Breast Is Best.

Tinkerbelle · 01-02-2006, 18:57

I was watching GMTV this morning and have also noticed tht there is a documentary on Channel 4 tonight on the same issue, both debating the age that children should be taken off breast feeding. Obviously breast is best for babies and health officials recommend breast feeding until the age of between 6 and 12 month (I think) but one of the little girls was still breast feeding at 6 year old. The mother tried to say it was just a comfort thing for the child and that she only fed first thing in the morning and last thing at night and was only a private thing done indoors. I don't know why but this disturbed me quite abit.

If the childs happy should they still be encouraged to feed from the breast or is there an age when it really should be discouraged?

yerself · 01-02-2006, 18:59

Sorry can't resist this one.

Bitty, bitty

Tinkerbelle · 01-02-2006, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by yerself

Sorry can't resist this one.

Bitty, bitty

lol! So your still being breast fed yerself!

lettie · 01-02-2006, 19:12

The WHO and UNICEF recommend that all babies are fully breastfed until they are between 4 and 6 months old. Fully breastfed means that they are given no other food or fluids. Most people will start to wean their babies between these ages hence babies will naturally come off the breast for all feeds and breastfeed less.

Although I always promote breastfeeding over bottle, I believe that breastfeeding a child at the age of 6 is tantamount to child abuse. The child probably knows no different but the mother is in a position to stop it. I think that the women who feed their children to extreme ages have severe psychological problems which involve not wanting to let go and allow their children to grow up and lead normal lives.

Neil · 01-02-2006, 19:15

I do have a much better comment but I am keeping it to myself.

Yes I think 6 is too old. When is she planning on stopping breast feeding? When she leaves home.

Tinkerbelle · 01-02-2006, 19:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by lettie

I think that the women who feed their children to extreme ages have severe psychological problems which involve not wanting to let go and allow their children to grow up and lead normal lives.

My sentiments exactly I really believe the mother of that child still needed to be breast feeding that child more than the child needed it ..... really disturbing!

shakermaker · 01-02-2006, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by lettie

The WHO recommend that all babies are fully breastfed until they are between 4 and 6 months old.

rock n roll legends aswell as advice givers to mothers.....good on 'em

katex · 01-02-2006, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinkerbelle

the childs happy should they still be encouraged to feed from the breast or is there an age when it really should be discouraged?

Seems it gets confused in the Uk with what is socially acceptable and therefore 'discouraged'
Heard on radio tonight that 2 years (!)gives the best benefits, and lots of mums in other countrys can feed up 'til 4 years !! Ok this is what the more 'uncivilised' societies are doing naturally. Just wondered how you would cope if you had more children under 4 years.

Would need to grow another breast .. don't have udders, do we ?

lettie · 01-02-2006, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakermaker

rock n roll legends aswell as advice givers to mothers.....good on 'em

Hehehe, you're a little b*gger Shaker.........of course, I meant the World Health Organisation...

Neil · 01-02-2006, 19:45

This thread has appeared at a good time.
It was only this morning at 4am while I was feeding Emily a bottle, that I was thinking it was a lot better when she was being breastfed

chav1 · 01-02-2006, 20:03

whats wrong with frozen milk and a catapault...?

Romps · 01-02-2006, 20:11

I would love to have exclusively breastfed until Emily was 12 months old but other committments loom, so she had the recommended 5 months, and has a little now & then when she feels like it! As pointed out by health care professionals some is better than none. Feeding passed the age of two is yuk in my humble opinion, whether that is just what society has drummed into me as being unnacceptable, or whether I would feel any different if it were socially acceptable here to feed till 6, I don't know. But to be honest Little Britain has put me off a tad!!

Bitty!!!!

I do feel the support for breasfeeding is 100% better now than it was 4 years ago when I had Tom. Hats off to Letties lot for keeping me focused and staying with it. I am really quite proud of myself thanks to them!

Margaret Pilkington · 01-02-2006, 21:14

There is something a bit freaky about a mother breast feeding an 8yr old.....and it gets freakier, when the mother asks the daughter what she wants for her 9th birthday and the daughter replies 'a breastfeed'.

Two of the women who are doing this extended breast feeding were on Richard and Judy tonight.....both mothers are educating their children at home.....so no fear of ridicule at school by their peers.

I think breast feeding a baby is admirable......but I have uncomfortable feelings about 8 year olds being breast fed......and to me it begs the question 'Is the mother getting some kind of gratification from this practice?' (call me cynical if you like)

lettie · 01-02-2006, 21:25

That is my thought too MP, gratification..... I couldn't think of the right word when I made my first post. I do think that these mothers have serious psychological problems.

Margaret Pilkington · 01-02-2006, 21:30

According to Richard and judy they had sought the opinions of psychiatrists, psychologists and the like and they could find no-one who thought extended breast feeding was harmful to either the child or the mother.

They went out on the streets and canvassed public opinion and there was only one woman (of jamaican origin - don't know if that is culturally relevant) who thought that this practice was acceptable. Most people thought that 2 years was the longest anyone should breast feed.....personally even that is too long. Can you imagine being in Tesco and a two year old lifting his mothers jumper to get a feed...?