Some moms decide to breastfeed their children when they’re born if they’re able to produce enough breastmilk to nourish them. Some mothers, however, opt for formula over breastfeeding. Most experts say, as long as a child is fed and well-nourished, then moms are doing the right thing either way. However, for some reason, many moms are judgmental towards other moms when it comes to breastfeeding.
Some moms believe breastfeeding should only be temporary.
Many moms use breastfeeding as a way to feed their children before they start on solid foods. But, when they begin to introduce solids, they start “weaning” their kids off of breastmilk.
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However, some moms decide to breastfeed their kids for longer.
While some like to stop breastfeeding rather early on, others continue to do so for some years into the toddler years. Many parents, however, butt heads over whether or not it’s “good for the kids” to continue to breastfeed when they are toddlers.
One mom recently opened up over her choice to continue breastfeeding her child who is five-years-old.
Amy Hardcastle from Lancashire, England opened up to Cafe Mom about her decision to continue breastfeeding her five-year-old son, although many believe he has “grown out of it” and is “too old.”
Originally, she decided to breastfeed her son after reading up about it on social media.
“I think the ‘green parent’ was one that I followed, I followed ‘natural parent,’ or ‘gentle parenting,’ and I would read all of the questions that people put in and all of the answers to figure out what did I think,” she said.
She thought that it was “natural” to stop breastfeeding around six-months-old, but she was surprised how much she enjoyed it.
“At first I just said, ‘Well I don’t know how long, I’ll just keep going,’ and then I joined groups for feeding older babies. Because even when you get past about one or 18 months, that’s when people consider that … like ‘Ooh, that’s old,'” she said.
Although she still does breastfeed her five-year-old, it’s not an everyday thing.
“It could be like twice a week — if that,” she said. “He’s basically weaned. From being a tiny baby, that’s what he’s done. When he’s hungry, when he’s sick, when he’s upset. It can help him calm down after a tantrum.”
And, she said the reason she hasn’t completely stopped is because her son is a bit emotional, just like his mom.
“My son is just like me, [he] is very sensitive and emotional. He’s a very soft little boy, you know, he’s not very boisterous. I think it just makes sense with his disposition that he would just happen to be a child who fed for longer than other children who were also left to wean when they want,” she added.
While she loves breastfeeding, she said if her son asked to stop, she would.
She said if her son asked her to stop breastfeeding, she would. It’s more about the comfort for her five-year-old than it is about the actual feeding at this point in time.
She hopes that sharing her story will inspire other moms to feel more comfortable in their own breastfeeding journeys with their children.
“If you are someone who is already breastfeeding or are considering it — like me when I was pregnant — but don’t know how long people do it for you can say, ‘Oh, look at that you can do it until the child doesn’t want to anymore,” she said.
h/t Cafe Mom.
