How do you feel about this?

[keishashadow]

4.5, 7 or 8 years of age & still bf? I'm cringing just thinking of all those teeth.

I've been away from the bf community for awhile but, assume that's extreme? @ those ages aren't they eating table food & able to handle a sippy cup? How would you handle school? What does your pediatrician say? What would a psychologist say?

 

[ducklite]

4.5, 7 or 8 years of age & still bf? I'm cringing just thinking of all those teeth.

I've been away from the bf community for awhile but, assume that's extreme? @ those ages aren't they eating table food & able to handle a sippy cup? How would you handle school? What does your pediatrician say? What would a psychologist say?

Bt that age they're done with sippy cups! If I tried to give my six year old nephew a sippy cup he'd pitch a holy fit.

My sister is a PhD in pychology, and very pro-BF. But, as pro-BF as she is, she never nursed any of them past about two. They got one good bite and that was it, they were done.

Anne

 

[Hixski]

4.5, 7 or 8 years of age & still bf? I'm cringing just thinking of all those teeth.

I've been away from the bf community for awhile but, assume that's extreme? @ those ages aren't they eating table food & able to handle a sippy cup? How would you handle school? What does your pediatrician say? What would a psychologist say?

Our neighbor belonged to the La Leche (I think that is it, correct me if I am wrong) society and swore they advocated breastfeeding that long. We had alot of mom-to-bes at the time she was bf herself. She would go house to house with pamphlets and such and pretty much did not let up if someone said they were going to bottle feed. We never had kids so I never had to listen to the preaching. But others said she was relentless.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

OK, that's just bizarre. There's something emotionally wrong with a woman who breastfeeds an eight year old. By that time there is no health beenfit to the child. The child does not need to BF to bond with the mother. Sorry, but that's a woman who's got issues, and unfortunately her children probably do as well.

Anne

FYI, the research findings are that human babies/children were biologically designed to be breastfed somewhere between 2.5 and 7 years. This is what they are biologically programmed to expect in terms of nutritional and emotional support. So what you witnessed was not as freaky as most people assume it is. Just wanted to let you know!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

4.5, 7 or 8 years of age & still bf? I'm cringing just thinking of all those teeth.

I've been away from the bf community for awhile but, assume that's extreme? @ those ages aren't they eating table food & able to handle a sippy cup? How would you handle school? What does your pediatrician say? What would a psychologist say?

I'll answer your questions as objectively as possible.
Yes, that is somewhat outside the norm...5 years and up.
Yes, they are most certainly eating table food and drinking out of a regular cup by that age.
You would handle school the same way everyone else handles school with a 5 year old. Most children still nursing at that age only do so in the morning, at bedtime, and/or when they are hurt or distressed in some way (for comfort).
Pediatricians commonly advocate weaning well before a year, for various (dubious) reasons, so most of them would be horrified (wrongly so, from a medical standpoint) to know a 5 year old patient is still breastfeeding. Hey, I'm being honest!
I am/was a psychologist (now SAHM) and I think extended breastfeeding is terrific. Barring the most extreme forms of child abuse, you really can't MAKE a child breastfeed. Just ask any mother who desperately tried to make breastfeeding work and was unable to get her child to latch properly, or prevent premature weaning.
And this concludes my objective answering session.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I refuse to worry about other people "not wanting their kids to see that." I am not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions. What is wrong with seeing a baby eating? It is normal, natural and what babies do.

I'm fine with that as long as you're fine with my wife and I having sex in front of the castle. After all, that is what husbands and wives do. And we're not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I'm fine with that as long as you're fine with my wife and I having sex in front of the castle. After all, that is what husbands and wives do. And we're not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions.

This is just about the dumbest thing I've read on the Disboards in...well, ever.

 

[GEM]

I'm fine with that as long as you're fine with my wife and I having sex in front of the castle. After all, that is what husbands and wives do. And we're not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions.

I'm sorry, but that's the most ignorant thing I've read on these boards in a long time - and that's really saying something. The stupidity contained in that one statement is so amazingly overwhelming that it doesn't even deserve a reply. Instead, I'll just shake my head and feel really, truly sad for you.

Seriously, I can remain civil when people say it's "odd" or makes them "uncomfortable" or whatever. I even TRY to remain civil when people use the argument that they don't want to have to explain it to their kids (which I just find bizarre). However, when this kind of idiotic thing comes up (comparing nursing a baby to public sex, urination, or defecation, etc.) I just can't be nice any more.

I'll be there in September. If I go and find a nursing mom and plunk her down next to you and your wife having sex in front of Cinderella's castle, which one do you think Mickey's goon squad is going to be tossing out of the park?

As for dragging up every bizarre story you ever heard about someone nursing a nine year old, I think we can all agree those are extreme and unusual cases, very few and far between. That's like putting everyone who is pro-life in the same camp with the wackos who blow up abortion clinics. There are extreme people on the fringes of every issue.

Personally, if you show me a mom still nursing her 9 year old and a supposed adult who compares breastfeeding to sex in public, I'd have to sit down and wonder for a while who had the more serious issues . . .

 

[wtpntigger2]

I'm fine with that as long as you're fine with my wife and I having sex in front of the castle. After all, that is what husbands and wives do. And we're not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions.

Last time I checked, that would be illegal and breastfeeding in public would not be.

And this thread was staying so civil.

 

[robinb]

I had no problems nursing my DD at WDW and she self-weaned at 2 1/2. Like GEM I never bothered with a blanket. The only time I ever had a problem was in the "looky-loo" stage where she would look around while still latched or (even worse!) stop nursing to turn her head to look at something over her shoulder. I became very quick with my hand to cover pieces that should not be seen in public!

 

[sunny_]

I'm fine with that as long as you're fine with my wife and I having sex in front of the castle. After all, that is what husbands and wives do. And we're not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions.

LOL! This is one of the most ignorant things I've seen lately. Thanks for the laugh. I say you should try having sex in front of the castle. I'll be laughing on a bench nursing my baby as you are hauled away in hand-cuffs!!

 

[4theloveofdisney]

I think breastfeeding should be acceptable anywhere as it's a natural, human process. However, many, many people get their drawers in a wad about seeing it in public which is just plain silly in my book AND there is something just plain wrong with a society who thinks it's okay to see other people's drawers but not a mother breastfeeding her child! I say do what is comfortable to you and don't worry about others. As long as you are discreet, you are free to feed your baby as much, as often, and wherever you wish! Ignore those who have problems with it as they obviously are the ones with the problems!

 

[ducklite]

FYI, the research findings are that human babies/children were biologically designed to be breastfed somewhere between 2.5 and 7 years. This is what they are biologically programmed to expect in terms of nutritional and emotional support. So what you witnessed was not as freaky as most people assume it is. Just wanted to let you know!

For the record I said eight. And for the record, the average five year old is as interested in breast feeding as the average two year old is interested in Socrates.

Back to my original point, IMHO a woman BF an older child is their business. But once the child is old enough to verbally request the breast or do the mechanics of undressing the mother on their own, it's something that should be taken private. It's no longer something that can be done discreetly, and just like changing a babies diaper, there's a right place and a wrong place.

And no, I"m not comparring BF to sex, defacation, or anything else. I'm simply saying that some things should be handled with some discretion, breast feeding an older child being one of them. It's easy to be discreet with an infant. Not so with a wiggly two year old.

And I"m also not advocating nursing in a bathroom. But a two year old doens't need to be nursed every three hours all day. By that time they are nursing in the morning and at bedtime, and that's pretty much it. A mother openly nursing an older child in public to "make a point" is just as rude as the person comparing nursing to sex.

Anne

 

[CleveRocks]

All I've read is the OP and page 5, so sorry if this repeats anyone else's view.

I'm a Dad. 2 kids, 6 and almost 4. My wife and I fed both our kids formula from Day One. Neither child ever breast fed. And both kids are healthy and have superb immune systems and are fully bonded with both Mom and Dad, thanks for asking.

Now that you know my formula feeding credentials, I wanted to share my opinion that I have ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM with breastfeeding a baby in public. Just as a casual observer in public, I've NEVER seen breastfeeding done in an inappropriate manner. As a society we do try to keep sexuality away from our kids, but it is only the little minds among us who equate a mother feeding a baby at her breast with anything even remotely sexual.

FYI, the research findings are that human babies/children were biologically designed to be breastfed somewhere between 2.5 and 7 years. This is what they are biologically programmed to expect in terms of nutritional and emotional support. So what you witnessed was not as freaky as most people assume it is.

Okay, breastfeeding at 7 years old may not be freaky from a biological standpoint, but if I was breastfed until age 7 (and thus I was able to recall breastfeeding from my mother), I'd have no money for WDW vacations, it would all be spent on decades of psychotherapy and distilled spirits.

 

[amarberry]

This is just about the dumbest thing I've read on the Disboards in...well, ever.

Sadly, this is the first time something as stupid as this has been said on a bf thread.

Anyhow, I just wanted to chime in and say that I agree with Birdmom and robinb about the blanket issue. Before DD's first trip to WDW at 4 months, I bought one of those little nursing capes since, as a first time mom on her first trip to WDW with the baby, I was a little nervous about NIP. First of all, I tried to put DD under the cape and she completely freaked! I also really agree that it just screams "hi...child nursing under this blanket!" I felt that I was more discret without the cape.

Overall, I just found that it was east to find a quiet bench or corner to nurse DD. I also used the nursing rooms a fair amount because DD had concentration issues at times, and they had ac. My DD was nursed at WDW at 4 months, 14 months, and 18 months. Oddly, we probably NIP the most on her trip at 18 months. I don't remember any strange looks or comments, even as I was nursing a child who was clearly a toddler.

 

[GetToDumbo]

I'm fine with that as long as you're fine with my wife and I having sex in front of the castle. After all, that is what husbands and wives do. And we're not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions.

You're equating breast feeding w/ sex, which is just scary in itself. Creepy...

 

[sunny_]

I'm fine with that as long as you're fine with my wife and I having sex in front of the castle. After all, that is what husbands and wives do. And we're not responsible to anticipate parents who are afraid of natural, normal body functions.

I know I already commented on this but I found myself laughing as I was getting ready for bed. I was thinking that everyone eats and people eat in public in huge groups. It's a social thing. So why should a baby eating as nature intended be so taboo??

Then I thought about the sex thing. I thought that if everyone always had sex in public then I'd say "Go for it!" (having sex in front of the castle - it would be a place to remember) LOL!!! But people do NOT have sex everywhere in public all the time as a social thing like eating is. I guess that's where the major difference is here. Because they are both natural things - yes. But one - eating - is done in public in most cultures and is LEGAL. And the second - mating - is done in private in most cultures and is ILLEGAL if done in public.

Maybe having sex in public will be legal someday ( ) and you and your woman can make "magical memories" in front of Cinderella's castle!!! lol

hahahaha. I think I'm overly tired - caring for three children and an infant all day has made me downright giddy over this comment!

Thanks for the smile, although I'm guessing that making my night had not been your intention!

 

[robinb]

Okay, breastfeeding at 7 years old may not be freaky from a biological standpoint, but if I was breastfed until age 7 (and thus I was able to recall breastfeeding from my mother), I'd have no money for WDW vacations, it would all be spent on decades of psychotherapy and distilled spirits.

Eric ... this really cracked me up .

FWIW, most pre-schoolers who still nurse do not nurse in public. They are done with breastmilk as nutrition and they nurse for other reasons. My DD was down to just comfort nursing (morning, bedtime and when she was upset/hurt) for probably the final 6 months that she nursed. I have never seen a 6 or 7 year old nurse and I live in one of the most progressive, crunchy, granola-eating cities in the nation and I live on the "crunchiest" East side of town. I have seen older preschoolers nurse (4-5 year olds) but those children had infant siblings. The older kids wanted to be close to their moms after the baby was done eating and the mom didn't mind.

 

[schlepsnort]

I really have no issue with Breastfeeding, it is good for the baby, that I will stand behind.
I also agree that there needs to be more than ONE baby care center at each park! That can be some serious hike to get to the one and only center on some days I'm sure!
If I see a Mommy bf'ing I give her her space and just hope that my very curious and very outspoken children will just let the moment pass without comment.
I bottle feed all of my children and it was a choice made by personal reasons as well as medical reasons. My only 'issue' with the whole bf vs. bottle is the tactics that some of the bf'ers take in the name of 'educating' others. They don't listen to other moms reasons for bottle feeding, they just label us as ignorant and not wanting what is best for our child. The berate us and act rude to us all behind the falsehood of being somehow superior to those of us who bottle feed. Not ALL breastfeeding moms are like that, but unfortunately those few that are paint a black streak of intolerance on the side breastfeeding.
Really why are there even SIDES to this? Bottom line is we are ALL Mommy's and we ALL love our children! Why not support each other instead of trying to tear down each other?
This can be applied to SAHM/WOHM and all other trivial debates. The bottom line to all of it is we just all love our kids and we ALL want what is best for our baby but personal issues/medical issues/monetary issues all factor in to each persons choices and those choices should be respected.
*phew* That's it, I'm done and off my soap box.
Hopefully this time I won't be stalked...

Can't we all just get along and let our babies eat in peace in whichever way is happiest for THEM?

 

[sunny_]

I really have no issue with Breastfeeding, it is good for the baby, that I will stand behind.
I also agree that there needs to be more than ONE baby care center at each park! That can be some serious hike to get to the one and only center on some days I'm sure!
If I see a Mommy bf'ing I give her her space and just hope that my very curious and very outspoken children will just let the moment pass without comment.
I bottle feed all of my children and it was a choice made by personal reasons as well as medical reasons. My only 'issue' with the whole bf vs. bottle is the tactics that some of the bf'ers take in the name of 'educating' others. They don't listen to other moms reasons for bottle feeding, they just label us as ignorant and not wanting what is best for our child. The berate us and act rude to us all behind the falsehood of being somehow superior to those of us who bottle feed. Not ALL breastfeeding moms are like that, but unfortunately those few that are paint a black streak of intolerance on the side breastfeeding.
Really why are there even SIDES to this? Bottom line is we are ALL Mommy's and we ALL love our children! Why not support each other instead of trying to tear down each other?
This can be applied to SAHM/WOHM and all other trivial debates. The bottom line to all of it is we just all love our kids and we ALL want what is best for our baby but personal issues/medical issues/monetary issues all factor in to each persons choices and those choices should be respected.
*phew* That's it, I'm done and off my soap box.
Hopefully this time I won't be stalked...

Can't we all just get along and let our babies eat in peace in whichever way is happiest for THEM?

I'm sorry people have been rude to you about formula feeding. I've both ff and bf for my own reasons. I have 4 children and ff 2 and bf 2. I'm all for feeding our children! Feeding children is a good thing! I don't think anything negative about formula feeding was said on this particular thread (that I read) and I hope it stays on the topic of nursing in public!!