Yep, more "B00bie" talk today.....
To all the men folk out there (If there are any) You may want to skip over this post.
Let's talk about Breastfeeding for a minute.
NO, I am not doing it at the moment but I have breastfed a couple of kids. I have also bottle-fed (Oldest daughter) Both Breast-feeding and Bottle-feeding worked for us so I am not going to sit here and tell you that you should do ONE over the OTHER. Nope, I am not like that. I do what I think is best for me and my child and you can do the same for you and your child.
ANYHOO....
I want to know HOW OLD IS TOO OLD? Thoughts???
I stopped breastfeeding my son when he was about 8 months old and he went to formula. He just stopped breastfeeding. He didn't want to do it anymore. Now my youngest daughter was nearly a year old when she stopped. She went from breast to sippy cup at age 1.
Now, I have heard of women doing it a little longer (Maybe age 2) but was flipping through the channels one night and came upon a sight that I just can not get out of my head.
The sight: A mom sitting on the couch with a rather large child in her lap breastfeeding. The LARGE CHILD was not just LARGE but she was 10 years old!
Yep, 10!
hmmmm......
I dunno guys, 10?? I just can't imagine why a 10 year old would still be breastfeeding. I mean at 10 they can actually move up to the Extra Value Meal at McDonalds and leave the Happy Meal behind. Ya know what I'm Saying?? Breastmilk?
At the end of the segment the news reporter had said that the girl decided to stop breastfeeding (NOT because she was embarrassed but rather because she lost her "suction" technique.)
:::shaking my head:::
Alrighty, I want to know what you guys think about this.
HOW OLD IS TOO OLD??
To all the men folk out there (If there are any) You may want to skip over this post.
Let's talk about Breastfeeding for a minute.
NO, I am not doing it at the moment but I have breastfed a couple of kids. I have also bottle-fed (Oldest daughter) Both Breast-feeding and Bottle-feeding worked for us so I am not going to sit here and tell you that you should do ONE over the OTHER. Nope, I am not like that. I do what I think is best for me and my child and you can do the same for you and your child.
ANYHOO....
I want to know HOW OLD IS TOO OLD? Thoughts???
I stopped breastfeeding my son when he was about 8 months old and he went to formula. He just stopped breastfeeding. He didn't want to do it anymore. Now my youngest daughter was nearly a year old when she stopped. She went from breast to sippy cup at age 1.
Now, I have heard of women doing it a little longer (Maybe age 2) but was flipping through the channels one night and came upon a sight that I just can not get out of my head.
The sight: A mom sitting on the couch with a rather large child in her lap breastfeeding. The LARGE CHILD was not just LARGE but she was 10 years old!
Yep, 10!
hmmmm......
I dunno guys, 10?? I just can't imagine why a 10 year old would still be breastfeeding. I mean at 10 they can actually move up to the Extra Value Meal at McDonalds and leave the Happy Meal behind. Ya know what I'm Saying?? Breastmilk?
At the end of the segment the news reporter had said that the girl decided to stop breastfeeding (NOT because she was embarrassed but rather because she lost her "suction" technique.)
:::shaking my head:::
Alrighty, I want to know what you guys think about this.
HOW OLD IS TOO OLD??
8 comments:
I'll start by saying I have formula fed, and I have breastfed, and plan to exclusively breastfeed my next child.
I too watched the 20/20 special and while I wasn't disturbed by the image, it was perplexing as to why a child that old would still be breastfeeding.
It's hard to say what age is too old. I mean what criteria do you use to draw the line? Is it walking, talking, riding a bike? Hard to say. Each child matures at a different rate and has different needs.
My daughter breastfed exclusively until a year, then continued to do so even after introduced to cow's milk until she was 14 months. Weaning was a gradual process that I let her choose to end. There's so much more to breastfeeding than the nutritional aspect that you can't just wake up one day and decide to take away the breast.
I guess what I'm saying is this should be something left to each individual family. What works for one child may not work for another.
I bf my children. They weaned themselves, but if they hadn't I would have stopped once they were old enough to hold a sippy cup by themselves. Around 1 yr.
Honestly, I wonder the real reason some mom's continue after the actual need is gone. The child has received the benefit, but is now able to feed themselves. So what is the point of continuing? Mom's need for closeness with her child? The bonding? There are other ways to bond that require actual interaction with the child, and I think would have more actual benefit.
It's ultimately up to each woman to decide. I won't say anyone is right or wrong with whatever their decision.
From your post and the two previous comments it seems that most Moms understand that breastfeeding is a subject best left to each Mom to decide what is best for her child. That being said, there are always those who take things to the extreme and in my opinion there is usually a reason behind that. Something in that person's life isn't balanced. Common sense will tell you that 10 years old is way too old to be breastfeeding unless the child is suffering from an extreme abuse situation and for some reason needs to return to being a child to recover. That is about the only reason I can see at least. I didn't see the special and I don't know that Mom's situation, but I hope she and the child get the help they need.
That is so funny because I was just thinking about this other day. I think it depends on each person, but yes, I feel like 10 is too old.
This subject often becomes a heated debate. I've done both, but I think if the kid can order their own Happy Meal, it's time to wean.
My youngest son turned 2 in December and he's still nursing, my middle son nursed until he was 2 1/2, and my other children were all bottle fed. However, I could NOT imagine nursing a 10 year old or even a 4 or 5 year old!
I agree with Deb from CocoBonBons. To each there own. But I see no benefits of a ten year old BFing and I think it will hurt her more in the long run, emotionally.
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