A mom writes in asking for advice about breastfeeding. She says she has been breastfeeding for the last year and has no plans on stopping anytime soon. But she wants to know when she should stop. She asks other breastfeeding moms when they stopped nursing their children and what were the factors they considered when they decided to stop. Ultimately, she wants to know: Is there an age her child will reach that she should stop breastfeeding?
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A member of the community asks:
“How old is too old to breastfeed?”
“I have been breastfeeding for 12 months now and do not plan on stopping anytime soon. I was just curious when other mamas stopped and why you made the decision to stop? Is there a cut off age?”
– Mamas Uncut Community Member
Community Advice for This Mom Who Wants to Know When a Child Is ‘Too Old’ to Breastfeed
To see what advice the Mamas Uncut Facebook community has for this mom in need, read the comments of the post embedded below.
Advice Summary
The community offered this mom in need a lot of great advice. Read some of their responses below.
“In my OPINION breastfeeding past 2 years old is unnecessary and weird. Again… My opinion, don’t @ me!”
“I am a CLC. My daughter fed until she was 6. In some countries, the average is between 4-7.”
“If you end up with a five-year-old still sucking on your boobies then it’s time to stop. Other than that, enjoy the time until you or baby are ready.”
“I breastfed my 4-year-old for 3 years. He slowly breastfed less and less until one day he just stopped. There is no cut off age, go for as long as you and baby want/can.”
“There is sooo much social pressure to wean at 1… or even 6 months… it needs to be renormalized to natural term weaning. As long as you are comfortable with it you can go as long as you want I promise they’re usually fully weaned by 6 or so. Don’t let people pressure you to feel bad for continuing past 1 or longer. Your baby, your body, your choice, period.”
“There is no cut off date for nursing. That is something between you and your child. I nursed my 1st till he was 2 years and 7 months. I weaned because I had just found out I was pregnant & my stomach cramped when he would nurse. My daughter will be 3 in less than 2 weeks & is nursing still (even though I have wanted to wean for the last year.)”
“I breastfed till around 6 months. Pumping was only partially successful and I had trouble keeping up supply when I went back to work. A lot of people I know was a year or two but when you feel it’s the right for you and your family is when it’s the right time.”
“My son had reduced to one feed a day by 15 months and it was more for comfort. I returned to work also so we had introduced occasional bottles of formula. Decided to make the switch at 15 months and more so because my son weaned himself. He liked having a bottle of milk before bed. Follow your little one’s lead. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until 2 years of age but many people go beyond.”
“I breastfed my firstborn till she was 3.5 years old. We stopped cause she chose to stop. I’m all for breastfeeding till the age of 5 because their immune systems fully mature by then.”
“There is no cut off age, I believe the natural age for natural weaning though is between 3 and 7. It’s recommended to breastfeed for at least 2 years if you can. My son only feeds to sleep, he’s 2.5 years at the moment but I plan to wean him before he starts school if he doesn’t wean himself.”
“I think it’s really up to you and your comfort. For me I stopped when my lo got the first teeth. My LO bit down on my nipple and it bled for a day, I couldn’t pump it at all until two days after when the bite healed a little. My one boob got swollen, and huge. It wasn’t what I wanted to do initially but I chose to continue to pump until the first year was over, but I stopped breastfeeding at I think 10 months. My lo still got breast milk, just not in the ideal way.”
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