Guest The Pom Queen Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Do you think it is too much? Personally I think 10 is too old. But what age is considered appropriate to stop breast feeding? 'Aminah took to breastfeeding easily and the moment I felt that bond, I was instantly hooked,' says mother-of-three Maha Al Musa. Al Musa, 51, still breastfeeds her daughter in public, whenever she asks for milk. But it's not seeing an older lady flashing flesh that raises eyebrows, rather the age of her five-year-old. The Australian belly dancer practices extended breastfeeding, where a mother allows the child to carry on feeding until they say they are ready to stop. Maha Al Musa, 51, still breastfeeds her 5-year-old daughter in public, whenever she asks for milk She follows in the footsteps of Jamie Lynne Grumet, the 26-year-old Los Angeles mother who caused shockwaves around the world when she posed on the cover of Time magazine with her four-year-old suckling from her bare breast. Gurmet said she would not stop breastfeeding her four-year-old until he turned five. As her daughter celebrates her fifth birthday this month, Al Musa, from New South Wales, spoke to New! magazine about how she couldn't care less what her critics think. She has said she will allow her daughter to breastfeed until the age of 10, if that's what she wants. 'I believe it helps boost her immune system. To this day, she is very rarely ill and her temperament is calmer and more relaxed than the other children,' she says. Maha weaned her two previous children, Kailash, 16, and Tariq, 13, off of breast milk when they were two. Woman who breastfeeds daughter, 5, does birth bellydancing The Australian belly dancer is allowing her third child to carry on breastfeeding until she says she is ready to stop Grumet, who was interviewed on the Today show last year after appearing on the cover of Time, also defended her actions, talking of the health and emotional benefits of extended breastfeeding. She said she thought it was the image itself that people found hard to deal with, rather than the practice of extended breastfeeding. 'This isn't how we breastfeed at home,' she said in regards to the photograph, which captures the child standing on a small chair in order to take hold of her breast in his mouth. Jamie Lynn Grumet, Time magazine's breastfeeding cover star from May 2012 'It's more of a cradling, nurturing situation [at home]. I understand what they're [the advocates] saying,' she said. The mother, who said Aram is in fact 'self-weaning right now', admitted that she 'did understand' that the cover shoot was intended to spark controversy. 'We knew exactly what we were going to get into,' she said. 'I felt like our family was one of the better ones to handle this because of my mom's own personal breastfeeding.' Ms Grumet was breastfed by her own mother until the age of six. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Noooo! that's no right. I think its more for attention than the good it does her daughter. If you bottle feed your kids don't get bottles on demand at that age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Yep, 10 is pushing it. Considering that my 10 year old thought it a huge joke that he was the same height as Mummy's boobies when he was seven, I would say that was too old as well! It is a personal choice of course, but breast feeding a five year child (who is at school) is not ideal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairystar32 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Its very unlikely her child will still be nursing at 10. The natural age of weaning is usually under 7. I fed my last child until 3yrs 4 mths when he self weaned. If it was easier to express and the kids would drink it, I would rather they drink my milk than another mammals milk. However it is neither convinent and my kids would rather eat dirt LOL Its her child and breast milk is liquid gold, so up to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Don't give my daughter in law ideas!!!! She's one of the earth mother types but doing it for herself rather than the granddaughter! Junie Morosi rocked up to preschool with her kid still being breastfed - that was more than a little weird! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 If she keeps going till she's 10, that poor kid will be mentally scarred for life! Just the thought of sucking my mother's breasts when I was a BABY leaves me cold! Oh, and I did breastfeed all 3 of my kids by the way, before anyone thinks I'm anti-BF. I just think there's a cut-off point. For me it was when they developed teeth and started biting... :skeptical: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Says far more about the Mothers mental state than the child's in my opinion sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I fed both of mine but wouldn't contemplate doing it until their 10. I think once they have a few teeth its time to give up with the boob.. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eng32 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 It's just wrong :no: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairystar32 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 some babies are born with teeth, some get them at 3 mths, way too young for weaning! If she keeps going till she's 10, that poor kid will be mentally scarred for life! Just the thought of sucking my mother's breasts when I was a BABY leaves me cold! Oh, and I did breastfeed all 3 of my kids by the way, before anyone thinks I'm anti-BF. I just think there's a cut-off point. For me it was when they developed teeth and started biting... :skeptical: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 some babies are born with teeth, some get them at 3 mths, way too young for weaning! When you say 'weaning' I assume you mean to wean off the breast? If mine were born with teeth then I'd be expressing from Day 1 - sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I am pro breast feeding, but I think from 2 years of age they need to wean off. Having a ten year old on a breast is wrong and I am surprised it isn't against the law. It seems the mother does have some kind of issues. If you really do still feel the need to breast feed when a child is 5 upwards why not express milk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairystar32 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Not everyone can express and my child takes priority. Teeth need not be an issue. Mine self weaned at 3 yrs 4 mths and other than a few teething issues, they soon learnt not too bite. When you say 'weaning' I assume you mean to wean off the breast? If mine were born with teeth then I'd be expressing from Day 1 - sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairystar32 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I do agree with this, if mine hadnt self weaned when he did I would of expressed. I am pro breast feeding, but I think from 2 years of age they need to wean off. Having a ten year old on a breast is wrong and I am surprised it isn't against the law. It seems the mother does have some kind of issues. If you really do still feel the need to breast feed when a child is 5 upwards why not express milk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30085 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I find it quite disturbing and would say there are attachment issues on the mothers part. A 10 year old still breast-feeding? I can't imagine that was ever the normal way, 'back in the day' the younger siblings would have taken over by then. I never BF, but I do understand Mums wanting to, but surely once they are a walking talking miniature adult it would be time to stop. Imagine a 10 year old going to the school play or parents evening and starting latching on to Mummy ... :no: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 If it were some poor country with lack of nutritious food then there could be potentially an argument but no matter how good a Mothers milk is there should be no need for the milk at aged 10. Good god My son was over 5 foot 3 at aged 10!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I think it's up to the individual family to do whatever suits them. I wouldn't do that for my child, but as I intend to go back to work at around 9 months it wouldn't be possible anyway. To be honest, I'm sick of mothers judging each other (not meaning on this thread, just in general) - you get those that breastfeed being self-righteous about those that don't, & those that disagree with self-soothing criticising those that choose controlled crying. Even birth & before brings potential guilt and fear of failure, if you believe some of the stuff you read & hear. Surely as long as a child is loved, cared for properly & nurtured, the details are unimportant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 My concern with breastfeeding a ten (or even five) year old would be the issue of co-dependency and how it might affect their social skills. I wouldn't want a mummy's boy aged 10, nor would I want to do anything that might increase his risk of getting teased / picked on / bullied. Even 6 year olds can be cruel - imagine what their friends would say if they knew they were still having "bitty bitty"!!?! It's very hard to keep these things private, because little kids can't (and shouldn't) keep secrets, so they'd inevitably tell their friends / teacher and you and your child would be the faces of ridicule around school. It's not worth it. By all means breastfeed until a 'normal' age, say 2 years, but when they start going to pre-school and being away from you, that's when you have to loosen the apron strings and accept that your child is no longer a baby and can get adequate nutrition from other foods / drinks and "mummy milk" is no longer required (or, at least, express it and put it in a cup). Yes, I agree with the bonding thing - I had 3 caesareans and it helped me bond enormously, particularly as I also had very bad PND. I will always be pro-breastfeeding as it cannot be denied that it is the best possible start you can give your child (even if you only manage it for the first few days, as some mothers experience genuine problems and cannot continue), but there's a time to stop and when your child starts asking eloquently - with correct grammar and enunciation - for some breastmilk, then surely it's time to start putting them away. I've tried to word this tactfully as I understand it might be contentious, but everyone's opinion is valid and I hope mine doesn't offend anyone. If so, I apologise in advance... I-F :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.