Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

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• 10-Mar-2010 18:47

  Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  Maisy Mouse Joined on 28-Jul-2005 United Kingdom Posts 8,975

  Contact In the spirit of MILK, I thought there's nothing like a bit of a debate for a Wednesday evening! Is a child ever too old to breastfeed, and if so what should be the cut-off age? I guess my own personal opinion is that a child is never too old as long as the mother and child are both still happy with it. IIRC, self-weaning is meant to occur at around age 5 or 6 as this is the age humans fed til before cows' milk began to be used as a substitute. However, what if the child never self-weans? When do they become too old? What does everyone think?

• 10-Mar-2010 18:59

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  Starstruck Joined on 10-Jun-2002 United Kingdom Posts 13,323

  Contact I'm not sure that I could put a specific age on it.  I think that post puberty is probably a bit much though for sure! lol I agree with you MM that as long as mum and child are both happy then its really no-one elses business.  I think for me I probably wouldn't want to BF past a year, and am not sure I would feel entirely happy going that long - but that's more about me wanting my body back I think, rather than the child been too old.  We are only 4 weeks into it and I am still pretty much taking each feed as it comes! Beautiful bridal tiaras and bridal jewellery Join us on Facebook

• 10-Mar-2010 19:02

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  KC Joined on 11-Feb-2004 United Kingdom Posts 2,010

  Contact there was a programme a few years back about long-term BF, and one of the mums who was feeding her eight year old said that at the age of eight they lose the ability to latch on, and the daughter was having difficulties dealing with it and was taking out the frustration on her mother.  her older daughter had self weaned at 5 years. both mine self weaned at 15 months, I would have been fine to continue but they just started refusing them.

• 10-Mar-2010 19:10

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  LittleBoPeep Joined on 09-Jan-2006 United Kingdom Posts 1,700	Contact I will be honest here and say that the idea of feeding a 4-5 year old (or older) seems a bit wierd to me, but that may just be because you never see it. I don't think I've ever seen anyone BF a child older than 2. Personally I'd love it if LO self-weaned at a year or shortly thereafter but that seems a long way at present. He is 4 months. S Sep 08 B Nov 09 Bean 2 due Dec 12

• 10-Mar-2010 19:20

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  lambi Joined on 17-Feb-2008 United Kingdom Posts 9,576	Contact I think I would have fed E up until aged 2 maximum. I don't really no why that age in particular, but I wouldn't really want to feed him past babyhood which I feel is up to 2. That said I totally respect other people doing it for longer. I do find the idea of feeding a school age child a bit iffy though. February 2009 - 36+0 - 6lb 12oz - Emergency CS August 2011 - 39+2 - 8lb 13oz - VBAC

• 10-Mar-2010 19:25

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  japnart Joined on 07-Jan-2004 London Posts 6,134	Contact I personally could never entertain the idea of feeding a 4/5yr old, I think 2 would be my personal maximum. I fed my first to 13 1/2 months, my second is self weaning at the moment and he's just shy of 18months. But I don't think there's anything wrong with a mother feeding an older child, as long as both are happy. I had a mind once, now I have small children.

• 10-Mar-2010 19:30

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  expatgirl Joined on 25-Feb-2010 Northumberland Posts 146

  Contact handbag: I think I would have fed E up until aged 2 maximum. I don't really no why that age in particular, but I wouldn't really want to feed him past babyhood which I feel is up to 2. That said I totally respect other people doing it for longer. I do find the idea of feeding a school age child a bit iffy though.   This is how I feel exactly. I weaned W at 18 months because he was really hurting me in his morning feeds and he was fine with it, but if he'd been gentler, and it was a ncier experience, I'd have continued to 2 years, max. And although I completely agree that it's no one else's business, nursing school age children gives me the heebygeebies. mum to W, June 2008 expecting a little brother or sister, early December 2010

• 10-Mar-2010 19:36

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  El11 Joined on 06-Mar-2009 Posts 2,798

  Contact I know someone who is BFing a 3.5 year old and that seems fine as mum and baby are both comfortable with it. I don't know if I would want to continue beyond the age of around 2 and would hope G would self wean by then, but I may feel differently when she is approaching 2 and decide I want to continue if she did! I personally think it would be strange for a school child to continue BFing, but that is only my personal opinion and it may change if I was aware of more people doing it who were comfortable about it, etc.

• 10-Mar-2010 19:39

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  smarties Joined on 01-Jul-2004 United Kingdom Posts 8,534

  Contact N is 4 months now and I would like to BF to 1 year I think if we can. For me that's just because I associate BFing with feeding a baby so for me it would feel a little odd much beyond that kind of age. I havespoken to lots of mums who have BFd to around 2 years and I see nothing wrong with that at all though it wouldn't suit me personally. I confess I find the idea of a 4 or 5 year old still being BFd wierd but again each to their own. To be honest I think the biggest issue is once a child gets to school, and we all know that kinds can terrorize one another so if a child happened to mention that they were still breastfeeding, assuming that everyone else would be, then they could be in for a rough time. Not in itself a reason not to, but for me certainly a big consideration.

• 10-Mar-2010 19:40

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  laylolil Joined on 29-Feb-2008 United Kingdom Posts 2,464

  Contact handbag: I think I would have fed E up until aged 2 maximum. I don't really no why that age in particular, but I wouldn't really want to feed him past babyhood which I feel is up to 2. That said I totally respect other people doing it for longer. I do find the idea of feeding a school age child a bit iffy though.   This is how I feel.. Although I never BF'd Leo at all TBH, I don't think I would BF until age 2 next time but wish I wanted to.. iyswim Leo Henry - Aug 08 Martha Holli - Oct 10

• 10-Mar-2010 19:45

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  Steelgoddess Joined on 05-Aug-2007 United Kingdom Posts 1,266	Contact LittleBoPeep: I will be honest here and say that the idea of feeding a 4-5 year old (or older) seems a bit wierd to me, but that may just be because you never see it. I don't think I've ever seen anyone BF a child older than 2. Personally I'd love it if LO self-weaned at a year or shortly thereafter but that seems a long way at present. He is 4 months.     WSS xx

• 10-Mar-2010 19:49

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  **Pip** Joined on 25-Feb-2006 United Kingdom Posts 17,696

  Contact I guess like you said, more than putting an age to it, whatever is right for that mother and child. I suppose for me personally it would be a similar kind of age as if I was using a bottle to formula feed and wanted to wean them from a bottle. Dont know why, just seems a place to start in my head? I think it's very personal though and I've not done it yet so suppose I wont know until then. Theo Michael 01.12.08 Eleni Sofia 23.03.10 Jonah Theo 11.04.11 http://www.justgiving.com/theowilson blog here: http://www.simplesite.com/TheosStar

• 10-Mar-2010 19:50

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  Hugo Brambles Joined on 27-Sep-2004 United Kingdom Posts 6,648	Contact Yes!!  I think once they stop being a 'baby' whatever that means?!  I suppose once they start gaining a bit more independance, being a toddler etc.   But then I have BF hang ups anyway

• 10-Mar-2010 19:55

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  moomin8804 Joined on 21-Oct-2008 Posts 3,652	Contact I'm the "whatever makes the mum and child happy" camp. But, for me personally, i don't think i would want to bf my child past the age of two. I find the idea of bfeeding a 4/5 year old odd tbh.   Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

• 10-Mar-2010 20:07

  Re: Is a child ever too old to be breastfed?

  pinkluvlylady Joined on 11-Apr-2004 United Kingdom Posts 4,101

  Contact my two stopped at 9 months and 7 months of their own accord (quite thankfully on my part as they are early teethers!owwcchh!) I would have happily continued up to 2, but neither of them would have kept still! I also respect mums continueing past that point...each to their own, but I think it's sad when some parents use BF to keep their child as a baby/ultra close/dependant past a certain stage. IYSWIM, Seen it on house of tiny tear aways  quite a few times.