To the woman breastfeefing her 4 year old at the table at Wild Tomato...

[Anonymous]

I know plenty of women who have nursed their 2 plus girls. PP you might not agree with extended breastfeeding but don't you think turning it into something sexual is trolling a bit?

FWIW I nursed my DD until 20 months, but past 13 months only at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know plenty of women who have nursed their 2 plus girls. PP you might not agree with extended breastfeeding but don't you think turning it into something sexual is trolling a bit?

FWIW I nursed my DD until 20 months, but past 13 months only at home.

Ok, see that's why I asked. I genuinely wasn't trolling. I was asking if my experience was random. Thank you for sharing that you did this with your girls. I havent personally seen it with girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a serious question, not meant to throw flames, I promise. Why is it that the only people I know of or have witnessed nursing beyond two only do this with boys. Is that just my own random experience? Has anyone seen this with girls?

Small sample size. I nursed my preemie girl at least partially until 3.5, because they do most of their catching up by about 3, when we began tapering down in earnest. Past two was not an unusual choice among the mothers I knew open to extended breastfeeding. It's true that boys are (statistically) more fragile with more dependent behaviors and also more likely to be rewarded for demanding behavior, though, so I don't know if there is some difference at the population level.

Many women keep nursing because while the quality of breastmilk changes, it doesn't suddenly stop being the best brain food and immune support we have available. It is also an absolute godsend when a child is ill; I did want to stop nursing, but was sorry to give up having a supply when she really needed it.

I do find it amusing that people are SO worked up about the quality of food, daycare and schools, but so determined that mothers should withdraw a free, nutritious brain-building supplement that's still biologically appropriate.

BTW, person who pulled 12-16 months directly out of your ass, the WHO standard is two years.

[Anonymous]

Maybe we should move to the expecting mothers forum. That way all pregnant women should know they need to come and ask dcum for permission

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I nurse my 2.5 yo, but taught him early on that we don't do this outside the home, unless I tell him otherwise (plane rides and napping not at home, so not too often).
I don't see the point of doing it in public?

Just curious, what is the point at all at 2 1/2?

Comfort, health, bonding.

Hate to tell you, momma, but at 2.5, he should be getting his "comfort, health and bonding" from you in a different way. You need to give it up. Why don't you at least admit that it's for you at this point, and not him?

exactly. pretending like this is anything but emotionally harmful to a child (physically probably doesn't matter one way or another) is just naive. mom needs a therapist.

and to the pp who said it's possible the kid was like, 6 months and looked 4 - come on. what are the chances?

You must be joking. Emotionally harmful? I'd like to see one respected literature citation or expert opinion on that. Give me a freaking break!

And to the other PP who asked about girls, I know women who nursed their daughters past two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right now I am breastfeeding my one year old. She nursed yesterday at a restaurant (both of us fully covered). I think nursing a kid that old (4) is wierd. Mom must have nothing better in her life than to be an uber boober. She needs to get a hobby.

Or have another child.

[Anonymous]

Uber Boober is actually pretty freakin' funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love it when Western women trot out the "but they nurse for 7 years in many other countries." Asked to produce the countries, they are inevitably primitive or impoverished (we've heard Bangladesh and Nepal so far in this thread), so any extended nursing has more to do with meeting basic food needs (i.e., prevent the kid from starving) more than any specific magical virtue. Why do these women hold up primitive ways of doing things as a model? It's sort of like the whole "women gave birth at home for thousands of years" argument. Yeah? So? Ever hear of "progress?"

I'm the one who mentioned Nepal. I didn't hold it up as a model, just mentioned to Scientist guy/gal that I saw children much older (so anecdotal at best) than the statistical 31 months in Bangladesh nursing.

Reading comprehension is a great thing.

[Anonymous]

Not my style, but I couldn't care less if someone else did it. In fact, I applaud her for doing it!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who cares? Are you the same sort of b*tch who judges women for formula feeding? Why do you care?

Scientists think the natural age for weaning is between 2-7 years, btw. So 4 may not be common in the U.S., but it's within the realm of normal. Don't be so small-minded.

For me the issue is not whether it's normal but whether it's appropriate to do it in public in a restaurant. By the age of four, a kid can certainly learn to wait till later. Nothing wrong with deferred gratification by that age.

But I suppose if a lot of people did it, we'd get used to it. Just like we are used to bikinis on the beach whereas in other cultures that would seem scandalous.

[Anonymous]

Women who do this just want to be the center of attention. They know others can see them as their kids are big enough and even you are minding your business, what's going on is pretty obvious.

Extended feeders IMO have some issues they need help resolving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who cares? Are you the same sort of b*tch who judges women for formula feeding? Why do you care?

Scientists think the natural age for weaning is between 2-7 years, btw. So 4 may not be common in the U.S., but it's within the realm of normal. Don't be so small-minded.

For me the issue is not whether it's normal but whether it's appropriate to do it in public in a restaurant. By the age of four, a kid can certainly learn to wait till later. Nothing wrong with deferred gratification by that age.

But I suppose if a lot of people did it, we'd get used to it. Just like we are used to bikinis on the beach whereas in other cultures that would seem scandalous.

OH MY GOD! FINALLY!

*applause*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Women who do this just want to be the center of attention. They know others can see them as their kids are big enough and even you are minding your business, what's going on is pretty obvious.

Extended feeders IMO have some issues they need help resolving.

No, we're just not the kind of people who are easily shamed out of something we know is fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Women who do this just want to be the center of attention. They know others can see them as their kids are big enough and even you are minding your business, what's going on is pretty obvious.

Extended feeders IMO have some issues they need help resolving.

I don't think they have issues rather they have an agenda. It isn't about the child by this point, it is something *in their mind* political. I have no problem with women breastfeeding in public (I wasn't able to breastfeed) but beyond the age of 2 it seems out of societal norms.

[Anonymous]

I agree about nursing in public but I find it astounding that people actually think that women have ISSUES or EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS if they nurse toddlers in the privacy of their own homes. Really? How does it bother you exactly?