is 3 too old to be breastfed?

Question

i breastfeed my 3 yearold? only at night before bed is she too old, she does have a low immune system though. I am already producing milk for her younger brother and sister so thats not a problem. its not like she will still be breast fed when she starts school or anything. she just has the one feed which sends her to sleep.

she has a low immune system and she does get a lot of valuable nutients from the breast milk

she does use a cup during the day, she has never used a bottle.

it is the oly time of the day that she knows that she has my sole attention, it is like we bond while she feeding at night. she has an older brother and 6 month old twin brother and sister, so this is time when she knows its just us

Answer 1

That's perfectly fine, in fact it's very healthy for the child especially their immune system. For whatever reason, people in this country seem to think it's strange to breastfeed children other than infants, but in other cultures it's quite normal. All studies done it have shown that basically, the longer a child is breastfead, the healthier they are likely to be—no upper limit.

Answer 2

First of all let me say I am sorry you are getting a lot of slack about this.

It is difficult to break from breast feeding, but it does have to happen at some point. Most children have a low immune system until they are five to six years old, their bodies are getting used to the world around them.

There are many people who nurse a lot longer than three years old, I know a person who did it till age five, but the child had a very hard time making that break. I think now would be the proper time to start breaking her from it. However, it is ultimately your choice as to what you do.

It is just the one feed a day so likely she is not getting the nutrients as much as you think, she would have to feed all day unless you are pumping for her.

I know that this is a tough decision for you and I am not going to judge you are anything like that. I think in our culture we judge people for to much, we are told to nurse our children but then we are suppose to just break them off suddenly because society has an idea time as to when to stop nursing.

So here it is in a nut shell, my opinion, it is time to make the break, someone else may think you should waite or that it is ok, and a doctor may tell you you need to ween her, while another may say nurse as long as you can. Bottom line, it is your choice and you must do what you think is best for your child.

Answer 3

well done on doing what feels right and natural!
many other cultures breastfeed for a lot longer, in europe and africa etc.
my 1st and i never gor the hang of it and ended after 4 months;my 2nd finished at just over two and a half, my 3rd just after 2 nd birthday. i have friends whose children walked up to them in middle of coffee with friends and demanded a fed there and then! i think that is takingit a bit far, but what you're doing is fine. explain to her that when she's 3 1/2 that it will be time to think of another way to cuddle up at night.. by time shes at nursery seh'll prob stop anyway.
as for those who say put babies on bottles at 6 weeks etc, or that its gross GET A LIFE!!! why is natural to give bottles? it isnt. i have done both, but i know which is more natural! if you or your babies choose bottles, great, they'll be fine, and bond fine too. but dont let your inadequacies lead you to slighting those of us who are happy and able to breasetfeed.
why is ok to use breasts to advetise motorbikes, peanuts etc, but not to feed a baby or child from them?!
dearie me. some people are dull.

anyway.

you carry on whilst you're both happy. whether she decides shes had enough, or you decide its time to wean, thats personal and i wish you all the best.

Answer 4

I am a breastfeeding mother. It's time to wean. At this point you're doing it for YOU, not for the child. The nutritious benefits are long gone, and you're addicted to it.

I stopped when my son was 1 1/2. I simply told him 'milk all gone', and I held him close to me, instead. He fussed for a few minutes, and settled. I did this the next couple times he asked, at bedtime. He's still a cuddly boy at age 7, and accepted that the milk was all gone (it soon was!) It's probably the closeness she wants, not necessarily the milk.

If she's in need of actual nutrition, then talk to your doctor about a multi vitamin, better eating or Ensure.

Hold her close before bed, and tell her a story instead. You can still give her that special one on one time, without nursing.

Answer 5

I just stopped nursing my daughter (3 weeks ago) and she is almost 3 1/2. Like your little one she only nursed at night to go to sleep. When she was old enough to understand I made it a rule never to nurse her out of the house (sometimes she was like "right, lets go home now then!)..and then cut down to the one last nursing.

She is really strong willed and determined that she was not going to give up nursing....if I mentioned stopping she got really upset.

I decided that I was ready to stop, so I started allowing her to nurse for the count of 10 ( each side - she insisted!). At first I counted pretty slowly, but gradually sped up until I was speeding through the 10 count.
She finally stopped when she didn`t nurse for a couple of nights (1 night she fell asleep elsewhere and 1 night Daddy was looking after her)....the next time it was bedtime I offered her the choice of a bedtime book or nursing - and she took the book. I offered her the choice for the next few nights and she chose the book every time.......now it`s like she never nursed.

However, I am not saying that she should stop at 3.....as long as you are happy to keep nursing her. I`m sure she`s happy to be nursing!!(such a laugh when people say you are making your child continue.......they obviously don`t know toddlers!)
My friend nursed her son until her was 4 1/2...she joked that she would be nursing him at his college graduation!! He is now a very independant 7 year old, who wouldn`t dream of nursing in a million years - oh yuck!!
My other friends tandem nursed......nursing older and younger children together....just like you are doing.

If your friends and family are criticising you, get yourself to a La Leche League meeting for support and to meet other mothers nursing toddlers. Don`t listen to those ignorant fools who tell you what you are doing is perverted. It is the most natural, pure beautiful thing in the world.

Answer 6

You have chosen to give your babies the very best, your own breast milk. However, mothers of many critically ill and premature babies can't supply the breast milk their babies need, and due to lack of adequate supplies of breast milk, these babies must be fed formula substitutes. For premature and critically ill babies, breast milk can help make the difference for the baby's health, their best nutrition, and even their survival. Those that need breast milk the most are not getting it.
Breastfeeding itself is a calming act. Sitting or lying down several times a day while you are snuggling a secure, comfortable baby is sure to make even a hyperactive person slow down. But the most high-strung of us may need nature's other little benefit...the drugs.

Yes, during the breastfeeding process your brain will manufacture chemicals that will calm you, give you a feeling of well-being and promote maternal behavior. Your baby's sucking stimulates nerve endings in the areolae, which send messages to your hypothalamus and pituitary gland (in your brain), causing them to start releasing oxytocin and prolactin, breastfeeding hormones that will begin to calm and relax you.

A study published in the Journal of Nurse Midwives indicated that breastfeeding women have less anxiety than their formula-feeding counterparts, reference below.

well all children have low immunity system as they grow up their body will adapt to the environment and personelly speaking my mum's sister still breastfeeds her 4 year child and i was jealous in fact coz i was breast fed only for a year and my sisters kid for less than a year coz they never had milk. most women feel bad so you be proud u can feed coz the more they know it came from where at that age they will carry the moments and what would a mother want more than that.

Answer 7

I think this question is a matter of personal choice. It sounds as if you are trying to give your 3 year old nourishment but if he has teeth, you may suffer.LOL. Try pumping your breastmilk and giving it to him only in a cup. I don't think it looks too natural for a child that big to be attatched to a mother's breast. But that is my own personal opinion.

Answer 8

For ME it would be. But if your daughter has health concerns and is getting valuable vitamins and minerals she needs that she just isn't getting elsewhere then I guess its ok. I really don't believe she can't get what she needs out of healthy diet but she is not my child.

But also if its just the one feeding I don't think it is doing too much for her. I can't say you are wrong or right, just that I could never breast feed that long.

Answer 9

The world average of breastfeeding is 4 years old. Can it have long lasting "damaging" effects on the child- I don't think so and know many folks who feel the same. If someone you knew let their child have a bottle or pacifier until they were 5 would you have the same suspicions or would you think the parenting skills arehaving a greater effect on that child.
I have seen long term breastfed children thrive. I have also seen many children both breast and bottle fed that are absolute terror and their parents overlook their tantrums. It sounds more like the parents may have adopted a parenting style that needs to be tweeked some in order for their child to grow and mature. The child sitting in his mothers lap laying his head on her breasts is not a bad sign. As far as the sleeping, I have 2 children 9 and 11 that still have trouble sometimes at night and need the comfort of their parents. Do I have a problem with this- sometimes I am tired but I am certain that by the time they are both teenagers that I will not have either one creeping into bed after having a nightmare.
Today's society wants us to create children that are balanced and independent as well as being caring humans.
If these parents are not disciplining their child now, they are in for a treat in a couple of years.

Answer 10

No it's not too old. You are doing a good thing for your daughter.

I was breastfed until I was over 3 yrs old because my mother had a miscarriage after me and was still producing milk.

I'm 30 yrs old now and have hardly ever been sick, I have no cavities, never had a broken bone, etc.... Also I'm a very confident, self-assured person.

The World Health Organization suggests you go as long as your child wants it.

Good luck.

Answer 11

I don't think its too old to still be breastfeeding her. I would suggest, however, that you BEGIN to ween her soon since she is still at a semi-compliant age. At four yrs she will be much more self-aware and perhaps a bit bossy which will make any changes more difficult. Please don't listen to people who think that breastfeeding is "gross" or "perverted"...I would hate to know what's going on in their minds to think such a thing!