How old is too old?

[mother_sunshine]

I am curious to see how this forum feels about age when breastfeeding in general. Does age matter? If so, what age do you think is too old and why? I am hoping this will open up a healthy discussion that we can all learn from...

1. Any age is too old, I am anti-breastfeeding
2. 6 months or less
3. 6-12 months
4. 1-2 years
5. 2-3 years
6. 3-4 years
7. 4-5 years
8. As long as the child desires, age is just a number and is not important

[lisamarie]

I voted for #8~as long as the child/nursling needs/desires. I truly believe in child-led weaning and feel that its best for the nursling to decide when to wean themselves.

Thanks for the poll!

Warmly~

Lisa

[fishy]

age

i truley beleiv ehtat age has littel to nothinhg to do with a childs readiness to wean.
biologically, it has been suggested that children slef wean at a certain weight (either 3 or 4 time birth weight)
if child still needs it, then, well, let child nurse!
jmo

[simonee]

I looked for the 16 option.

I draw the line at bf-ing after the prom

[Firemom]

I voted for as long as the child needs it

they won't nurse forever.

[peacemama]

I voted for whenever the child wants, too. I got freaked when I saw the results, because I thought someone had voted for anti-bf, then I saw that even 0 votes shows a tiny line! :

[Alexander]

Originally posted by simonee

I draw the line at bf-ing after the prom

LOL

I generally think that it is up to the child, but, 8 looks like a max to me. I think it would be tough to find anyone who BFed for this long.

Definately at the end of the distribution curve.

a

[bluemoon]

i too voted child led. My old neighbor from thailand said she nirsed till about 7 she remembered coming home from school and nursing!she said she was in the 2nd grade. That seems like such a long time to me but if thats how it happens then so be it!I just hope it doesn't go on that long for us

[mother_sunshine]

I'm so happy to see how many people voted "as long as the child desires/needs". My daughter will be 5 this month and it seems like I increasingly have to be careful with whom I tell, so many people think the nursing should stop at 4 which is strange to me. Why would someone nurse their child "as long as the child wants", then suddenly cut him/her off at 4 simply because 5 "sounds old". If my daughter didn't still need/want to nurse, she simply wouldn't nurse. I don't pressure her to wean and I don't pressure her to continue. I just go with the flow. It's not about food anymore, though she does see "mama milk" as a yummy snack in addition to the comfort.

She will probably be nursing well into her school years as she starts kindergarten next Fall, and that's fine with me. If anyone has any experience with nursing a school-aged child, I'd love to hear from you. If not for advice, at least the comfort of knowing there are others...

I have learned a lot on this wonderful journey of nursing...

[Firemom]

Mine is already 5 and missed the Kindergarden deadline

but is in preK4. No one knows she still nurses at school. She's very well adjusted and parts from me easily. She's very well liked by all the kids and the teachers always tell me how cooperative and well behaved she is.

[Dr.Worm]

I vote for as long as needed. Julia is still nursing a lot at 22-months and I will nurse her as long as she needs it..5, 6, who cares?

[elainie]

I voted for as long as child needs to. I nursed my twin dauthters until they were 4 1/2 years old and only weaned because my milk had dried up due to my being pregnant. My son nursed until he was 3 1/2 when my milk dried up again due to pregnancy and I was feeling really irritated when he nursed.
I am now nursing an almost 2 year old and will probably nurse her beyond the age of 4 (she is also really into nursing as were her siblings).

[mamakarata]

Well I'll come out and say I voted in the 4-5 year old category, but not as a hard fast rule for everyone, more like a forecast of where I imagine we would end by. Won't really know til I get there I suppose.

[JessicaS]

well...at one point she may go away to college...LOL

I have heard that Alaskan Natives will nurse for quite awhile....some even into puberty!! I don't know if that is a part of their society still.... sad how "civilized" society can screw things up...

[mamakarata]

So true. Because even though I haven't formed a judgement upon older children nursing, I would probably still be shocked to see a 5 year old nurse, just because I have never seen it! I guess it is what we get used to seeing.

On another thread, I mentioned how I have heard over and over this theory that if a child can ask for it, they are too old to be nursing, and I just shake my head at that logic. Esp when I remember how early my DD was when she started calling me "MaMa"- 6mos! By the time she was 9 mos, she had "bub" (boob) down to a science. And then "sighs" (sides) right behind it when she wanted to switch sides. Thank God I never bought into mainstream logic, because I could have been easily influenced to stop. Sigh (no, not side!)

[Brandonsmama]

child led weaning

I voted for #8. My dh used to joke that our ds would probably be asking for "na na" before he went to the prom. . I admit I began to wonder when he was four and showed no signs of stopping. One day I asked him when he thought we would be done with nursies, and he said when I am five. One day when he was about 4 and 3/4, he said " I think that I am a big boy now, and I am not going to have nursies anymore. " I disregarded it at the time, but guess what? He was done. . .he never asked again. Why is that so bittersweet?

[mother_sunshine]

Originally posted by Firemom
Mine is already 5 and missed the Kindergarden deadline but is in preK4. No one knows she still nurses at school. She's very well adjusted and parts from me easily. She's very well liked by all the kids and the teachers always tell me how cooperative and well behaved she is.

Cindy, I'm glad to see there is someone else out there who knows how it is! I never expect anyone to understand unless they have been there (I just hope), but when someone else understands I am thrilled, and if someone else has actually been there I am *really* thrilled!!

My dd is also very secure, happy and well-liked by kids and adults alike. I know that nursing has something to do with it. It's hard to explain but nursing is more than just breastfeeding.

BTW, I loved your pictures!

Michelle

[milkgoddess]

I voted 4 child led.......

however, I just weaned my dauughter on her 4th birthday, because, I am nuursing her 18 month old sister, and it was just getting to be tooooooooo much! Lizzy( my oldest) would nurse ALL NIGHT LONG!!!!!!!! I just could not take it a day longer!



I don't know how long Hannah will nurse for...whenever she wants too I hope(since there will be no more babies )

[macdeux]

Extended BF

I don't care what the child wants, when they're ready for high school, I'm cutting 'im off!

[elainie]

It's so true that until you are in that situation you can't make a judgement.
I used to think that my husbands exwife was perverted for nursing her 5 year old until I had my first and nursed for over 4 years. When I was a child my mom had a friend who nursed her 5 year old daughter to sleep at night and I thought it was a little weird until I was in the very same situation. I think nursing shoul be a mutual thing between mother and child with both parties happy about doing it. That said, I will continue to nurse my youngest daughter until she no longer wants to, it is a deeply satisfying experience for both of us.