is it ok to breastfeed ur child when he/she is 3 yrs old?

Question

i'm not a person that breast feeds just a curious question
is it ok to breast feed ur child at age 3

Answer 1

My mother in law breast fed her daughter til she was 6... she is now 20 and find of course I wouldn't recommend it, but your child will be fine!

Happy Halloween.

Answer 2

I breast fed my 2 children , my oldest I stopped at 1 yr and the youngest at 9 months (because i got bronchitis and had to quit earlier ) It is said that breast feeding a baby promotes brain development and boosts a child's antibodies so they don't get sick as often. ( my oldest is in honors classes and my youngest is an A student , so I cant argue that point )

They say there are benefits to breast feeding them up to 3 4 and 5 years. I think that would be a little weird personally to continue that long. But i guess that's a per ,person issue

Answer 3

The World health organization recommends breastfeeding your child until age 2. It's healthy and best.
I chose to stop breastfeeding my 1 year old and since then he has been more sick than ever before.

Those of you who say they shouldn't nurse until 3 because they should know how to drink from a cup, eat solid foods etc... Three year olds who still nurse don't only nurse. They nurse for some nutrition. Similarly to when my 4 year old drinks a cup of cow's milk in the afternoon. She doesn't ONLY drink milk with nothing else, it's just one of the contributing nutritional factors that she gets.
So, don't be so closed minded.
Personally I don't do it, and wouldn't, but it is healthy for the immune system and good for the child/mother bond.

Answer 4

I have been a nurse for some many years. There is no wrong or right answer - it is up to the individual... and the child, I breast fed my child and he was 4 years old..David chose when he wanted to give up as with my other children did.

All my kids (4) did not have many colds or flu's under the age of 5 - very little problems health wise as well. they also had solids early in their life and my breast milk was a supplement to them.

So its purely your own personal choice... go with your own gut feelings.No anyone Else's.. after all its your baby.

It does them no harm.. does not stuff up there lives.. gives them a helping hand with there immune system through you. and a good start in life... The old wives tales that comes out that it will effect a child in later life is not correct at all.. My children in their 20's and early 30's are scholars and in good paying jobs as with many other children I know.

Worried about teeth marks? well don't, a child can learn not to bite. Look after your breasts and nipples and you have not problems.. Years ago many mothers ( 1930's) did exactly what you are doing now.. Be happy

Listen to both what Mrs Mamma and I have said.. we both know what we are talking about.. you can contact me on [e-mail] for more information if req.

Answer 5

Of course its ok. The worldwide age range for breastfeeding is 2-7 years. We Americans are the only freaks that tend to think a year is the absolute max.

Child-led weaning is what nature intended. Its silly to think that a human baby should have a cow's breastmilk instead of a human's. The benefits of breastfeeding continue for both child and mother, and do not suddenly disappear at a certain age. Children who are allowed to self-wean are known to not only be physically healthier, but mentally and emotionally as well.

Some articles on extended breastfeeding:
A natural age of weaning: http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html

Extended nursing, is it for you?: http://www.babycenter.com/0_extended-nursing-is-it-for-you_8496.bc?Ad=com.bc.common.AdInfo%40318a328

Extended breastfeeding fact sheet: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

Extended breastfeeding myths:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-myths.html

Contact me at [e-mail] if you would like more information

PS to the stupid people out there: Just because a toddler still breastfeeds, doesnt mean they dont get any "normal" foods. Typically, unless there is a health problem, nursing toddlers eat solid meals in addition to breastfeeding. They may only be nursing a couple times a day by then. Going out in public isnt an issue. A toddler can certainly go hours without breastfeeding, considering that there is solid food available. But if child and mother choose to nurse in public, thats perfectly acceptable too.

And weaning just because a child has teeth? Hellooo... some babies get teeth at 2 months old! I did! If a baby is properly latched, its physically impossible to bite. They have to unlatch to bite, and that would be a big fat clue to mom to pull the breast away if she knows baby is a biter.

The world health organizations recommend breastfeeding for at LEAST the first 2 years, and thereafter for however long mother and child desire.

Answer 6

Totally. The benefits of breastfeeding never really end. Some people have weird Freudian issues with toddlers who nurse, but before Sigmund Freud, the toddlers of the world did just fine with self-weaning.

In response to other posters, just because a child is breastfeeding, does not mean he's only breastfeeding. My little nursling eats about anything I put in front of her. She loves cow's milk (raw milk rocks!) and water, but doesn't care for juice in her sippy cup. She likes to take sips of my pop, and she's stuffed full of trick or treat candy right now. She also nurses 2-4 times a day.

Answer 7

Yes it's OK. Of course you wouldn't be breast feeding exclusively any more, and would probably only be breastfeeding once or twice a day. You notice hardly anyone mentioned health benefits, and just said it was gross: that's because in Western society we've marginalized breast feeding in favor of more sterile methods, which are what lead to such poor health in adults.

Answer 8

Of course it's ok !!!! It's healthy for the kid and they still have their bonding time.... let's not sully a mother/child relationship by making it a gross thing. I'm sure that anyone in their right mind knows that the toddler should also have solid foods at this point along with nursing.

I admire a woman that is willing to devote herself to nursing for so long. I hope to make it atleast too 2 y/o with my youngest.

Answer 9

ok, personal knowledge? when my kids got teeth they got the bottle. i am not hip on bitten nips, they don't do it on purpose mind..well mostly not i suppose. *L* i stopped breastfeeding each of my kids at 3 months when they got teeth. there are women who i have seen breast feed their kids till they were 6. me personally, i feel thats to old.
but to 3 yrs? i would say that depends on the mother and availability of food and what not. in 3rd world country's children are healthiest when breast fed. and tend to get ill when they are no longer being breast fed.
one of the most important parts of breastfeeding is the (think it's called Collostrum? ) which the baby receives right after birth for a couple days, that shares the mothers immunity with the child till the baby can start producing it's own antigens/antibodies. as for the rest? till 3? thats more of a bonding/comfort thing but still, there is the added benefits of the immunity of the mother being passed on.
so 3? i don't see a problem with it. it is entirely up to the mother.

Answer 10

I have heard of people doing this, but personaly I cannot imagine why it is necesary. I did breastfeed my daughter until she was 2 and that was enough for both of us... She got all the nutritional benifits and her health was great! I have read a lot about breastfeeding as a breastfeeding mom and have found little or no benift to the child to breastfeed after age 2. Most pediatrician's recommend breastfeeding for the first year if possible. It is a personal choice that every family needs to make for themselves, and personally for me 3 is too old.

Answer 11

Some mothers in third-world countries breastfeed until the child is as old as 4, but only because there is such a shortage of food. In our society, a child this age should probably be drinking milk from a bottle (or even a cup) at that age and certainly eating solid foods. I don't think there's anything actually wrong about it, but many children this age are already in pre-school and the child might become too dependent on his/her mother if this continues for much longer.