

Who has made the comments?

marywooyeah

my son breastfeed til he was 2years 9 months. He ate normally, had cows milk whilst I was at work and wanted breastfeeding before bed and during the night. Many mornings I was woken up by him climbing in bed with me and helping himself!

He stopped on his own and I never had any nasty comments, although the health visitor used to ring and ask if I was still feeding him as she wanted me to give up. I told her to mind her own business and I'd feed my child as I saw fit - never heard from her again after that!

Its whenever you and baby are reading, but I must admit if I saw a 4 or 5 year old breastfeeding I'd think it was strange!

rachbc

i stopped at 15 months as we wanted to go away for OH's birthday (selfish possibly). I have a friend who has tandem feeding her 5 and 3 yo...she got a few comments and not something I would do but each to their own

RubySewSew

I'm going to support and back up what some of the other forum users have already said.

The World Health Organisation and Department of Health recommend that a baby is breastfed exclusively for a minimum of 6 months and that breastmilk is included in the diet for a minimum of 2 years. The key word here from the evidence based perspective is minimum because all the evidence of benefits of breastfeeding (reduced allergies, gastrointestinal problems, reduced female cancers for mothers, reduced diabetes, lower rates of obesity etc) can be demonstrated by extended breastfeeding.

The global average age for weaning is 4.

A child cannot breastfeed beyond about 8 years as the structure of the mouth changes so they can no longer manipulate the breast.

As late as the 2nd World War mothers would go to the school at breaktimes to breastfeed 5 year olds as breastmilk is perfectly formed nutrition and completely free.

More than 80% of women give up breastfeeding before they want to because of lack of support.

I find it desperately sad that choice of feeding method seems to cause so much guilt and upset for so many women. As a society we need to be working on supporting mothers to make an informed choice based on all of the available evidence and then to support that choice so that they feel empowered in their parenting choices. If it is normal for you and your child then there is nothing weird about it. And I can't advocate strongly enough the need to comfort children. Breastfeeding produces a hormone called oxytocin which is a bonding hormone and helps your child to feel comforted, loved, soothed and reassured. It also increases emotional intelligence. If a mother wants to prolong this relationship then she should not be criticised or judged for doing so. Nature has dealt with the cut off age for breastfeeding so perhaps we should trust that and allow mothers to nurture and nourish their children in the way they see fit and extend our concern to the children and families who genuinely need help and intervention to raise healthy, happy children.