20 Answers

I think that would keep them in the infant stage and affect theire devolopment. Besides it would be very painful for the mother with all the teeth they have by then, I have seen mothers nursing theire children for 2 years, but anything beyond cant be healthy

Colleen

Thanks for your reply Ann. I agree, it just can't be healthy at least not in the development sense.

i would think the child would become so close that it would cause problems. i dont see how the milk flow kept going. mine dried up by themselves in less than a year. i couldnt see myself letting some big overgrown kid suckle.

Colleen

I knew a woman once who let her 4 year old suckle whenever he wanted to. I reacted inwardly to it in a negative way. I didn't say anything to her but I just felt there was something strangely wrong with it.

I do not belong in this thread-- Vinny, please leave..

Thank you..

Colleen

Sure you do. You're still suckling aren't you?

Colleen

No, no need for peeping, you're a man...'nuff said. ;)

Colleen

Ohh, lol, no, I didn't have to peep. The kid walked up to her, pushed her shirt up, move the bra (she helped with that) and then latched on.

Colleen,  I understand,  my very best friend did the same thing, but, I too, did not express my personal opinion to her, it's her choice and he is an AWESOME 9 yr old now,  but I knew she knew that this was her last child.

I always joked that I wanted to nurse the kid until he was 18 because nursing suck all the fat off of me...

Colleen

All your fat would have ended up on him, lol. That's what was happening to the 4 year old. He was a chunky monkey.

I personally think 2yrs, up to 3 yrs MAXIMUM!!!  I know mothers milk is super healthy but weaning has to happen at some point. A four year old is NOT a baby anymore and needs to be eating a normal diet,  without the breast milk vitally needed by babies.  I think some women prolong breastfeeding ridiculously long  to try to extend the childs babyhood.

Colleen

The 4 year old was eating regular food, he was just allowed to breast feed still whenever he wanted to.

Wow Colleen thats are hard one! I did know a woman who breastfed her child till it was five the school put a stop to it as she wanted to breastfeed in lunch hour! anyway I think that was going to far I do think the limit should be @ 2yrs I think that is enough and as you reported ouch those teeth!

I fed my last son until 10 months, but the milk dwindles a bit. I don't think I'd go any further and certainly not up to four years old, yuk.

A neighbor and very good friend let her son suckle past the age of 4. She is a local advocate and mentor for the le leche league.

I thought it a little odd, but I also know their family is very loving and stable. Far be it for me to judge.

Sounds like the way to create a future serial killer. Norman Bates kind of stuff. Twisted to say the least . Something very wrong with this on many levels. Glad I dont know anyone doing this . I see disturbed people every day on the bus maybe some of them were part of this activity. Just sounds creepy dont know what else to say .

Its not right, its a sickening look, you breast feed babies- 6 months should be the limit

I am totally in favour of breast feeding,any mother that can provide her baby with breast milk and not endure any difficulties deserves a pat on the back(some women can't be bothered).Babies are introduced to cows milk around the age of 11 months .Women who continue to breast feed after this age must have selfish reasons to do so.     e.g  Breasts stay enlarged,no menstruating and no weight gain.I say the milk bar shuts down at 11 months.

Not my cup of tea.

I was in the garden area in a up market hotel in Sydney having a business dinner. There was a woman in her late 30s sitting with a boy of about 4/5 yrs old and this kid lifted ,I assume, mothers blouse and just stood the sucking her nipple and if that wasn`t enough the womans` other breast was fully exposed.

I did not know whether to laugh or get annoyed, so I did neither, the kid had his suckle and went on eating his meal.

The thought did occur to me that the woman was  in the incest mode and this was the start of things to come.

I could never be accused of being a prude but bloody hell that was a bit off in my mind.

To each there own, who am I to judge,

Colleen

I think if you actually saw a 4 year old with a mouth full of teeth walk up to his mother, shove her shirt up and latch onto a nipple, you might think something and I'm sure it wouldn't be awe, how cute ;)

I breast fed my children.  They stopped on their own around the 18 month stage.

I would like to mention that breast feeding is natural and not disgusting.  Many women, including myself, have experienced numerous situations where we were actually ashamed to feed our children the way nature intended due to societal pressure.  For the most part, I found a very discreet places to feed all three of my children... some of which were very uncomfortable for me.  It just goes to show you how narrow minded society has become... bottle feeding is man-made and so is formula... a breast fed baby more often than not does not like to feed from a bottle.   

I'm not sure I should say all of this that I could say so I won't. I'll stifle myself. I've only known two women who did this. One seems to be ok. The other one turned psychotic. After her break with reality, I never saw her again. It was terrible. She was a nurse in the nicu ward.

I wasn't able to nurse my chidlren, and I would have loved the opportunity.  I think it would have been a bonding time, would have helped get some of that post-baby weight off (??), delayed my periods starting up again so quickly (??).  Those were the perks for me. The baby would have benefited by having a healthier diet than with powdered formula.
My understanding of nursing was that it provided the infant with optimal nourishment and also helped build up antibodies (?) so the infant would be healthier and more resistant to certain illnesses.
It seems to me that the benefits of nursing are valuable for the first 12 months or so, but as the child begins eating FOOD and drinking from a CUP, perhaps nursing is not medically necessary.
Personally, when I see or hear of a mom nursing a toddler or child, I think there is something going on beyond nourishing  an infant to give him the best possible healthy start. 
I don't like it (but don't let that stop you, of course).

the mother is doing it for a reason , i wont go into, ,i will say its not just for child nutrition , .The mother likes it for one reason !!!  You have to think about the hormones created and released by this action of mother.

why buy the cow when you can get the milk  for free...

Every mother has the right to her own body and do as she feels is right for her and her child, no matter what the age. A neighbor of mine was asked by the local police to please not suckle her two year old on our town beach. The media got hold of this and the entire town erupted into chaos. I chose to not breastfeed my children, but I would never interfere with another woman's right to do so. My hospital has wonderfully talented staff that helps women in this very controversal theory. Blessed are the women.