If your child can say "Mama, feed me," or "Boob," is it too old to be breastfeeding?

Question

I have an opinion on this. But some yahoo answer responses to very similar questions is that it is okay and even healthy to breastfeed until the child is 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes it is!!!!!

If all of you agree with me...then where are all of the advocates who were angry at me for saying it IS too old?

It also amazes me at how defensive the mothers who breastfeed until their children are in grade school are?

Answer 1

Yes, it's creepy. My sister-in-law is still breastfeeding her two year old and it's very weird to watch him walk up to his mom, point at her breast and say "Milk!", and sometimes he just walks up to her and pulls her shirt and bra down. I think it's high time he gets moved on to a bottle!

Answer 2

My superb buddy is pregnant together with her 2nd toddler and remains breastfeeding the 1st one. people have been asking her that query while her daughter grew to become into purely 3 months. people are purely stupid. In my section, there's a extensive dropoff of breastfeeding at 3 months and 6 months. At a year, it relatively is tough to locate somebody who nonetheless breastfeeds. the accepted toddler weans of course at 3 years, plus or minus 6 months. lots of the learn tutor that lots of a few large reward of breastfeeding happen if nursed till 2 years previous. My advice is the subsequent time somebody asks, purely answer 'while the toddler weans or I come to a call to stop, whichever comes first.'

Answer 3

I have to say no.

My son isn't yet two, and he can ask to nurse (he says 'over' - long story short, when nursing in bed and he wants the other side, I pull him up and over when I roll, saying "Up and Over!", then we nestle back down. So now he says 'over' when he wants boobie). And yet, the medical recommendation (WHO and Canada, not sure about USA) is to support nursing until age two 'and beyond'.

Five I think is on the extreme side. Not to judge others, but by school age a child should be ready to be on their own a bit more. Able to go to the bathroom unassisted, for instance. Not need boobie, for another.

Answer 4

Clearly you (and many, many others) are uneducated about breastfeeding and the benefits it provides to babies, toddlers, and young children.

The longer you breastfeed the better. Period.

I am continuing to breastfeed my 14 month old until he desires to stop. It is important to us that he is given the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

Answer 5

My goal has always been to let my children selfwean, and with the exception of one child I've been able to do that. If I stopped because they could say a name that let me know they were hungry, I would've weaned them all by 9 months. What does talking have to do with nursing? My youngest is now 17 months and yes, he does pull at my shirt and say "Baby" which is his name for it. All of my other children called it "Nursey". I'm not sure where he got "baby" but it works! I know what he wants and he knows what he means! My others have all stopped nursing during my next pregnancy or just before, so I don't know how long we have left "together." I'd love to tandem nurse, but it'll be up to him! I know I would not try to wean a child before age 3, and probably not until 3.5-4yrs. That is when my thumb suckers have lost their desire to suckle on their thumbs, and that is right in line with when a nursing child will lose his desire to suckle typically, so that is my aim. Hopefully this little guy will get his "baby" for another couple of years, even if he does get a new baby to share with!!

Answer 6

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! My son's first word(at 7 1/2 months) was boob; does that mean I should cut him off? I think not. My 2 1/2 year old will also ask for boob on occasion, by saying, "mama, please boob". I am not going to penalize my children and not allow them something as nutritious as breastmilk because they can ask for it. My kids can also ask for water, juice, food, etc; does that mean I should no longer help them get those either?

Answer 7

Nope. How does vocalization have anything to do with being to old to breastfeed. It is ridiculous and ignorant to think they have anything to do with each-other. Is a child who can say "Mommy, can I have a hug" to old to be given one? If they can say "Dolly" should they no longer be allowed to have one?
Extended breastfeeding/Child-led weaning is completely healthy and natural, psychologically and physiologically.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/index.html

Answer 8

No. Only in America where breasts are seen as sex organs is it considered "weird."

I'm not going to get all defensive because there's no use in taking offense to anything the ignorant and uneducated say.

I'm sorry that you all deprived your toddlers of breast milk. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to.

Answer 9

Nope. Although different moms have different goals and comfort levels, it is perfectly normal for a child to nurse for much longer than what you may think is "normal" or "acceptable." The appropriate length of time for each nursing dyad can vary greatly.

The world over, the average weaning age is between 3 and 7 years. In America, however, the weaning age is much lower.

As long as a child continues to nurse, they will receive immunological benefits.

But if it's not comfortable for you, then don't do it.

EDIT: If I had stopped when my child could ask for it verbally, then I would have never even made it to a year; so it's not a very good gauge for weaning, is it?

EDIT 2: Sorry, Bugsey, you were misinformed, breastfeeding has been proven NOT to be the cause of infant caries. You can read the study here: http://www.brianpalmerdds.com/bfeed_caries.htm

Answer 10

I would think 3yrs is the cut off. My aunt had to nurse my cousin until about 3 yrs because of severe food allergies. She even had some reactions to breast milk depending on what my aunt ate. I guess it would depend on the circumstances on when you wean the child from the breast. Severe food allergies would be a good reason to keep them on breast milk but I think I would pump and store it instead of putting the child to the breast. Give it to the child in a cup or bottle when they get too old to be attached to the breast.

Answer 11

Why would being able to talk be reason to deprive a child of human milk?

If a child can say "i need a hug" do we stop hugging them? If they say "poopy" do we stop wiping their butts? If they ask for a snack are we to stop feeding them?

This logic makes NO sense.

Breasts are for feeding human offspring until the biological age of weaning, which is when they lose their milk teeth, between ages 4-7.

My DD self-weaned at 40 months and my 32 month-old son seems to be on his way, but if he wants to nurse to age 5 that is totally natural and biologically appropriate.