lonelygurl Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 I am wondering what people out there think about continuing breastfeeding when a child is starting preschool and going into the school system to kindergarten? You can continue to breastfeed. Your milk will adjust itself to the times you nurse. You child will also hold off for the most part until you are home to nurse. I went back to work with my first and he would take small amounts of breastmilk in a cup, but would hold out to nurse when I got home. For awhile you will have an overflow of milk. You can let it work itself out or pump for the times you are not around. I wouldn't worry about age either (if you are). I only nursed my children until they naturally weaned around 2 years of age. But two of the doctors in our breastfeeding group were nursing a 4 and 5 year old. Our society makes it out that it is wrong but it isn't. In third world countries they will nurse children up to 10 years old and beyond. Our society thinks because we have cows milk that is what you should do, but in reality it isn't. There is an enzyme in breast milk that can't be replicated (including formula) and is needed until children are 18 for brain growth. Don't ask me what one it is because for the life of me I can't remember. It has been 10 years since I was in the breastfeeding group.
lonelygurl Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 Thanks. Cutting down on his nursing schedule is proving really difficult, because as you mentioned in another post, he has taken to using me as a human pacifier. Right from the beginning he violently refused pacifiers and bottles and never cared for security blankets or teddies and the like, he just wanted me. But I definitely don't want him to go without and feel scared and deprived at daycare, so it feels like it's time. And I don't think it's necessarily healthy, past a certain age, to continue to use mommy as a human pacifier, anyway. Obviously I still want to be there to rain down the hugs and kisses. I'm not looking forward to his first cold post-wean. Breastfeeding is not a sexual act. And should not be taught as one. As I mentioned in my other post in our society people make it out as wrong, but in reality they are wrong about how long. The longer you can breastfed the better. You don't have to give your child a pacifier or bottle. My son refused both and when I went back to work they said to teach him from a cup. He was only 5 months old and would take small amounts of milk from the cup. He would hold out and nurse when I got home from work. If you like to pump you could pump the other times. My daughter learned to suck her thumb which is actually better for them than a pacifier. They also usually wean themselves. My daughter was about five when she stopped. The good thing is when they play they can't suck their thumb at the same time but they can suck on a silly pacifier.
lonelygurl Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 I think mom's who breastfeed past a year old are doing it for them, not for the kid. That is so far from the real truth. The benefits of breastmilk have been proven over and over and the longer the better. As I mentioned in another post there is an enzyme in breast milk that can't be replicated and children need it for brain growth. I had two doctors in my breastfeeding group and one was nursing a five year old the other a four year old. They also believed that formula should be prescription only. There is only about one in 2 million women who can't breastfeed. Most of the problem is lack of education and knowledge on breastfeeding.
Feelin Frisky Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 From a psychological standpoint, I can't think this could be good for a child. Kindergarten and pre-school are all about socialization skills and learning to be autonomous from the parents. Excuse me. Not for nothin' but I find the contrast of your avatar and your psychological assessment quite enlivening if you don't mind me saying so. And btw, I totally concur.
Stung Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 Breastfeeding is not a sexual act. And should not be taught as one. As I mentioned in my other post in our society people make it out as wrong, but in reality they are wrong about how long. The longer you can breastfed the better. You don't have to give your child a pacifier or bottle. My son refused both and when I went back to work they said to teach him from a cup. He was only 5 months old and would take small amounts of milk from the cup. He would hold out and nurse when I got home from work. If you like to pump you could pump the other times. My daughter learned to suck her thumb which is actually better for them than a pacifier. They also usually wean themselves. My daughter was about five when she stopped. The good thing is when they play they can't suck their thumb at the same time but they can suck on a silly pacifier. I'm not sure where in my post or posts you got this, but I never said or thought that breastfeeding was a sexual act. My stance is very, very far from that. I also never advocated early or forced weaning.
DaisyLeigh Posted August 29, 2010 Posted August 29, 2010 I wished I was still breastfeeding today, my daughter has a horrible cold and she was miserable. Kids can get sick even while breastfeeding.
Author Clep Posted August 30, 2010 Author Posted August 30, 2010 You can continue to breastfeed. Your milk will adjust itself to the times you nurse. You child will also hold off for the most part until you are home to nurse. I went back to work with my first and he would take small amounts of breastmilk in a cup, but would hold out to nurse when I got home. For awhile you will have an overflow of milk. You can let it work itself out or pump for the times you are not around. I wouldn't worry about age either (if you are). I only nursed my children until they naturally weaned around 2 years of age. But two of the doctors in our breastfeeding group were nursing a 4 and 5 year old. Our society makes it out that it is wrong but it isn't. In third world countries they will nurse children up to 10 years old and beyond. Our society thinks because we have cows milk that is what you should do, but in reality it isn't. There is an enzyme in breast milk that can't be replicated (including formula) and is needed until children are 18 for brain growth. Don't ask me what one it is because for the life of me I can't remember. It has been 10 years since I was in the breastfeeding group. I couldn't imagine breastfeeding a child that is able to eat food, has teeth and can run around. My son is seven and I do not breastfeed. I pumped when he was small so dad also had positive experiences with him. I think our society makes it wrong because we are not in a third world country so we do not live the same way. Our children often go to daycare, preschool and kindergarten. I am of the firm belief that when children are required to be autonomous from their parents, the parents should be reacting accordingly. While breast milk is best for infants and even toddlers, if they are going to daycare I do not think it is what is best anymore.
Stung Posted September 3, 2010 Posted September 3, 2010 Kids can get sick even while breastfeeding. Of course they can, I'm pretty sure nobody was suggesting otherwise. I can't speak for sb, but what I meant when I first brought up the subject was not only the antibodies, but that it's comforting. In my case my son often rejects all food and fluids except for the breast when he is sick, and just cries raspily and dejectedly if he can't nurse.
Author Clep Posted September 3, 2010 Author Posted September 3, 2010 but that it's comforting That is exactly the part I have a problem with. I think we all want our children to feel comfort, but it shouldn't be in a way where only one person is capable of providing that comfort. Could you imagine for some reason mom not being around for several days or a week. What would that look like for the child and other parent, or caregiver. A child feeling comfort while feeding is great, a child needing to feed for comfort is not.
NoIDidn't Posted September 4, 2010 Posted September 4, 2010 I wouldn't breastfeed beyond three-years-old personally (actually made it just shy of a second birthday for one as I was tired of it), but I won't judge the woman that does it as needing it more than her child. There is nothing wrong with a child nursing for comfort. And anyone that's ever been to a Lactation Specialist knows there is a difference between nursing for a meal and non-nutritive nursing (no swallowing, and not sucking hard enough to get a let-down) for comfort. Needless to say though, for the children that I nursed the longest, I've been at home with them the entire time and never felt a need to put them in school. I wouldn't have because I can't stand the way the workers treat your breastmilk - over heating it, not refrigerating it, throwing it out too soon, acting like its a nasty bodily fluid, you name it. I am far from a Breastfeeding Nazi (as I have seen staunch supporters of breastfeeding sometimes called), but I see nothing wrong with a mother and child continuing breastfeeding for as long as they are still BOTH enjoying and benefitting from it. There is too much research supporting that position than the one that stems from people's judgment of it as "sexual" because it involves a woman's breast or general discomfort with public nudity.
Rashad Posted September 4, 2010 Posted September 4, 2010 My mom stopped breastfeeding me when I turned 2... I'm 20 now and I'm doing great.
sb129 Posted September 5, 2010 Posted September 5, 2010 Of course they can, I'm pretty sure nobody was suggesting otherwise. I can't speak for sb, but what I meant when I first brought up the subject was not only the antibodies, but that it's comforting. In my case my son often rejects all food and fluids except for the breast when he is sick, and just cries raspily and dejectedly if he can't nurse. This is exactly what I meant. I miss the comfort and closeness.
fooled once Posted September 8, 2010 Posted September 8, 2010 I am wondering what people out there think about continuing breastfeeding when a child is starting preschool and going into the school system to kindergarten? Sorry, but I think that is gross. I think breastfeeding over a year is a little much. But when you have a child of the age and ability to walk up to you, pull up your shirt, move the bra away and latch on.. I have a friend who did this until her son was 2.5 years old. It was not a pretty sight at all. I didn't breastfeed at all (nor was I breastfed) and I suffered no childhood illness nor did my son, who is an adult now.
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