Thoughts on this....??

[louandivy]

I'm totally not getting what is weird about a 4 year old breastfeeding. Is that really weird?????? am I weird for thinking its not weird? Maybe a 30 year old on their mums breast might be weird. But 4 no.... Love the word weird I do.

Hahahaha. If you're weird then so am I. The weird prudish uptight-ness about breastfeeding will never fail to fascinate me. Strange, strange morals.

 

[Blah11]

its really odd cos theres seriously nothing less sexual than a baby having a drink but people get all offended by it. However, we see bare boobs in our daily newspapers and they ARE supposed to be sexual and its A-OK. idgi.

 

[pinklightbulb]

I don't get it either, I was never scared to NIP after the initial worries about de-latching and flashing lol. Nobody ever gave me bad looks or anything so I was lucky in that way.

 

[louandivy]

its really odd cos theres seriously nothing less sexual than a baby having a drink but people get all offended by it. However, we see bare boobs in our daily newspapers and they ARE supposed to be sexual and its A-OK. idgi.

I know that is the strangest part! Tbh I am not particularly offended by topless women whether it is sexual or nurturing but to be okay with naked tabloid girls and offended by breastfeeding? I think some people need to realise that THEY are the one with the issue before they go making breastfeeding mothers feel terrible about their choices.

I have SOOO much admiration for anyone who can breastfeed for that long, I'm sick of it and ready to stop already (my child does nothing but pinch and bite me these days), the fact that a woman is willing to sacrifice her body for that long for the sake of their child is something that should be applauded! Some of the morals in this country are straight out of the Victorian era.

 

[Blah11]

i think amelie is starting to self wean. she didnt BF at all today and didnt ask at bedtime. I'm sooo glad if this is it then its HER choice to stop i wouldnt mind continuing for awhile though haha

 

[hot tea]

I prayed every night my three year old would self wean... When he finally did, I cried tears of joy admittedly. I never ever felt weird about his age though, it is just very annoying to have your boobs kneaded with pinchy little hands!

 

[louandivy]

YES its the pinchy little hands which is already beginning to irriate me! And I have a mole on my neck which Ivy loves to scratch until it bleeds...what a delightful bonding moment between mother and daughter.

 

[hot tea]

He would always grab at my opposite boob, and twist my nipple then pull it as hard as he could... Then stare at me with huge starry eyes. He KNEW it annoyed me, haha!! I always kept a poker face but he saw riiiight through me.

 

[freckleonear]

This is another reason thing I don't understand... why do people always make comments about it being more for the mother's benefit than the child's? Feeding a toddler certainly isn't fun! Biting, pinching, scratching, pulling, wriggling, pestering... ummm whatever! The only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that it's good for her, I'd have weaned her months ago if I was doing it for my benefit!

 

[louandivy]

Yeah anyone who says its for the mothers benefit clearly hasn't breastfed a child over 12 months

 

[cerrie311]

I'm going to make everyone mad here, but I did start out BF I wish I still did but it didn't work out. I didn't really have enough support while in the hospital (got a lot of misinformation about breastfeeding) plus having a c-section and my milk took 5 full days to come in. My baby had a strong proper latch but he would still be hungry after nursing for 1hr+ it was never enough for him we had to suppliment, so obv. my supply diminished I would only get a couple ounces if I pumped. Anyway to each their own but for me I planned on nursing a year...It didnt work out like I said so now I FF...But I would never consider giving him formula until he was 4 so why breast milk? Sorry I know that probably not something to say here....

 

[hot tea]

Well I would never consider giving my baby formula at all.

 

[midori1999]

There are benefits to giving breastmilk over formula or cows milk to a child, and that includes 4 year olds.

 

[freckleonear]

I'm going to make everyone mad here, but I did start out BF I wish I still did but it didn't work out. I didn't really have enough support while in the hospital (got a lot of misinformation about breastfeeding) plus having a c-section and my milk took 5 full days to come in. My baby had a strong proper latch but he would still be hungry after nursing for 1hr+ it was never enough for him we had to suppliment, so obv. my supply diminished I would only get a couple ounces if I pumped. Anyway to each their own but for me I planned on nursing a year...It didnt work out like I said so now I FF...But I would never consider giving him formula until he was 4 so why breast milk? Sorry I know that probably not something to say here....

Formula is just a liquid form of nutrition though, so there would be no need to give it to a 4 year old (I'm sure plenty of 4 year olds drink cow's milk though as it's cheaper!). Breastmilk is so much more! Vitamins and minerals that change in concentration depending on the child's age, antibodies to strengthen the immune system, all the statistical health benefits of breastfeeding continue to increase as the duration of breastfeeding increases, and there are emotional and psychological benefits to allowing the child to wean when they are ready.

 

[cerrie311]

Hot tea....It wasn't part of my plan...What would give your baby if you didn't have a sufficient supply for him/her? I wasn't going to let him starve. I tried all I could to increase my supply it just didn't happen. My baby is just as healthy and loved period.

 

[louandivy]

NOO please don't let this become a BF vs FF debate! Pleeeeeeease.

But Cerrie,just because YOU wouldn't give your child formula at 4 still doesn't make it wrong. Does it actually bother you that someone would breastfeed until four? Still don't get the big deal and why this is even an argument.

 

[starlight2801]

I now formula feed but I think this person had no right to criticise your friend for her choice to continue to BF to the age of 4.

Really none of her business and I'm not surprised your friend was upset

 

[cerrie311]

NOO please don't let this become a BF vs FF debate! Pleeeeeeease.

But Cerrie,just because YOU wouldn't give your child formula at 4 still doesn't make it wrong. Does it actually bother you that someone would breastfeed until four? Still don't get the big deal and why this is even an argument.

I never once said I had a problem with it, to each their own

 

[hot tea]

I really cannot fathom these supply issues. This will absolutely never happen to me.

The base to a good supply is:

Constant skin to skin
Constant suckling
Introducing no bottles
Leave soothers for after 6 weeks if possible
Use absolutely no substitutes such as formula
Do not try to express if it just doesnt work for you
Keep in mind if you do express, it does not reflect the amount of milk you have
Encapsulate your placenta and take ASAP

I think that a lot of women have supply issues because they make a mistakevery early on. The mistake usually involves a bottle.

 

[MizzDeeDee]

Hot tea....It wasn't part of my plan...What would give your baby if you didn't have a sufficient supply for him/her? I wasn't going to let him starve. I tried all I could to increase my supply it just didn't happen. My baby is just as healthy and loved period.

I didn't want to ff either but I ended up having to though I did BF until last week so I got a little farther...but you won't hear me talking trash about formula either because it's just as one sided to hold hash on ff moms as bf moms....

As for BF a 4 year old- your BM caters to your baby's needs so BF gives them nutrition they need at 4 when you BF a 4 year old. There are things they will never get any other way via BM no matter what age.