Women who breast feed 5 and 8 year olds make me not want to breast feed my child. ?

Question

I have recently watched a youtube video of a woman who breast fed her five and eight year old daughters, I found it highly disturbing. To the point where it has almost completely turned me off from breast feeding at all because of the responses people gave saying that they supported her and good for her etc.

I will still probably end up breast feeding my infant but only until they are around 1. Because seeing that video has seriously disturbed me, I don't know if I can get over the fact that her children call her b*****s names, and draw pictures of them...

Answer 1

that is so gross.  However, you can't let one person ruin things for you in life.     gross.

Answer 2

That's an extreme case.  I couldn't imagine breastfeeding past a year until I did it.  They don't magically become "not babies" on their first birthday.  What a crappy birthday present would that be to forcibly wean your baby?  It is not right.  

Now, I am not "down" with breastfeeding my 7 year old but my 2 year old gets milk still from mommy right along with his newborn sister.  You have to ask yourself what is natural and right.  Children have a right to the best nutrition possible.  They need milk from their own species to grow and be healthy.  I don't see the point in weaning to cows milk on the magical first birthday.  

If you make it to a year then you're doing great though, because the breastfeeding rate in this country is a disgrace.  Formula is for sick babies who can't tolerate milk (extremely rare), mothers who don't make milk (extremely rare), and children with no mothers.  But for all of these cases there are still milk banks available.  

Anyway, congratulations and good for you for knowing you'll nurse to a year.  It is the norm for human babies.  Formula is abnormal and not "close enough".  It is not even healthy.  It keeps them alive, but is not good for them.  

I wouldn't nurse a 7 year old though either...it does seem a little strange even for me I guess.  I would pump for a 7 year old though as I have for mine when he was sick or needed healing.

Answer 3

It makes you ill to think that your child might know how a human body works, that female b*****s produce milk to feed their children?  And, because of that you might not nurse your own child for the length of time that you & the child would be comfortable nursing?  

I'm thinking it's hormones talking, because that doesn't really make a lot of sense.  

Answer 4

Just reading about it made my stomach turn....

Answer 5

To use the old cliche, why cut off  your nose to spite your face?

Breastmilk is the best food for babies, and continues to be a wonderful source of food and bonding well into toddlerhood and the preschool years.

Instances of women (in western society, anyway) breastfeeding school age children are SO rare [and few of them videotape themselves and post it on youtube], that I can't figure out why this would make you not want to breastfeed.

When you are no longer comfortable feeding YOUR child (ideally after 12-24 months), that's when you stop.

(FWIW, posts about that particular video appear here every few days.  And I've never seen anyone saying it was 'good for her' ... The most 'supportive' comments tend to be on the order of "it's really none of our business", or "it isn't common in our society, but that doesn't mean it's inherantly wrong.")  

Answer 6

I will not watch the video because I don't want to be disturbed by it.  Just know that you won't be crazy like that and it's best for your child.  You'll know when to stop.  I can't imagine that the majority of people think that's a healthy thing for children that age.

Answer 7

breast feed your baby until he/she gets teeth... then try formula... breast feeding is a wonderful way to bond with your baby and trust me you will feel very close to the baby once its born...

GUD LUCK!!! ^_^

Answer 8

I agree with you; that video is disturbing, but it's totally not normal. Don't forget that. Most mothers just breastfeed until around 1 year of age. I know with my kids I stopped around 9 months. I got a lot of negative comments on that from breast-milk-n***s, but it was what was right for my family. Do whatever is right for yours. :-)

Answer 9

Yeah, that makes me kinda queezy too.  Just breastfeed until the two of you have had enough.  I nursed my 3rd for 14 months, and she quit on her own.  I nursed my 2nd for 8 months and she quit on her own.  There's nothing better than nursing, but I see absolutely no need to go overboard like that.  It's just bizzare and a little sick.  

Enjoy breastfeeding your baby for as long as you want.  You'll know when it's time to stop, and you'll feel good about it.  :-)

Answer 10

I've been on vacation in Texas the last week and every park and museum has cute moms conservatively breastfeeding tiny babies.  I see it everywhere, but only because I'm a nursing mom and I know what to look for.  Breastfeeding is extremely common and normal.  Don't plan on weaning exactly at 12 months because babies develop at different rates, when your baby can eat other foods well and starts to walk and communicate, somewhere between 9 and 18 months, the average mother-baby pair will be ready to wean.  Nursing is hard for the first few weeks, but then it is wonderful once the skill is learned.  Ignore the bad examples you see on youtube and enjoy this wonderful way to care for your baby!

Answer 11

Don't worry, we all find it disturbing! You will be fine, and no you wont be like her! I breast fed till my son was one, and then used bottles in the day or breast if travelling and breast at night til he was 2! I was like you, in fact i used to cry, as the thought replused me!

Answer 12

yes i saw that video and though it may be disturbing and frowned upon in the US where she is from that is probly the norm. i mean breastfeeding is a great bodning experience and one of the best ways to start you baby off as healthy as you can. i breastfed my first son until he was 20 months and my second until he was 14 months but i would have nursed longer if i didnt get pregnant and was told i couldt breastfeed while pregnant.

Answer 13

don't overthink it! so far all of my babies have self-weened around a year old. anything beyond 18mos seems like some unhealthy attachment issues. your baby needs your milk though. trust me, the moms i know who bottle fed were always taking their babies to the doctor. just ween around a year, you'll be fine!

Answer 14

That sounds very disturbing. I would be turned off to if i watched that but just remember you can stop breastfeeding whenever you like. You don't have to follow everyone else. Most people stop between a two year old and one year old.  

Answer 15

What video are you talkig about? And there is a huge difference of breastfeeding an infant and a  5 & 8 year old. Breastfeeding a child that long is disgusting, but it shouldn't turn you off of breasfeeding.

Answer 16

gosh, this is the reason why I stopped reading stuff on the 'net while pregnant. Too many things that are disturbing...this being one of them. Yikes. BUT don't let it influence you. Remember you are the parent and you make the decisions.  

Answer 17

i know that breast milk is highly good for you, we all know that i think and understand it. BUT there in my opinion comes a time when it is not feeding your baby but becoming perverted. if you absolutely have to, then pump it and put it in a cup. that grosses my out too, some people just are not all there i guess.  

Answer 18

In most countries its normal to breastfeed your child for as long as you can because of the money it saves.

HOWEVER im aware that this is the west and as such we tend to have different morals. I think breastfeeding till teeth come through is about right. Its defo something you should do because it helps build you childs immune system and has been linked to a higher IQ.

Answer 19

I totally agree with you on this one.  it is very disturbing to know that a mom would be so emotionally dependent on her child that she would nurse this long.  Don't get me wrong....I am ALL for breastfeeding.  I breastfed my last three children and I wish I would have done so with the first two if I had known what I do now..   I believe that breastfeeding your baby is a sweet, healthy, wonderful experience and I support breastfeeding rights wholeheartedly.  But to still be breastfeeding a child at 5 years old is ridiculous. A parent who does this probably has one of several reasons (or more than one).  

Number one- she is trying to make a point.  She is trying so hard to be that 'breastfeeding' poster mom advocate that she is using and exploiting her child.  In a nutshell; she likes the attention

Number two;  She has emotional issues and she finds her worth and value as a human/parent/woman from  her child and she doesn't want to stop because to stop would mean she has to learn how to find completeness in another way and she isn't capable.  It's very sad that she relies on her child to fulfill her.

There may be more reasons, but  these two are the majority of the reasons why any mom would continue to nurse her child this long.

Do not let this turn you off of breastfeeding.  I promise you, when you hold your sweet, precious little baby to your own breast, you will forget any negative feeling this absurdness has brought to your mind.  It is the most special gift you will ever share with your child and it is wonderful.

Answer 20

This would disturb me too!!! EWW!! It is very good to breast feed when they are babies, but I would say to stop around the time they either turn 1 or they get a lot of teeth!

I plan on breastfeeding my baby for at least a couple of months...we will see how it goes!

Answer 21

I completely agree.  It's disturbing and creepy.  It's just sick.  If you have a child that is old enough to DRAW and NAME body parts, why are you continuing to breastfeed them?  Clearly, she has some chairs upstairs that no one is sitting in.