Should a mother breastfeed a child of six?

[Lace Neil Singer]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...just-that.html

To be honest, I think that once a child develops teeth, they need to be off the breast and on to solids.* As for the justifications;

"Well, animals do it." First of all, animals do not feed their babies with milk at six years old; once their young develop teeth, then that's it; they're weaned. Second, animals also eat their young, kill other animals who touch their young and clean their young by licking them. That doesn't mean that we have to do those, too.

"Historically, women breastfed longer." This was due to the fact that there was no other way of stopping oneself from getting pregnant. Also, about the only women who did breastfeed thruout their lives were wetnurses, who were not feeding their own children but other people's.

I'm sorry, but my first thought after reading this article went straight to this: Bitty When does it stop? What if the child never wants to stop?

* As in, growing a full set of teeth, not just one or two. Editing for Clarification.

[anakhouri]

I suppose it is a personal choice, but not one I would make. Khan is already weaning himself due his intense love for solid food, which is just fine with me. I would be weirded out if he could ask for it.

As long as it doesn't affect me, I don't care what other people do in this matter.

I hope you're not going to be one of those women who breastfeeds until her child is old enough to know what boobs are for,' said one.

That gets me though...since feeding kids IS what boobs are for. The rest is a bonus.

[BlaqueKatt]

To be honest, I think that once a child develops teeth, they need to be off the breast and on to solids.

All I'll say to this is-is a bottle ok after getting teeth?

And I was born with teeth-guess I should've gone straight to steak

My son got teeth at three months-starting solids before six months is considered very bad-can lead to food allergies and such-he started at 8 months-when he started grabbing food off my plate-forcing a child to eat solids is not a good thing-if they still have tongue thrust(which does not go away until around 4-6 months) they are not ready

plus intestines are not mature enough to handle solids until at least 6 months.

Between four and seven months a baby's intestinal lining goes through a developmental growth spurt called closure, meaning the intestinal lining becomes more selective about what to let through. To prevent potentially-allergenic foods from entering the bloodstream, the maturing intestines secrete IgA , a protein immunoglobulin that acts like a protective paint, coating the intestines and preventing the passage of harmful allergens. In the early months, infant IgA production is low (although there is lots of IgA in human milk), and it is easier for potentially-allergenic food molecules to enter the baby's system. Once food molecules are in the blood, the immune system may produce antibodies to that food, creating a food allergy . By six to seven months of age the intestines are more mature and able to filter out more of the offending allergens.

*MOD EDIT - Please identify quoted material. Dr. Sears' website does have a copyright notice at the bottom, and it's not enough to just provide a link and then copy and paste.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I suppose it is a personal choice, but not one I would make. Khan is already weaning himself due his intense love for solid food, which is just fine with me. I would be weirded out if he could ask for it.

Or grab your breasts while you were getting dressed? Some people commented on the comment of "If my kids see me naked, their faces light up and they jump on me for a feed." I have to say, that part is a bit iffy to me. O_o

That gets me though...since feeding kids IS what boobs are for. The rest is a bonus.

True enough. XD Despite the sexualisation of breasts, that was what they were originally made for. Whenever someone says something like that, makes me want to say, "Just cuz you can walk on your hands, doesn't take away their original use." XD

[telecom_goddess]

That video scarred me for life

And there is no way I would breast feed for YEARS. I did it for almost 6 months for each kid...that was enough for me.

[Nyoibo]

If the kid can ask for it in a coherent sentence, it's way past time to stop.

[gremcint]

I'm sorry, but my first thought after reading this article went straight to this: Bitty

well that was horrifying.

[elsporko]

If the kid can ask for it in a coherent sentence, it's way past time to stop.

And if they ask you for a squirt to top off their coffee then you definitely know its time to stop.

[anakhouri]

My son got teeth at three months-starting solids before six months is considered very bad

Our doctor said between 4-5 months was OK because Khan was VERY interested in food. It was pitiful the way he stared at us when we ate. When my stepdad jokingly held out an orange to him, and he opened his mouth, we knew it was time to start real food. He's done just fine with it.

I wonder if kids who are breastfed so long are made fun of by their peers? Just curious.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I would have thought so; kids are very cruel and will make fun of anyone who's different. This certainly qualifies.

I edited my original post; what I meant was a FULL set of teeth and I doubt any babies have a full set of milk teeth at three months.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/teeth.html

Most kids have their first set of teeth by the time they are 3 years old.

By the age of three, I would assume children would certainly be on solid food, and tho drinking milk, they'd be taking it from a sippy cup.

[Fryk]

"If my kids see me naked, their faces light up and they jump on me for a feed."

Funny, that's kinda what happens between me and my wife...

[Amanita]

Go figure- I used to have an adult tomcat and his mommacat who lived with us, and they made like the guy and his mom in the bitty video.
But I don't get moms who breastfeed school aged kids. To me, it seems like the moms have a need to be needed. They talk of bonding- surely there are other ways to bond that don't involve breasts!

[Lace Neil Singer]

Yeah; like, um, actually spending time with kids? O_o

I thought it was a control issue; as in, a way to ensure their kids are dependant on them for ages. And finally, someone who watched the video and didn't freak out! XD

[Ree]

And finally, someone who watched the video and didn't freak out!

LOL...I almost posted a "Bitty" video until I noticed you had a link to it already.

I love Little Britain. (I must say, though, the "Bitty" sketches do rather disturb me. )

[fireheart17]

I remember reading a story somewhere about a woman who breastfed her DOG.

Yeah, EW.

Basically, she'd originally expressed some into a saucer, which the dog lapped up, then eventually the dog sucked on her actual BREAST. \