What age should a mother stop nursing her child?

Question

I just heard of someone who still nurses her 3 year old! In my opinion that is way too old. What do you think? Do you know of anyone who continues to breast feed after a year?

No, I am not a nursing mother. In fact, I bottle feed my daughter. She is almost eight, one of the top in her class and rarely gets sick. She was reading at a 3rd grade level in Kindergarten. I don't think I damaged her by bottle feeding her. So please no bashing me!

Answer 1

Breastfeeding should continue until both the mother and child are ready to wean, preferably AT LEAST a year.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says a child should be breastfed *at least* 12 months and thereafter as long as mutually desired by mom and baby.

The World Health Organization & UNICEF both recommend nursing for *at least* the first 2 years.

A US Surgeon General has stated that it is "a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two."

The American Academy of Family Physicians says, "Breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is currently not the cultural norm and requires ongoing support and encouragement. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman's personal decision. If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help to provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child."

The world-wide average age of weaning (including the women in the USA who tend to wean way too early) comes out at about 4.2 years.

Anthropologist Kathryn Dettwyler has done research that shows that the natural biological age of weaning in humans should fall between 2.5 and 7 years of age.

AND.....did you know that Michael Jordan's mom breastfed HIM for 3 years? She's very proud of that fact. I'd certainly say that he turned out pretty darn good!

The benefits of breastfeeding don't disappear when the child hits a certain age. They are always there. They are always getting nutrition and antibodies from mom as long as they are nursing. As they get older, if they are allowed to wean on their own, they begin to gradually nurse less and less. A three year old isn't nursing constantly like a newborn would. An older child might only nurse at naptime and bedtime or when he is hurt or sick. Some older nurslings might even skip days between nursings.

Extended nursing is NORMAL. Older nurslings continue to benefit nutritionally, are sick less often, have fewer allergies, and are smart, are well adjusted socially. Mom continues to receive benefits from nursing as well such as a delayed return to fertility, reduction in risks of cancer (breast, uterine, ovarian and endometrial cancer to name a few), etc.

My children have all nursed well beyond a year. My oldest self weaned at about 3.5 years old. My middle weaned at about 22 months old. She had tandem nursed with her big brother for 16 months of that time. My youngest is still nursing at 3.5 years and will continue to nurse until she self weans as well.

Mothering a nursing toddler is SO MUCH EASIER than one who is not nursing! There are less tantrums and drama and the "terrible twos" as just not as terrible when the child is having his needs met at the breast. It's a wonderful tool to have in your parenting toolbox.

It's NORMAL.
It's HEALTHY.
And it's BEAUTIFUL.

EDITED TO ADD:
punkin - the breast won't stop producing milk as long as the child is nursing.....it's called supply and demand.

Answer 2

Nursing your child until 2-3 yrs old have lots of benefits for the baby and for the mother, everyone knows that. I'd like to know what is the problem with a child nursing their baby until that age. I don't understand what the issue is. I've seen children 3, 4, 5 yrs old with bottles and pacifiers in their mouths. Is that not disgusting?

To answer the original question, I don't think it's anyone's decision when a mother should stop nursing her child. It's the mother and child's decision.

People that have never breastfed shouldn't ask such stupid questions if they don't know anything about breastfeeding. If a person doesn't breastfeed they don't know anything about the benefits.

Also now that we're talking about how great formula fed babies are, my 16 yr old just graduated from high school, my 10 yr old is going to 6th grade and my 4 yr old is going to 1st grade..all breastfed babies.

Answer 3

My son is over 2 years and still nursing. I don't know when we will stop - maybe around three - we'll see. When my son was first born I joined a group of moms at a hospital support group. Many were breastfeeding and many were not. All the children were born within a 6 week period. We still get together today and as of our 2nd birthday party for our little ones there are 4 moms still breastfeeding - one with twins! (There were 15 of us bfing to begin with).
You might not know any people who are doing it. We don't walk up to people and say "Hey, guess what, I'm still breastfeeding my kid." We are also less apt to breastfeed in public because at this point it is less of a necessity and more for comfort. Also, because of criticism there are many mothers who, I'm sorry to say, will lie and say they don't to it avoid the bashers.
At 2 years old my child eats 3 solid meals per day, two or three healthy snacks per day, and drinks water and cow's milk from a sippy cup. He just likes a bit of mommy's milk once in a while.

Answer 4

well i am one of those mothers who nursed until my youngest was 3. It was only the nighttime feeding and i wanted to stop he didn't, my first child was breastfeed until he was 2. Each child weans at their own pace. Really the only benefit of breast feeding beyond 2, is that my child has the help of my immune system kicking in for him. When both of my boys came down with a winter cold my youngest son was recovering from the sickness 5-7 days earlier than his brother who was not breast feeding. To each their own, there is no right or wrong way to raise children, every parent has their own style.

Answer 5

I breastfed 14 months and would've gone a few months longer for weaning purposes if I had not been forced to quit because of a ductile yeast infection in my breasts. For thousands of years humans have breastfed until 2-4 years of age. It has only been in the last several generations that this practice has stopped...and mostly only in 1st world countries.

Answer 6

I have nursed all three of my children. I stopped at 14 months with my first two. My third is eight months old and still breastfeeding. I will breastfeed her untill she is at least 14 months. When you breastfeed they are given antibodies and other nutrients so the longer the better. I just couldn't handle going until they were three I would probably die for holding them. =)

Answer 7

I have heard of breast feeding later than ayear. I think it depends on the mother and her comfort level. I don't think I'd want to have to go to school lunches everyday to give my kid a sip though. Seriously, it all weighs on health of you, your baby, your acceptance and the society your comft zone is in. Bottle feed babies are great too! Just for the record.

Answer 8

I breast fed all my children til age 1. I wanted to continue nursing my son til he was 2 and wish I had because as soon as I stopped nursing him he developed iron defiency anemia for lack of nutrition. He will only drink milk and rarely eats. I cant force feed him, all I can do now is give him suppliments and pray he gains an appitite. But I think 2 is the cut off date for me, once they are old enough to clearly speak there too old for breast.

Answer 9

I nursed my son until he was over 2 1/2 years old. He stoped nursing in april he turned 3 last week. Nothing is wrong with it. I allowed my son to wean off of me. I am now preganat with my 2nd child and due in late Jan. And I will nurse him/her until he/she wants to stop. If he/she wants to nurse until they are 4 it is OK with me.

Answer 10

I would have breast fed my daughter until she was about a year and 1/2 , but my milk supply decreased dramatically and I was no longer able to. Most mothers know whats best for their children. I know I do.