I am wanting to hear from grown ups that got fed past 12 months. I often get told I am messing with my sons head by feeding him past 1 but no one backs that up with actual information. So I want to hear from the people that got bf a bit longer than the social norm and how they feel about it.
7 Replies
I wasn't breast fed. But I don't remember anything before the age of two or three, only what my parents told me. I would think as long as they aren't on the breast all day (or bottle for that matter) are developing interests in other foods people need to stop commenting! I had a relative who breasted for a very long time (past the age of 2) it wasn't the breast feeding that was weird it was her refusal to let her child grow up (she wasn't allowing him to develop in other areas, like play, exploring the world, eating, motor skills) the poor kid wasn't even allowed to walk!
My cousin was breast fed until about 2.5. He seems normal enough haha but he apparently had a harder time been seperated from his mum so child care and school was harder in the beginning (even though this was after he had stopped been breast fed). He still seems very attached to my aunt even though hes 30 now haha!
Thanks.
My little man walks and talks and has two days a week at day care, that he enjoys. Nobody I how was bf past 1 and just thought the child's perspective would be good. It is hard to know what is "right".
my daughter is one and a half still breast fed.... she is so independent and so good with other kids.... she happily separates from me and actually isn't a very cuddly child so i love our breast feeds to sleep. she was toilet trained at 16 months, she is so strong and such a healthy little girl... she's only been sick once when she was 4 months old for a day. she never picks up other kids illnesses and she won't even look back for me if she is heading away from me... my point is i don't think I'm screwing up my child :)
bfing doesn't create clingy children.. i know plenty of super super clingy kids who are not breastfed!
my 3 cousins were breast fed till 2 1/2, 1 1/2 and the first one till 3!... a doctor, a teacher and a freelance photographer who gets paid by National geographic to travel the world! id say that breast feeding didn't screw them up too badly :) they were also homeschooled for a large part of their education... lol she was doing all the things society told her would screw them up!
every family works differently and whats works for you is how its going to work for you! if you try to please others perceptions of how you should run your family...you will have more chance of screwing your kid up that way!
and there is still so much nutrition and strong immune benefits of breast feeding a toddler.
i was really open minded i said id formula feed if it wasn't working and id breast feed as long as it was working!
i think i might start to intentionally wean her at 2 maybe even 2and a half if she hasn't weaned her self as she will have a baby brother on her 2nd birthday. but seriously we need to stop the judgement on "extended breast feeding" when its not even! world health organisation recommends until two...
people still give their children dummies at two (which is a supplement for breast feeding) ,and think its important they have milk or yoghurt regularly...think nothing of giving them processed milk pumped with things to keep it fresh and originally meant for a baby cow...and think its weird if you give your child not only milk meant for a human and the most organic chemical free milk.... but also milk mean for that specificic little human!!!
just annoys me a little as iv started to get judgmental comments and its so silly. do what works for you!
if you want to formula feed and that works for you, great! if your done bf at 6/9/12 months great! and if you still breastfeeding your toddler great work mumma! your child is defiantly still benefitting from it! don't listen to them its not their kid.... research the benefits of bfing a toddler... your doing a great job... xxx
sorry for the long rant... i just wanted you to know your not wrong and your doing a great job! hope you'll be encouraged xxx
Brilliantly said.
My mum breastfed my two older siblings for around 18 months. I was only BF for 9 months because I kept biting (my poor mum!). We were born between 1973 and 1980. My siblings are perfectly normal, highly educated, successful people with families of their own. And so am I. My siblings don't have any problems with how long they fed for, in fact think I'm probably more bothered by the fact that I was breastfed for only 9 months! But I don't stew over it, it's just not that big an issue. I've fed both of my kids past their 2nd birthdays, and politely ignore any hints from friends/family/strangers who have an issue with it. It's their issue, not mine.
I got breast fed until I was 2 and I turned out alright. I could only breast feed my son for 6 weeks and I was devastated! Don't listen to the nasty people breast milk is soo good for them!