How old is TOO old for breastfeeding?

[libbylou]

I plan to breastfeed for at least a year (when I go back to work). If it went beyond a year I'm not sure if I would feel uncomfortable with that because I haven't been there yet.
I think 2 years would probably be my maximum and as I reached the high end of that it would be more of a "home time" comfort thing

A friend of mine is one of those people who breastfeeds her 2 year old and makes a HUGE deal about it for attention, in fact I'm pretty sure the only reason she does still breastfeed is for attention.
Her kid is constantly yanking at her and pulling her shirt off to get at the boob, which to me is just disrespectful, as most of the time the child doesn't even want the boob and throws herself off it as soon as it's given to her.

I watched a TV programme on a woman who was still breastfeeding her 8 year old and the child would freak out at her mom whenever she put on a shirt or wore a bra because she didn't like not being able to grab her mom's boobs whenever she could, which didn't sit right with me

So while I don't necessarily have an issue with extended breastfeeding, I don't agree with allowing your child to disrespect your body when they get to the age where they can...it shouldn't be ok for your child to just rip your shirt off in public.

 

[LittleBoSheep]

It's for me and baby to figure out together, although I don't think I would go past 2 years of age it just seems a little long to me. *shrug*
It's the mother and baby's choice to make, and nobody should be patronized for their decision. After all, they at least received breast milk for a good time period!
Every little bit counts.

 

[Jaylynne]

I will be pumping since I'll have to work soon after LO is born so I'll hopefully be used to it by a year! I just am not comfortable with a toddler walking up and telling me he wants milk. Not a sexual thing, just not for me. The comfort thing is based on some women breastfeeding older kids that said it was for their comfort and stress relief for kids. I just think older toddlers should be able to soothe other ways than boob. To each their own.

 

[Leids]

My goal is to get to 1 year - maximum will be 2 years. I'm personally not against extended breast feeding, it's just not for me. I did see the program with the 8 year old who was still breast feeding, and to be honest it kind of grossed me out. Her mother said that she was fine with it until they go to college.

To each their own. I'll be pumping primarily due to only getting a 6 week maternity leave, hopefully it works out! As far as how old is too old, I would say when they go to school at 5 there should be no more for sure, and for me that's kind of pushing it even.

 

[larudy13]

This is my first baby and I WANT to breast feed but I am scared it wont work out. Or what if my milk doesn't come? I would like to breast feed until 15-18 months, but I do also agree breastfeeding a 10 year old...thats kind of strange

 

[BleedingBlack]

I'd only do it for the first year however I am not against those who do it longer at all. It's up the mother and baby

 

[Rach27]

Personally I think 10 years is extreme, 4 is about right biologically and 2 is ideal socially for those happy to continue to then.

But, saying that, there is no way to say how old is too old for BF because that is different for every individual mother and baby. In poverty-stricken parts of the world where clean, nutritious food is scarce or hard to come by, I would thing breast milk would come in rather handy for a dependent child - even a 9 or 10 year old one!

 

[LaRockera]

I'm breastfeeding til hopefully about a year and then pumping and doing a cup. Baby is more mobile at a year and I think for me, a year of breastfeeding bonding is a good start. I'm with larockera, for me breast milk is important but I am not comfortable when a child can ask for boob. I want my baby to find comfort in things other than my boob.

If breast milk is the most important thing, what's wrong with it coming from a cup vs straight from the tap? Baby gets nutrition made just for him and I get more freedom to express when I want to.

And whats wrong with feeding from the breast, breasts offer comfort to, skin to skin aswell?

Why do you presume that when someone expresses what they feel comfortable with, that they're implying that an alternative/the opposite is wrong? Seriously, there's nothing in her post that implies that your own choice is wrong- not in hers, not in any other's.

She simply states what she is comfortable with, not what's 'right' or 'wrong'.

 

[immie]

Well i'm aiming to do it until about 9-12 months. For me, and ONLY for me, i personally would find it weird breast feeding a child that could walk. Don't know why, just one of those psychological things i guess. I see it as perfectly fine for others to do it beyond this age though. Just not sure if that would be for me, you never know though, when the time comes i might want to go on doing it past 12 months and see nothing remotely weird about it at all xxx

 

[LaRockera]

To be honest, I think it's a bit ridiculous to get into heated arguments on topics such as breastfeeding when we're not even in the third trimester. Not that we shouldn't think about it, not at all. But like another poster said, I'd be grateful enough if I HAVE milk in the first place. I know of women who wanted to breastfeed badly but couldn't in the end.

Once my baby is here, who I'd die for any given second- exactly like every other mum in this forum- I'll take it by ear. I want to breastfeed, that's for sure. The how-longs and by-what-methods will be decided by me and my husband, with ONLY her best interest always in mind.

And I'm still not sure why some posters here get so defensive. There hasn't been a single post to imply that we don't know the benefits of breastfeeding, or that ladies that choose to breastfeed longer than others are doing something wrong (why would someone say this anyway? It doesn't make sense to me. ).

I don't understand why arguments between breastfeeders vs formula-feeders start in the first place (actually I do, it's got something to do with self-righteousness and lack of respect, but that's another topic). Let alone in a thread when all are pro breastfeeding. Some people prefer to breastfeed longer than others. Patronising people on either side is plain stupid, sorry.

 

[lili_angel]

I haven't a clue how long I will be breastfeeding for...all I know is that I am going to give it my damned hardest to try & you know if I don't get it I'm not going to stress out & just go onto formula. I was brought up on formula which is why I have a healthy respect for it & trust the research behind it now to be beneficial enough to my child. If women chose however long to breastfeed their child then that's their choice, it really is an each to their own situation. Personally, I don't think I would go past when teeth start coming through/solids are being introduced & would like to gradually wean off leaving it around the 1 year old mark. But who knows? I may find at 1 year I'd like to carry on, providing the boob is working it still....For me I'm going to play this one by ear & see how I go. On an 'extreme' note, the idea of breastfeeding an 8 year old is not something within my own personal comfort range & do struggle with the idea of why women do it, but I would never put them down for it as it is their choice...what they do in their own home is upto them.

 

[Hellodoris]

I always said with my first I would breastfeed till 6 months then stop.. well I got to 6 months and it did not feel right at all to stop, so I carried on, I told myself time and time again I would only do it for a year tops... yet here I am still BF 14 and a bit months on and pregnant with my second and trying to learn the ins and outs of tandem feeding.

My point is, you can say I will only Bf till this age or that age but until your small person arrives and you're in the throes of your journey, you just wont know when you'll stop. And placing time constraints on yourself can lead to un wanted stress, do what's best for you and your children.X

 

[sjwebb]

I'm going to wean by age 1. I really don't think I could handle any higher age being attached to my boob.