What age should a child stop nursing?

Question

I met a woman and her son was still nursing at three years old! Anyone nurse their child older than that? Is it better to nurse or to use formula? What are benefits of both?

Answer 1

Biologically speaking humans should nurse for about 4.5 years. It's a damned shame our society is so anal about breasts. But even in our stupid modern world, all babies should get nothing but breastmilk for the first 6 months of life and should continue nursing through at least a year.

Formula is artificial breastmilk that they still haven't gotten right. It's a blessing for people who truly need it, but it is just plain substandard.

Answer 2

The AAP and WHO both recommend nursing until at least age two, and then 'as long as mutually desired'. Breastmilk is the perfect food, it changes to meet your child's changing needs, even after age two, and still has immunity benefits. Many cultures nurse well past two, some to five or six years old. There is nothing gross about nursing at age three, the child is still recieving plenty of nutrients and immuno-boosters at that age. Child led weaning is the best thing you can do for your child, and should be the the only form of weaning whenever possible.

Answer 3

Well, it really is a personal decision. I, myself, find it rather creepy when women are still nursing a child who can actually unbotton their shirt for them. It is better to nurse bt htere is no reason to have guilt about not nursing. It just doesnt work for some women. On the other hand, babies can be allergic to formula and cleaning up projectile vomit is no fun. It's expensive too but it is soooo overy convenient. nursing is dirt cheap....it will only cost the the price of a pillow which you may or may not already own and a paperback novel to keep you occupied while Jr gets his fill. But then you are the only one who can feed him. If you think that isnt hard then ask a mother who has nursed more than one child. You have to decide what works best for you and what your own priorities are....there is no pat answer that one thing works for everybody.....it doesnt.

Answer 4

it is recommended that a baby nurse for 1-2 years. I nursed for the shortest amt was 8 months on my last and my third nursed for 15 months and my second nursed for 13 months, my first was born with a birth defect and didn't want to nurse so i pumped for 6 weeks for her. I personally believe it is better to breast feed, over formula, Breast milk is made just right for the baby and has all the nutrients and antibodies the baby needs, and will actually adjust as the baby grows. It benefits both mom and baby, for baby it is easier to digest and for mom it does help with post baby weight loss. My first started formula after six weeks and she came out fine, so i dint think bottle feeding is bad it has to be a personal choice and you have to feel comfortable doing either. I do think 3 years is to long to nurse, but again personal preference. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Every society is different, and so is every relationship a mother has with her child. Breast is best...a motto becoming popular is said for a reason. Yes breastmilk is better. Formula is trying to mimic breastmilk and they are constantly finding new things in breastmilk to put into formula. Formula these days is much better than it used to be. Breastmilk has antibodies from the mother and that is something formula will never be able to mimic. Breastmilk has proven to give higher IQ's, better oral development, and better immune systems to the child. Formula keeps a kid fed and is heavier. As far as how long....that depends on society, culture and the mother/child relationship. I breastfed 3kids for 15months and 1 for 10 months. I have seen cultures out of America breastfeed 5yrs old. Yet there is not a need for the nutrition at that age. Infact after about 18-24 months there usually is no nutritional need for breast feeding. What it ends up being is a way for getting antibodies and for nurturing the child. Especially in third world countries that are starving. It benefits mother to breastfeed as well. In America we have a different society and culture. So it is not widely acceptable to breastfeed longer, but some do anyways. Do what you feel is best for you and your child. Breast is best, but if you need formula its not the end of the world.

Answer 6

Nursing a child at 3 is creepy. I think there are probably some psychological issues with the Mom. Some women still nurse children older than three, but that's just wrong.

For newborns, breast milk is best. No formula will ever contain the antibodies that breast milk does.

the only advantage for formula is that someone other than Mom can feed the kid. (Although a breast pump will also allow that.)

Answer 7

I think that's creepy. Children start developing permanent long-term memories at 3, and I know I wouldn't want to remember that.
It is sooo much healthier to nurse than use formula. Nursing boosts your child's immune system, and discourages the develpment of alergies later in life.
Science is so amazing, though, that I'm sure they have made formula so good now that the health reasons are starting to balance out.
Nothing can replace the bonding experience, though, that occurs from nursing.

Answer 8

Nursing your baby till 2-3 yrs previous have a good number of advantages for the baby and for the mummy, anybody knows that. i'd favor to entice close what's the priority with a baby nursing their infant till that age. i do not realize what the priority is. i have seen little ones 3, 4, 5 yrs previous with bottles and pacifiers of their mouths. Is that no longer disgusting? to respond to the unique question, i do not imagine it really is anybody's decision at the same time as a mom might want to end nursing her baby. it really is the mummy and baby's decision. those who have by no skill breastfed shouldn't ask such stupid questions in the experience that they do no longer understand something about breastfeeding. If someone would not breastfeed they do no longer understand something about the benefits. also now that we are speaking about how tremendous formulation fed children are, my 16 year previous only graduated from intense college, my 10 year previous is going to sixth grade and my 4 year previous is going to 1st grade..all breastfed children.

Answer 9

22

Answer 10

At one year, there is no reason for a child to nurse anymore.