https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:31:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-599030 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:51:34 +0000 honeybear 599030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO just finished nursing (self-weaned) at 2.5 years. It's among the things I'm proudest of having done in my life. It was totally inconvenient, and mentally and physically exhausting at times, but it was 100% worth it. I've never done anything that selfless before, and I hope I get to do it again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598961 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 04:08:22 +0000 immabeetoo 598961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Monkula: that is so touching! What a sweet perspective. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598958 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 03:51:28 +0000 Mrs Hedgehog 598958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me it is less of an exact age and more of an ability. Once my child is able to eat real food consistantly, I will stop breastfeeding. I don't see a real reason to continue breastfeeding when they can get the nutrition they need from the food I make them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598933 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 02:08:36 +0000 SAHM0811 598933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Monkula: thank you for sharing your story with your eldest. My 19 month old is still nursing and I have no idea when she'll self-wean... Because of the stigma around extended bf'ing, I think your story is probably more common than we think, it's just not talked about often! So thanks for posting your experience.</p> <p>@Arden: I love that you're on this board... You're such a great resource and gosh, what an amazing perspective you shared as an adult who remembers bf'ing! That was beautiful and I'll remember that as inspiration/motivation if DD and I ever get to that point!</p> <p>@sarac: I'm with you. At around 1, when DD started to sign for milk or ask for it in her own way (by smiling and lip-smacking), it melted my heart! </p> <p>Yeah I totally used to think 2 or 3 yo was "too old" for bf'ing, but just like practically everything about parenting, I think all the "answers" continually change along the way. You just don't know 'till you've been there. So I didn't vote in this poll... I think there should've been an "Other" option... i.e. there's no definite age -- whatever works for mom and baby! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598909 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:52:31 +0000 sarac 598909@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love it when my daughter comes up to ask to nurse. She'll say 'boo, nap!', and go lay down on her bed expecting me to come. She also has all of her teeth. Nursing rocks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598859 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:27:24 +0000 bpcmarj 598859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I say 2.f is probably my cut off. I like nursing her now, but I feel verrrry tied down. I know my little sister nursed until 3ish, and 14 year old me was super embarassed by that! Ha. I know she's going to be big, so I am trying to prepare myself for people to think I am nursing a 5 year old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598762 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:17:22 +0000 MamaMoose 598762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For us it will be 1. With the dietary restrictions I have to stick to because of her intolerances I just can't see myself making it past a year. However it's my goal to have a big freezer stash by then so that I can continue to feed her Breastmilk in a sippy cup or mix it into her food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598716 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:50:51 +0000 Arden 598716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Yeah, only for physicals. I've had colds and the flu occasionally, but it was never serious enough to need the doctor. It was usually gone quickly and not a big deal.</p> <p>Wait - just thought of one more time. I caught an intestinal bug (giardia) overseas and I called a doctor friend in the USA to tell me what to get at the pharmacy. So that counts, I suppose, as two times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598713 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:49:41 +0000 irene 598713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: You mean you have never been to the doctor, in your whole life (!), except that 1 time you had the flu?? What??! :-O</p> <p>My God why didn't my son want to nurse and we had to quit by the time he was 10 months?????!!?!</p> <p>But it doesn't matter... he's sick all the time even when we were EBFing back then.... I guess it's genetics also (both me and husband are sick all the time as well but we were both formula-fed babies) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598712 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:49:37 +0000 plantains 598712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I will start to wean her at 1. Hopefully she will be done by 14 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598708 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:47:42 +0000 Mrs. Twine 598708@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't feel like quite the outlier anymore. Thanks @arden! And my six year old almost made me cry. I talked to her about it; that I was thinking about when she nursed and reading what other people had to say about nursing their babies/children, and she said, "[it was] a really good feeling [to nurse], and now I feel really good to know I'm big and don't need to anymore." It made me so proud of her to hear her able to articulate her decision to wean and how powerful and, well, "big," it made her feel to choose that for herself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598706 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:47:06 +0000 Arden 598706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Am I especially healthy? Hmm. Well I've never been to the doctor for an illness, ever, except for one time when I had the flu and they were worried I might be dehydrated. I never had ear infections or any other typical childhood ailments, so I suppose I am especially healthy!<br /> My little sister never had any ear infections either, and the first time in her whole life that she threw up was when she was 13 and got food poisoning. The only time she has ever been to the doctor (other than physicals) is when she broke her leg skiing. </p> <p>I never thought of us as especially healthy until you asked, lol. I guess we really are! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598628 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:11:22 +0000 anbanan15 598628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>2-2.5 was my cut off just because I couldn't stand all the diet restrictions I was on for DS (on TED with only a handful of foods) and that was my own comfort level. He just self weaned cold turkey at 21 months though (he was still nursing 4x/day and 2-4x/night)...I thankfully have enough expressed milk that he will get it until his 2nd birthday! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598620 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:09:26 +0000 LaineysMom 598620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think about 18 mo. would be the cutoff for me.. once they can ask for it, unbutton shirt, etc. would make me too uncomfortable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598614 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:07:10 +0000 irene 598614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: Wow kudos to your mom! I don't think I would be able to endure all the breastfeeding dietary restrictions and sensation (breast filling up / engorgement) for 4 years, and for your mom that was 10 years total! (2 years of pregnancy + 8 years of breastfeeding) Wow.</p> <p>What I want to know is, are you especially healthy since they always say breastfeeding helps build up the child's immune system?</p> <p>As for me, now that I am all weaned and has a clear mind, the cut off time would be two. That's what I think... but when I was still breastfeeding my nursing-strike-king LO, I always thought I'd breastfeed him until he doesn't want it and I always think I would still breastfeed him until he becomes a toddler (2-3). Well, he rejected me completely by 8 months :'( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598576 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:52:43 +0000 hilsy85 598576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, I think up til 2...I want some time to have my body to myself in between kids. I'm surprised though--I just asked dh this question and he said he'd be fine with it til age4 or so. Not the answer I thought I'd get from him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598572 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:51:36 +0000 T.H.O.U. 598572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: like I said I had a lot of those same concerns before having my little baby one year old in my lap. I guess I'm just saying never say never. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598565 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:46:00 +0000 MrsTiz 598565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: well 1 for me isn't because I don't think they benefit from it after that, just knowing how I am and how uncomfortable people watching me makes me, I know I could never feel good having my baby walk up to me and let me know, or have teeth and BF. I think for me it's more of a size thing? Babies are little but ai can't see myself wanting a two year old in my lap nursing lol nore power to mamas that do! I'm too shy I think? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598546 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:40:42 +0000 T.H.O.U. 598546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: pre baby i thought a year was a good cut off age but seeing my daughter at one she very much was still a baby (even though she could walk up to me ask sign for milk). She was navigating a big new world on her own and nursing brought her a lot of comfort. There was no way I could stop (aka cut her off) just because she turned one. Also after a year I stopped pumping so BF was completely different. We were just nursing at morning and night and on weekends. </p> <p>Anyways. We just weaned at 18 months. I wish we had made it to age two but being a WOHM I just didn't have a good supply to keep her interested. Again I don't think two should arbitrarily be the cut off because there are great benefits until that point. I do think that I would force weaning after the age of two though. Hopefully before age three. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598350 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:18:16 +0000 sera_87 598350@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>honestly, as long as he needs/wants it. I have no problem bfing at home or public if he's 6 months or 4. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598343 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:14:23 +0000 birdofafeather 598343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i said 2 years only because i can't imagine going beyond that for myself. DH and i have talked about wanting kids 2-3 years apart, so i think i would want a break to have my body back for a while before getting pregnant again. i would definitely consider building a stash though to extend the time further for my kid to get the health benefits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598057 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:52:29 +0000 Kemma 598057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I think as a society we often forget that to a baby / toddler / child breastfeeding isn't just about nutrition. It's as much about comfort, love, safety and bonding and for a wee baby it's also a primary means of communication. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598028 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:40:39 +0000 mrsjazz 598028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: My little sister (she's 3) still nurses sometimes at night and nap time. She does not pull at her mom's shirt, it's cute, she asks her mom to go lie down with her, that's their cue. </p> <p>I gave 2 as my original answer, but I'm not against extended breastfeeding, my end date for breastfeeding keeps changing--it was 6 months, then a year, now at 10 months I'm saying 18 months, so who knows?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598014 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:36:29 +0000 Arden 598014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: I think memories from that age(3,4,5) are very visceral, the things that stick are the feelings and emotions far more than an accurate account of what occurred.<br /> That's probably why our breastfeeding memories are all about the feeling of comfort rather than the taste or the memory of nursing itself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598003 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:34:00 +0000 Cherrybee 598003@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: @mrskc: The words "overwhelming sense of comfort" just brought tears to my eyes (darn hormones!). I think I may just be warming to this breastfeeding idea.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-598001 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:33:55 +0000 Arden 598001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: No problem! I think pumping and continuing to serve breast milk is a great option - I intend to start building up a freezer stash as soon we complete our next move and are settled in one place, and will continue to give that milk to my child as long as I possibly can! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-597989 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:31:52 +0000 mrskc 597989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: good to know! I'm glad the memories are all good for both you and your DH. It makes sense tho that you just remember warm and fuzzy feelings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-597979 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:30:32 +0000 Cherrybee 597979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: Wow, thank you!! I really didn't know that at all. I love that you cited your sources in your response - I just read a section out to DH and he said (as he ALWAYS does) "based on what?". And I took great pleasure in telling him immediately!! Haha!! </p> <p>I may not nurse for all that time but if I can maintain pumping for a while I will definitely serve breast milk up for as long as my child wants it - because those are some awesome benefits! </p> <p>Thank you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-597966 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:27:48 +0000 Arden 597966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: Yes, I remember nursing, but the memories are fuzzy. I don't think of them any differently than cuddling with my parents, or being rocked when I was sick. The memories are very warm and I just remember a feeling of comfort and being loved. </p> <p>For a boy's point of view - my husband also remembers breastfeeding. He says his memories are quite similar - he can't remember a mental picture of his mother's breasts (for which he is very thankful, lol), he just remembers the feelings he got from breastfeeding - an overwhelming sense of comfort. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-is-too-old-to-be-breastfed/page/2#post-597957 Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:25:15 +0000 mrskc 597957@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted 3 but wouldn't be opposed to longer. Who knows... I may change my mind and want to be done with BFing before then. </p> <p>@Arden: so do you actually remember nursing? I always wonder if I nurse my kid until he's 4, he'll have memories of it and would it would freak him out when he's older? </p>