Age to leave babyhood behind?

My first daughter was breast fed to around a year. She got fed up with it before I ran out. I even provided spare milk to the baby unit (late 1970s). My second daughter, the one with the grandson, didn't really thrive on it and I had to mostly move her on at around 4 months, although I still partly breast fed her to about 11 months. It might have been because I had had lumps removed from both sides leaving scar tissue. Perhaps the flow was impeded or the quality affected.

The NHS recommends breastfeeding until at least two years old, so two and a half isn’t unreasonable. I did full term breastfeeding with child and my milk dried up at two years nine months. There was nothing psychological about it for me despite me being in my early 40s. And I knew a good few breastfeeding mums who did full term feeding. It’s absolutely normal and shouldn’t be shamed.

He seems to be a very fit and energetic child so I reckon it is just a top-up for Calcium. I can't see why she doesn't try lactose free.
I can't help thinking of that Little Britain sketch, "Bitty, bitty"! I'm all for breastfeeding when possible, but it has to stop sometime.

Sounds fine, Aely.
I presume he is eating a good mixed diet too and the breast milk is just a top-up.
Could she try him with a cup and lactose- free milk?

Potty training at 2½ sounds like a good age to tackle this.

I was going to start a thread about my concerns with my daughter still breastfeeding her little boy at age two-and-a half - and then I saw this one.
They live some distance from me and I only see him a couple of times a year. At the Christmas visit, I hesitently asked my s-i-l what his opinion was and he just rolled his eyes, threw up his hands and said "I've given up on the subject". There is a sort of logical reason for it. He cannot have normal "baby-milk" let alone ordinary cow's milk as he was born lactose intolerent. He can only have breast milk if she herself abstains from cow's milk, but s-i-l suspects it is also psychological. She had her only child at nearly 40 years old and because of complications could not have another. She wants it to last. Luckily, as a Primary school teacher who taught entry stage children she was appalled at the lack of toilet training in her young charges. She is potty training him.

Shelflife

Sadly it is the norm !

It really isn’t - lots of little ones are potty trained and dry, at least in the day.

Sadly it is the norm !

My daughter was giving her younger son a quick breast feed when she came home from work until he was nearly 4. He also spent most of his babyhood tied to her in a shawl. Now he's 12 he is the most independent child you can imagine and doing brilliantly well at school. I remember being rather hurt when my son decided that breast was too much like hard work when he was a year old. I had imagined myself going full on earth mother for at least another year.

Some still breastfeed at 3 years old, and older, a friend of my daughter had a son aged 3 when she had another baby and would breastfeed them both, albeit that the 3 year old only got breastfed at night.
Every parent is different as is every baby, easy to judge but I try not to.

Now this thread has come to light again, it would have been nice to get an update about the little boy :-)

A lot of threads just fade away though.

Does seem to be a thing these days ,he will obviously be out of nappies before school but maybe you could get some terry nappies when he's stays over and wear them during the day ,he may not like feeling wet
Just an idea

I would say beyond age two?
And what happens if you had three under fives?

I had three babies/children in three and a half years, no chance 😬 😂

I do know someone who breastfed her two children at the same time and they were not twins. I was surprised by the scene but partly because it was in a public place not what I or my babies would have been comfortable with. I always wanted a quiet place as mine were easily distracted.

As to the age of the infant; the clue is the word infant surely? A nearly 4 yr old is no longer a baby and would/should be ready to give up breast or bottle by then.

Each to their own. I refuse to judge though I do observe.

NotSpaghetti

*Grammaretto*, thanks for coming back re "fad" and breastfeeding.
I suppose I'd never see any aspect of breastfeeding as a "fad" - any more than cuddles or hugs or wiping away a little person's tears.

I think I take issue with your use of the word "necessary" in this context too though. Much of what we do isn't strictly speaking "necessary".
Indeed, lots of people think that breastfeeding isn't "necessary" at all.

Also, what you mean by "extreme"?
Do you mean after 6 weeks, 6 months, after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years?

My knowledge of mums in America (all those years ago) was that most breastfed for year - a lot for 2 years or more... but there was lots of positive reinforcement of this as "normal" in a way that I've never seen here.

I would say beyond age two?
And what happens if you had three under fives?

I remember the 1976 drought when stand pipes were set in the street and I bought a galvanised bucket to boil the terry nappies.
I had two in nappies, the older one got toilet trained very quickly (day-time at least).

Dickens

NotSpaghetti

One of my sons took his teddy to university with him. He took more back with him after Christmas! I think the young women liked them. 🙄

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/376683956316971288/

Oh dear, that made me quite emotional, thinking of my poor teddy stuck in a box in the attic, worn out and needing some surgery.

Grammaretto, thanks for coming back re "fad" and breastfeeding.
I suppose I'd never see any aspect of breastfeeding as a "fad" - any more than cuddles or hugs or wiping away a little person's tears.

I think I take issue with your use of the word "necessary" in this context too though. Much of what we do isn't strictly speaking "necessary".
Indeed, lots of people think that breastfeeding isn't "necessary" at all.

Also, what you mean by "extreme"?
Do you mean after 6 weeks, 6 months, after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years?

My knowledge of mums in America (all those years ago) was that most breastfed for year - a lot for 2 years or more... but there was lots of positive reinforcement of this as "normal" in a way that I've never seen here.

Just suppose that today you only had terry towelling nappies and you had to boil them up in a bucket on the stove and wring each one by hand as my mum did nearly 80 years ago, you would be strongly motivated to potty train asap. I had to do the same with DD1 until we could afford a washing machine it does change your mind set. Nearly 4 does seem late to have done nothing in the way of training.

OK I give up
You are determined to make my words sound as though I have something against breastfeeding and nothing could be further from the truth.
I bf my 4 DC.

I wanted to clarify the meaning of the word fad itself.
My understanding is that a fad is a temporary fashion not a longstanding tradition or custom.

The OP is concerned that her DGC is being kept a baby too long for his own good. I agree with her.

Grammaretto

I would consider a fad as something popular for a while but not necessary for either nutrition or well being.
Is that what you asked NotSpaghetti?

If you accept the premise that breastfeeding is about nurturing and comfort rather than simply getting a measured amount of milk into a baby and that wellbeing is always the aim, regardless of the age of the child how can it ever be a 'fad'?

I would consider a fad as something popular for a while but not necessary for either nutrition or well being.
Is that what you asked NotSpaghetti?

Ha ha Dickens!
Totally forgot about that.

NotSpaghetti

One of my sons took his teddy to university with him. He took more back with him after Christmas! I think the young women liked them. 🙄

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/376683956316971288/

And what is "extreme "?

So what is "necessary" ?