When does extended breastfeeding become weird....

Buttonmoons

But surely it's a bit.....unneccassary for a child to still be using the breast as a comfort at age 4/5/6/7 (I don't even want to think about older, thats odd)

Bottles/Dummies are used for comfort, they are removed well before those ages.

Plus, it's a source of food, they should be getting all they need from actual food. What health benefits does a 7year old get from his mothers breastmilk?

I have seen many weird, odd, strange, and wonderful things (that would freak most people out) but I can't comprehend why you would want to still have your child feeding from you at those ages.

newcook

Mia_B wrote: »

I happily did things my own way though, and both my babies had a bottle at night from day one to give me a break, allow my husband some time with them....

I had to read that a couple of times for it to click you meant husband and child time - not sexytime...!! lol!

skintchick

The immunocological benefits continue until the childs immune system is fully developed at around age 6, please see the link I posted above, it will explain it for you.

Bottles and dummies are breast substitutes, we remove them because the shape of them stops the jaw developing properly if overused. Breastfeeding actually helps the jaw develop properly, so they are separate issues.

Breastfeeding is much more than a source of food.

Sorry to be brief, I'm cooking.

building_with_lego

meritaten wrote: »

gilly - I agree - but then every mum who has breastfed in public will have had a 'disgusted' comment aimed at them! comes with the job and the reason is explained by the poster above who refers to his partners breasts as 'his playthings'. and thats the way society sees breasts! they arent delivery methods for providing milk! they are merely sex toys and you wouldnt get your 'buzzy buddy' out in public would you?

Not all of us, Merit. I would have loved someone to make such a comment to me...

lilrahi

I couldn't breastfeed my two children and its been one of my biggest regrets of having children. But my SIL bf her son until he was about 22 months.

And I think you should BF until you feel uncomfortable or your LO no longer wants to

FatVonD

ikati5 wrote: »

If it is absolutely the only way, then put it in bottle and no one know what they are drinking.

Why should anybody have to faff around with sterilising bottles, carrying them around in a padded container to keep it at the right temperature then have to hope that the bloke you ask to heat it in the cafe won't heat it to scalding temperature and has washed his hands since visiting the loo just because some people are a bit uptight about a woman using her breasts as nature intended when you can carry it around with you perfectly sterile, on tap and at the right temperature?

meritaten

building_with_lego wrote: »

Not all of us, Merit. I would have loved someone to make such a comment to me...

tbh - it did only happen to me once when the blankie slipped and there I was - In B&Q on wrinkly day! and that was from an older lady who informed me that in her day women did NOT feed a baby in public! lol
but I have noticed other women feeding their babes in public and heard the comments.
Perhaps times HAVE moved on and people dont comment as much - or could it be because more of our bodies are 'on show' these days and a glimpse of breast is rather unremarkable.

jojo_2012_2

Welshwoofs wrote: »

Am I the only one who read this thread and thought of Little Britain?

Bitty!

no...no you are not.

Nice reading through this that nobody objects to breastfeeding in principle. Makes me feel a bit better about the baby I'm about to have in the next 2 weeks :eek:

skintchick

jojo_2012 wrote: »

no...no you are not.

Nice reading through this that nobody objects to breastfeeding in principle. Makes me feel a bit better about the baby I'm about to have in the next 2 weeks :eek:

But isn;t it crazy that you even have to wonder if someone might object to 'breastfeeding in principle'? It's the natural, biologically normal, way of feeding our children, without it the human race would have died out centuries ago, and yet in this supposedly modern and enlightened world a mum-to-be is having to question if people might object even to the very principle of it, let alone the practice?!

Lotus-eater

skintchick wrote: »

But isn;t it crazy that you even have to wonder if someone might object to 'breastfeeding in principle'?

But no one has objected and no one is objecting.

Isn't it crazy that you are looking to find someone who objects to it in principle?
Because there doesn't seem to be anyone.