What is the suggested age to stop breast feeding? My friend saw a mother breast feeding her 6 year old child?

Question

while on an outting with her children.I was just curious what other people thought about breastfeeding a child of this age. The mother was at the zoo and was not very discreet in her breastfeeding and she did get some peculiar looks. I have heard of breastfeeding until about age 2. I do not understand why it would be continued until the age of 6.Is there any benefit to the child? Do children find it difficult to be "weaned" after such an age? I am not trying to be ignorant or judgemental I just don't understand the need to nurse that long.All input will be appreciated.

I did not personally see this but I was shocked that a child that age would be nursing.I would like to think the age was just a bad guess but I don't know for sure.

Answer 1

What you are referring to is an "extreme" case of extended nursing.

Here is the American Academy of Pediatrics OFFICIAL policy on this matter:

"Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

Near most of the responses you are recieving are nothing more than culturaly biased opinions with NO merit whatsoever. Breastfeeding a young child is completely natural, it is just very uncommon in our society.

Think about it this way: It was considered weird and gross to breastfeed "AT ALL" in our not so distant past. What is weird and gross is just a matter of cultural preference.

I can tell you with utmost honesty that I would not feel comfortable with breastfeeding a first grader. But, I can offer you no logical explanation for why this is "wrong".

Answer 2

This depends on the child and the mother and their situation. Breastfeeding is not a sexual thing. It helps the immune system and can be comfort for a child. Breastfeeding doesn't interfere with the child's development. I weaned at 6 months. My son needed more than I could produce. I recently read that Gwen Stefani was still bf and her son is over 18 mo. If I were able to, I would have bf until at least one year, which it the most recommended minimum time frame. If my child had mental or physical handicaps or some type of immune disorder or disease, I'm SURE it would have been much longer. Breastfeeding is hard work (or it was for me), so I don't see someone continuing without serious thought.
Is your friend SURE the child was 6? I have a friend whose child is almost 4 and can EASILY pass for 6.
To me, the big thing is that the mother was discreet. There could be LOTS of reasons she is still breastfeeding.

Answer 3

Women in most other countries tend to breast feed until the child is around 4-5 y/o. The AAP recommends nursing for at least the 1st year. The World Health Organization recommends 2 years. I personally wouldn't nurse my child at 6 years old. I nursed my oldest for 12 months, my 2nd child for 18 months and am currently nursing my 14 month old. I let my kids wean themselves. I do nurse in public and while I am discrete, I don't always cover up with a blanket. It has been proven that the fat content of the milk increases after a year to better nourish the child, so yes it is beneficial. For how long? I don't know. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Does your child remain dry for intervals of two hours or longer during the day? The is the time from some potty Training and to get the best result in only 3 days you will need this manual https://tr.im/wN8vp .

Start Potty Training is a plan that swiftly gained recognition. The gist of this system is that you take away all diapers, place on underwear, and don’t ever revert back to diapers.
Start Potty Training is a pretty straightforward system, straight forward and easy to adhere to.

Answer 5

I have never seen so many goofy answers as I have seen. Child protective services won't get involved because she is not abusing the child The little girl won't become a lesbian and some said they would be traumatized I ask how In every ones eyes it seems that it is wrong it seems strange to me but I won't get jerked out of shape if I was to see her feeding her child i go about my business

Answer 6

On a world-wide scale, most children are weaned between 2-7 years old. Child-led weaning is widely practiced, in other words, mothers do the NATURAL thing, and let the child wean when ready. Us Americans are the only pervs who freak out about it.

The benefits of breastfeeding dont magically stop on a certain birthday. They continue for as long as the child nurses. Breastmilk is even used to help cancer patients! While it may be rare to see a child around here nursing at that age, its very normal world wide, indicating that WE are the backwards ones.

Children that are allowed to wean when ready are known to be extremely healthy and confident.

Most health organizations recommend breastfeeding for at least the first two years, and thereafter for as long as is mutually desired by mother and child.

Here are some sites on extended breastfeeding:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_extended-nursing-is-it-for-you_8496.bc?Ad=com.bc.common.AdInfo%40496a995b

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpweaning/0,,3x5j,00.html

http://www.breastfeeding-magazine.com/extended-breastfeeding.html

PS: Here is an interesting article called "a natural age of weaning"
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html

Answer 7

When the mother feels she can no longer breast feed or the baby shows lack of interest in the breast.
I personally stopped breastfeeding when my children started teething (OUCH!!)

Answer 8

I know there are parts of the world where moms nurse until about 3-4 years of age, and the World Health Organization actually recommends 4 years (American Academy of Pediatrics only recommends 1-2 years). Six years is a bit long I think....

Answer 9

Personally I think that when someone is breastfeeding at that age then it's abuse. I really don't care who agrees with me on that or not but I feel really strongly about it. I happen to know someone who had a cousin breastfed until 7 yr old. She said he'd get embarrassed and call his mom to another room. Man that will scar a kid for life! Just give the kid a glass of milk like everyone else! I don't care if people breastfeed but there is a limit to it. It should always be discreet (I hate seeing someone just plop themselves out when they could easily coverup) And there should be a definite age limit (I think by their 2nd birthday...and that's stretching it....because I don't think a kid should have to remember that!)

Answer 10

i think age 2 is fine, age six is definitely way too old. breast milk is a food substitute when the baby can't handle solid foods. at the age of two (or even at 18 months), the mother should begin to wean the child off of the bottle/breast and start potty training so the child develops normally.