HOW LONG IS TO LONG

JRP00

I'm bored at work and I am lurking around on other boards and came a cross somebodys siggy:

Now I ask how long is to long to breastfeed? Not passing judgement but I have my own opinion.

Lilystar82

My SIL nursed my niece until she was 4. She had teeth and could ask for a "drink" - that my friend was way too long.

ETA: I also believe it is an extremely personal choice. This is really just my honest opinon on the matter.

Paul&Mel

I think that 18 months is a good cut off. I am not sure why I picked that age though. I can't imagine breastfeeding a 2 year old, but I can see doing it for over a year. If someone wants to breastfeed for over 2 years, more power to them! I just don't think that is for me.

Paul&Mel

Lilystar82:

My SIL nursed my niece until she was 4. She had teeth and could ask for a "drink" - that my friend was way too long.

Whoa, that is too long IMO too.

lilmgirl

elizabetha27:

Lilystar82:

My SIL nursed my niece until she was 4. She had teeth and could ask for a "drink" - that my friend was way too long.

I believe it is a personal choice. That said, Personally, I think if a kid is old enough to ask for it they may be a little too old.

Ditto.

JulietL129

I hope to make it to 1 year but would continue to 2 years (WHO recommendation) with no problem. I don't think I would feel comfortable with going much past 2 years but I'm also not going to say "Ok kid, you're finito!" if he's not ready, we'll wean. But who knows, my mom tried to nurse me once and at 14 months I just pushed her away and I was done, so maybe he'll do that [and crush my heart like I did hers, lol]. You have to remember, too, it's not like a 2 year old is nursing every 2 hours- it's likely a feeding before bed and in the morning or something like that.

lulu3061

Personally, I think that if they could unbutton your shirt to get themselves something to eat - they are too old.

JulietL129

elizabetha27:

Lilystar82:

My SIL nursed my niece until she was 4. She had teeth and could ask for a "drink" - that my friend was way too long.

I believe it is a personal choice. That said, Personally, I think if a kid is old enough to ask for it they may be a little too old.

This point never made a lot of sense to me. It's not like the kid is saying "Mom, can I suck on your titt!es?" That's their nourishment. it's just like a kid asking for a bottle. Besides, I started 'asking' my mom by making a sound that meant 'nurse' when I was 8 months old, which is months before I would want to start thinking about weaning L if I had to. Just offering another perspective

MamaPajama2010

JulietL129:

I hope to make it to 1 year but would continue to 2 years (WHO recommendation) with no problem. I don't think I would feel comfortable with going much past 2 years but I'm also not going to say "Ok kid, you're finito!" if he's not ready, we'll wean. But who knows, my mom tried to nurse me once and at 14 months I just pushed her away and I was done, so maybe he'll do that [and crush my heart like I did hers, lol]. You have to remember, too, it's not like a 2 year old is nursing every 2 hours- it's likely a feeding before bed and in the morning or something like that.

This. Going by AAP as a minimum and WHO as a maximum, I guess. I am determined to go 1 year and will wean when she is ready sometime before 2.

CAM718

The mom of a girl I used to coach told me she breastfed her DD til 7! She justified it saying it was only at night. 7! That is 1st grade!

Jenjenqq

If I can continue nursing DD until she is 3 years old I will. The benefits for mother and child go beyond 1 year.

pitterpatter129

My nephew (my sister's) went until he was almost three.  Now, she's a bit embarrassed to admit it went on that long, but he's a healthy little kid. 

nursedevivo

I think beyond 2 is too long...only because I remember things from 2-3ish and I would NOT want to remember sucking on my mom's boob. Wouldn't you be a little skeeved if you could remember doing that? That may be a dumb reason, and of course I'm all for EBFing...but yeah.

curlydoglover

Madison830:

I am hoping to make it to 1 year, and if Wyatt wants to I'll probably keep going to 18mo-2yrs. Granted, I work FT so that means a shitton of pumping and I probably will be ready to quit earlier than I would like to.

This.

I see where Juliet is coming from with the kid being able to ask for it... if that's part of their food, it's no different than my friend's child asking for cow's milk.

That said, whenever a mom says they nursed past age 2 I get a little side-eye-y.  It's just not something I'm comfortable with.  And I definitely give the mom nursing a 7 year old the side eye.  Sorry.

nodito

There's this cute story in a LLL book about a woman who was worried that she wouldn't know when it was time to wean.  One morning her toddler stops nursing, points to her chest, and asks, "Can you make juice?"  She tells him, sadly, no, she can't make any juice for him.  So he hops off her lap and heads downstairs to get his dad to pour him a glass of orange juice.

I'd like to nurse for at least a year, maybe two.  I figure we'll sort of work it out when the time comes.  I also think there's a good possibility that I'll have another LO sometime in the next two years and that will probably affect my feelings about it as well.

welshgirl

Paul&Mel:

I think that 18 months is a good cut off. I am not sure why I picked that age though. I can't imagine breastfeeding a 2 year old, but I can see doing it for over a year. If someone wants to breastfeed for over 2 years, more power to them! I just don't think that is for me.

What she said - exactly. We weaned at 18 months and both DS and I were ready.

ETA I love that LLL story!

lindseybell3

I think overall people are just weird about breastfeeding.  Everyone is so shy and so determined to stay covered up and "skeeved out" about drinking from boobies.  But that's what boobs do.  They make milk.  I don't know how they got sexual in the first place. We drink cow milk from cow boobs.

I don't know how long I'll nurse but I'm open to going as long as he wants to and I feel comfortable. I don't think that will be much longer than a year but I wouldn't want to feel like I had to stop nursing because in general society makes us feel embarassed and weird about breastfeeding.

cupcakes710

nursedevivo:

I think beyond 2 is too long...only because I remember things from 2-3ish and I would NOT want to remember sucking on my mom's boob. Wouldn't you be a little skeeved if you could remember doing that? That may be a dumb reason, and of course I'm all for EBFing...but yeah.

I agree with this. 

babyonthebrain2010

lulu3061:

Personally, I think that if they could unbutton your shirt to get themselves something to eat - they are too old.

omg this is the funniest and possibly most accurate description I've ever heard.  

MrsTechie

lindseybell3:

I think overall people are just weird about breastfeeding.  Everyone is so shy and so determined to stay covered up and "skeeved out" about drinking from boobies.  But that's what boobs do.  They make milk.  I don't know how they got sexual in the first place. We drink cow milk from cow boobs.

I don't know how long I'll nurse but I'm open to going as long as he wants to and I feel comfortable. I don't think that will be much longer than a year but I wouldn't want to feel like I had to stop nursing because in general society makes us feel embarassed and weird about breastfeeding.

Um, no, I don't drink my cow milk from a cow boob. It comes in a nice carton I buy at the grocery store.

Boobs are sexual because when they are stimulated in a sexual manner, they cause a chemical reaction in your brain.

7 years old is way, way too old IMO. I'm not comfortable with 2 years old. I'm hoping to give LO breastmilk for a year but I intend to cut out most of the actual nursing sessions around 8 mos or so and keep it at a morning/night session. We'll see how that works out.

I've tried to find the exact article I'm about to mention but can't just yet. I'll have to keep digging when I'm not trying to surf and eat and cook at the same time.

I read recently about some studies that show a greater number of milk/dairy allergies in children/young kids that were breastfed longer than 18 months. The study suggested that because the child isn't exposed to cow's milk and full dairy products enough, they develop an allergy to the substance. The article went on to say that adults who were breastfeed longer an 18 months didn't enjoy or eat dairy products as much as an adult who was formula fed.

ReneeDear

Dairy products are an unnecessary source of fat in our diets.  If you look at the food guides of non western countries, they don't list it as a food group.  

 The length of time should be dictated by the child.  Most kids will wean after 2 years.  If the child feels that they need to go longer it is probably because breastfeeding is filling a void by allowing them to connect to their mom.  I also hate the stigma attached to breastfeeding.  Breasts are designed to feed children.  If it is appropriate for you to eat there, it is appropriate to breastfeed as well.