I miss breastfeeding at 47

It was recently decided in my city that hospital staff will refer to breastfeeding as “chest feeding”from now on and it cast my mind back to when my grown up children would nurse.

I nursed them for longer than many mothers, deciding they would be the ones to chose to stop, which they all coincidentally did aged 8. Perhaps there’s something about that age that makes children more conscious of the opinions of their peers?

I miss being a source of nourishment for them, I miss the innocent comfort they took. My son, being the oldest, stopped first (a forewarning of the day it all ended) and I missed providing for him what no other woman could. I understand that they are far too old for this now but the remnants of that unique bond linger.

Voting Results
17% Normal
Based on 23 votes (4 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 28 )
  • Mini69

    You are either a troll, or a sick freak if you breast fed your kids till they were 8.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Pilum

      Are you always like this?

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • Mini69

        Like what? If you mean honest then yes.

        If you think what the OP done, breast feeding her kids till they were 8, is normal, then you are as sick in the head as she is.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Inkmaster

          You can be honest without being rude.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
    • Wolf_Mama

      What makes you think this is disturbed behaviour? I did not advertise to others that I was still nursing them. Having braced myself for the day they would want to stop (although it saddened me inside) I took their decisions without complaint.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
    • 1WeirdGuy

      I had this very religious tutor growing up but one day while shes teaching me her 9 year old daughter walked up to her grabbing on her like she wanted up, and my tutor turned in her chair and lifted her shirt and this 9 year old started breast feeding while she had her head turned talking to me about my school work! She had 12 kids and was the most religious person I've met. No TVs, computers, even radios allowed in the house. There is people that breast feed that long. I couldnt believe it.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • Wolf_Mama

        I never fed them in front of other people (except when they were very small), it was a quiet private moment before they went to bed.

        Although nursing is natural it shouldn’t be in public once the child is past a certain age.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Mini69

          It shouldn’t be at all once a child is past a certain age, usually around the time they are properly on solids. The reason you didn’t do this in public once they were past a certain point, is more to do with the fact that you knew you shouldn’t be doing it at all. I wouldn’t mind betting you are a controlling bitch that tries to micromanage everything your kids do. I guess once they got to about 8 they felt they were old enough to stand up to you and refuse your perverse behaviour.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
            -
          • 1WeirdGuy

            You sound like a really shitty person the way you talk to her because you disagree with it. Its actually healthy for the kid there's lots of evidence that shows breastfed kids have higher IQs and less health problems. I think it is a bit weird but to talk down to someone like that is not cool. Especially being a big liberal person that preaches tolerance all the time.

            Comment Hidden ( show )
          • SwickDinging

            Medical evidence disagrees with you there.

            The WHO recommend starting solids at 6 months of age, but recommend continuing to breastfeed until at least 2 years of age, but longer if possible.

            I take the point that 8 is quite old to still be breastfeeding, but you need to do more research if you think it should be stopped as soon as they are fully established on solids. That goes against the advice of pretty much every reputable health organisation in the world.

            Comment Hidden ( show )
          • Wolf_Mama

            I didn’t nurse in public once they were no longer babies in arms as it was no longer necessary and it would have made people uncomfortable. You have not explained why you feel breastfeeding is immoral, it is the only reason breasts and nipples exist. Otherwise our chests would be smooth like the under bellies of snakes.

            As for your accusation that I micromanage my children’s lives, I don’t see how you deduced that from one three paragraph forum post, but I think that as a society we need to stop glorifying “laissez-faire” parenting styles and farming children off to nannies and screens. Clear boundaries and expectations mixed with warmth and affection are the ideal ingredients for raising children.

            Comment Hidden ( show )
  • SwickDinging

    I was glad to stop breastfeeding my youngest. I was fed up of it all by then.

    I am very happy that I did my best by them and gave them the advantages that breastfeeding provides, but by the time my youngest was 14 months he had begun to lose interest and frankly, so had I. I love my children very much but it felt so good to get my body back.

    I know a lot of women who feel how you feel - they were gutted when their youngest stopped feeding and didn't want it to end. I sometimes worry there is something wrong with me for not feeling this way.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Wolf_Mama

      There is certainly nothing wrong with you, everyone’s body is different and will react to events in their own way. I’ve heard many accounts of relief at the end of breastfeeding. Apparently feeling as I do is only 15% normal after all.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • SwickDinging

        The majority of people voting on this website have never had children so I wouldn't pay too much attention to the vote results.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Somerandomguyiknow

    I think it's normal in a sense that you miss being close to your kids. I wouldn't say it is normal in a sense they would be still being breastfed passed the age of 2. It doesn't necessarily mean it is bad or good because normal is basically something everyone else does, but that isn't always good either. It is interesting to think about because milk is still part of our diet (generally speaking), but it mostly comes from cows and that part is weird sense we were not drinking their milk in the beginning.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • ChrissySnow

    I don't miss the biting and soreness. I do miss other parts of it. I'm glad I don't breastfeed anymore but strangely enough my husband suddenly now misses me breastfeeding babies

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • jrbsportz

    WTF!! beast feeding till they were 8. Girl I guess you just love someone sucking on your tites. Dam breast feeding till they were 8 what the fuck was your man doing was he breastfeeding or you just squeezing milk all in his face,anyways there were some freaking shit going on just saying from hard rock dude

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • dude_Jones

    8 years old. Lol. You gotta be fucking kidding. That sounds sick. My youngest lost his patience with his Mom's boobs at 11 months. He wanted to play bouncing games with her instead and then drink apple juice out of a cup.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Wolf_Mama

      What is sick about breastfeeding? It’s natural and healthy for the child and I respected their wishes to stop when they chose to.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • dude_Jones

        Yes, but would you respect their wishes after puberty?

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Wolf_Mama

          They showed no signs of puberty at 8 years old. Puberty typically starts for boys and girls at 12 and 11 respectively and although I did not have a fixed “end date” in mind I had assumed (correctly) that they would all naturally want to stop before then.

          I do not appreciate the implication that I would force them to continue once they were no longer comfortable.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
            -
          • dude_Jones

            Lol. Well at least your boobs got a nice workout. The name Wolf_Mama also implies that your kids might howl at the moon occasionally.

            Comment Hidden ( show )
  • raisinbran

    No, it is not normal to breastfeed at 47.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • 1WeirdGuy

    This reminds me of this liberal goof in a politics discord channel I was telling him that the big reason women use to stay home to raise kids is because they make the milk. This dude was arguing that men can breastfeed. He was dead serious. Can you imagine how beta you'd have to be to be a stay at home breast feeding dad?

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Wolf_Mama

      I assume he was referring to transgender men who sometimes can still give birth and nurse the baby.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • 1WeirdGuy

        No he was saying straight men can breastfeed. I looked it up and apparently if a man has a baby sucking his nipple long enough he can lactate. Its actually true but they dont make much milk unless they take estrogen

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Wolf_Mama

          Do you remember the source for male lactation through stimulation alone? It sounds interesting. I could only find anecdotal accounts from centuries ago and instances where the man had imbalanced hormones.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
            -
          • 1WeirdGuy

            No, I dont have any sources. It makes me kind of uncomfortable to even look for its just too weird

            Comment Hidden ( show )