How old is too old? - Page 8

[Meiri]

You all may find this interesting.

http://www.sheilakitzinger.com/Breastfeeding.htm

It's highlights of an article written by Sheila Kitzinger.

[Ruth]

How sad some people think nursing a child is disgusting.

[Firemom]

I Could have written mothersunshines last post. I too was personally not interested in nursing my dd much past the age of 2. I wouldn't say I was disgusted by it since I knew other moms nursing until 5 and 6 years of age, but it wasn't something I saw myself doinig.

This is a forum for support and if its not your cup of tea that's fine and its your opinion, but coming here and saying how you feel is only going to get everyone else here all riled up.

Lets all just support each other

[Bladestar5]

So I was honest, and some people got peeved. No matter what, there is always going to be someone who opposes me.

[Firemom]

We all live in the real world and we all know how you and unfortunatley the majority of people in this world feel. WE come here for support. There are many baby boards out there in cyberland that you can debate this issue with, but this forum is called "The Extended Breastfeeding Forum"

[pie]

I am still nursing my three and a half year old son. He nurses about twice a week for naps. I am so proud and it would be gross to me not to meet his needs. He's a little boy but also a big baby.

[Bladestar5]

Look, I am having enough problems today, and quite frankly I feel like jumping off a building. I am going to unsubscribe now, because I tried to apologize and tell you that it makes me personally uncomfortable for a certain age. I personally have no problem with what other people do. Right now, I am trying to just stay alive. I just heard that my "wonderful" midwife missed another birth, and I cannot take it anymore.

[Bladestar5]

Oh, and NO I am not seriously going to hurt myself. I just am really depressed and if I say how I feel, it makes me feel better. No 911 calls please

[Pynki]

I think the problem we are encountering here ladies is our each individual ideas of what extended nursing is.. What is was when we were nursing and what it is now.. My boys both weaned at right about a year.. I didn't do anything.. They stopped themselves with out a nursing strike.. They just did it less and less, and then not at all.. It was early, and i wish it was longer, but i'm not going to force them to nurse if they don't want to.. They were eating plenty of other stuff..

I have friends who extended nursed, and me personally, i start to feel "ishy" when they get to be closer to 4.. That's getting a bit old.. For me.. As my personal place of comfort.. I don't think anyone on these boards is coming here to put down the extended nursing mamas... That's just truly unlikely.. Jumping down someone's throat because they feel there is a limit to when breastfeeding is appropriate into childhood is uncalled for.. It's a personal opinion.. They aren't bashing you.. They are saying it isn't something they are comfortable with.. That's all..

Also, the idea of breast as sexual objects isn't just an american idea.. It's a european and american idea.. The bustier is a very old accoutroment and undergarment, and it's sole purpuse to make a person busty-er.. Hell breast sexualization is all over the world at this point.. And breast DO play a part in sexual arousal..

I'm not saying that anyone who is breast feeding their child at 6 is looking for a sexual pay off.. I've nursed a child..I know it is COMPLETELY different, but for some one looking at if from the other side, it's easy to see why they might think that way...

Much respect and warm squishy Feelings...

Dyan

[mother_sunshine]

I didn't think that Firemom was bashing Bladestar or jumping down her throat. I think Bladestar overreacted (possibly due to personal hardships: ) and should have taken the gentle-but-firm reminder that this is a thread dedicated to Mothers who are practicing or considering Extended Breastfeeding and genuinely want to learn from and share with each other. Anyone else should show some respect by staying out of the conversation.

I really don't want to see this wonderful thread be tainted with defenses of anti-EB views. If I thought this was the place to debate Pynki's post (and oh how I could debate that post!), I would, but to do so would be the same as welcoming the very kind of negativity that I don't want to see here. Like Firemom said, there are plenty of other places to debate EB, this forum is not one. Finding a place like this is rare so I personally want to protect it. Let's keep this an oasis, please.

[Bladestar5]

Well, you know what? A question was asked, and I answered it. And if you look at the poll, I am not the only one who feels there is a personal age limit. I am done defending myself because apparently the "perfect, flawless" people cannot forgive others for miss-wording what they said the way they can forgive themselves.: :
I just wish I were so perfect. NOT!:

[Pynki]

For crying out loud.. I am not anti -eb... Im just saying that there is a point where i too feel uncomfortable with the thought of it.. Also.. I don't know any of the forums on mothering were segratory.. I didn't realize becaue i am not eb that i should not visit this one.. I support your right to choose to eb you child.. More power to you.. I'm just saying by the time someone is going to school i am not comfortable with the idea of it happening..

So since i am the "invader" for simply repling to a poll which I voted in (4-5 yrs just incase anyone was wondering) I will leave.. No wonder some members don't want to visit some of the forums here..

Sheesh...

:

[tnrsmom]

Ladies, please keep your posts on topic in regards to the original post. This thread is not to debate how long each person nursed and if they are right or wrong. It is not a contest. We can all share our feelings but let us not criticize others for theirs.

Thanks.

[Firemom]

This is the last time I am going to post on this thread. I have no problem with people saying that 3 or 4 or whatever age is their personal threashold for nursing. I totally respect your feelings in that regard, because I've been there and thought the same thing. I nursed one child for a year and another for over 5 years.

But when someone says its disgusting, (thats the one word that sticks out with looking back over this thread) its a personal attack on me and everyone else who doesn't have the same beliefs.

This whole thing is a dead horse now and I will now bow out gracefully.

[Bladestar5]

I believe I took back the word disgusting, and apologized. There is no need for the continued attacks. I just had to re-iterate that I did indeed take back the word disgusting...I worded it wrong, and in doing so, I admitted it was the wrong choice of words. Now for goodness sakes, let it GO!

[tnrsmom]

This is a closure warning. Please return the discussion to respectful sharing of opinion and support. We are not here to argue and degrade others. If the discussion can not be kept respectful, this thread will be closed.

~Stephanie~

[starfairy]

I'm so happy to see the poll responses! I weaned my 3rd child at 4 yrs 3 months after 7 yrs straight of breastfeeding. She turns 6 tomorrow & has never been satisfied with that decision! My youngest is 9 months old - I have to admit I'd love for her to wean earlier - but if she is anything like her siblings - forget it!

[mother_sunshine]

I dug up this old thread looking for a particular quote. Unfortunately I didn't find the quote (still looking), but I did have a fond walk down memory lane. It gets ugly toward the end but the rest of it is full of such valuable open-hearted conversation that I thought others (maybe some new members?) might appreciate reading it.

Just please leave out any negativity, we lost this thread once because it got negative. Let's not let it happen again.

[rareimer]

it's too early for me to say, i guess i'll see when we get there. Jasmyn is just over a year, and i always thought (before i had her) that i would breastfeed for a year. once we got about to 6 months, there was no stopping. nursing a toddler had always seemed weird to me, but i had never actually *seen* it before. at LLL meetings, i realized it was no different that nursing a baby--it was totally normal to me. and i can't imagine taking her nums away just coz she has reached some arbitrary time limit...makes no sense to me!

now i have reevaluated, and would definitely say no age is too old. i hope she nurses til at least 2 1/2 or 3...right now 5 seems very old to me, but if we make it that far, i'm sure it'll seem normal to me too. it's just so hard to say until you've been there.

[Cranberry]

I just looked back at my reply to this thread from 2 years ago! At that time, ds was 2 and I voted that between 4-5 years old is too old.

Well, guess what? He's 4 now and still going strong... and he'll stop when he's ready. I'm so glad I didn't listen to others who tried to pressure me into weaning. It's so tough sometimes -- now I'm a closet bfing mom because so many people are negative about it. Isn't that sad?

My son's lucky, and so am I.