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It's interesting that even in the Mongolian culture - that could not be more supportive of breastfeeding and breast milk - that the majority of the children are weaned between the ages of 2 and 4. Although a fondness for breast milk and an occasional trip down memory lane can remain through adulthood (cultural).
Interesting, too, that in the Jewish religion it is stated that children may breastfeed until 4 or even 5, as long as they never go longer than 3 days in between breastfeedings (which would seem to indicate a biological *need* for this type of feeding as opposed to an emotional basis). And that any child over 24 months who stops breastfeeding in good health must stay weaned and not return to breastfeeding. So, in other words, bfing an older child is acceptable as long as there is a biological need for it.
These sources seem to indicate a biological average of around 2.5 to early 3 for human bfing, with some kids stopping a year or so earlier and some kids stopping a year or so later. So roughly, 1 to 4.5. Before 1 being very early, over 4.5 very late - outside the norm.
Breastfeeding at the age of 7 is not the norm. It's within the range of what is considered to be biologically normal for humans and it's at the extreme edge of what is considered biologically normal so of course it's not the norm and of course we don't see it every now and then. It's very rare.
Which is why someone made the video with the voice-over that sounded like the films I watched in high school Anthropology:
"And here we see an example of the mother who allows her 7-year old to feed at her breast. Note how the child is large enough that she cannot be held comfortably. She is, however, developed enough to discuss the action."
I honestly don't understand the mother who allows this to be filmed and shown to the world. Way too much "look at me". And absolutely no thought given to the privacy of her children. It's all "me" and no "them". I find that sad. Everyone wants their 15 minutes and she got it by allowing someone to film her 7-year old doing something that's so out-of-the-ordinary it's going to be discussed on the internet.
It's interesting that even in the Mongolian culture - that could not be more supportive of breastfeeding and breast milk - that the majority of the children are weaned between the ages of 2 and 4. Although a fondness for breast milk and an occasional trip down memory lane can remain through adulthood (cultural).
Interesting, too, that in the Jewish religion it is stated that children may breastfeed until 4 or even 5, as long as they never go longer than 3 days in between breastfeedings (which would seem to indicate a biological *need* for this type of feeding as opposed to an emotional basis). And that any child over 24 months who stops breastfeeding in good health must stay weaned and not return to breastfeeding. So, in other words, bfing an older child is acceptable as long as there is a biological need for it.
These sources seem to indicate a biological average of around 2.5 to early 3 for human bfing, with some kids stopping a year or so earlier and some kids stopping a year or so later. So roughly, 1 to 4.5. Before 1 being very early, over 4.5 very late - outside the norm.
I think it is fine to interpret it that way. In my circle (American attachment parenting, la leche leage member types who practice child-led weaning) it is very common to nurse to at least two years old. It is most common for kids to wean in the two's and three's and some continue into the four's. Just a few continue beyond four into five or six. I have not known anyone who nursed beyond six yet. So I would put the top of the bell curve at somewhere around 2.5-3.5 years in this group too, just in my personal experience.
To place myself on that curve, my first weaned at 4.5 years but was not the last of her friends to wean. Three of her same-age peers were still nursing when she weaned (but all are weaned now at age 6.5). My second is still nursing at 3.5 years. I have always assumed that she would wean earlier than my first did because she was less intense about nursing as an infant, but at this point I find it very unpredictable. I would not be at all surprised if she nurses into age four though.
I don't practice child-led weaning because that's how long chimps breastfeed or because I am following a religious recommendation or because I am aspiring to another cultural norm or anything like that. I do it because that is the way I have chosen to be in relationship with my child. These pieces of information about what others do might help me defend against detractors, by being able to show that what I am doing isn't harmful or anomalous in other contexts, but they are not my motivation for my choice. I believe that it is "normal" for me to nurse a 4 year old, not in the sense that it is common or average, but in the same way that it is normal (but not necessarily common) to have green eyes, a naturally occuring but less common variant. Or the way it is normal for someone to be short and someone else to be tall. We're not all going to be average, but that is still a normal condition.
Think of it this way. Nursing is the biological default. Bottle-feeding is a modern substitute for nursing, when nursing is either not possible or not desired. In the same pattern, formula is a modern substitute for breastmilk. Cow's milk is also a substitute for breastmilk, and is less expensive and more readily available, but is not able to be tolerated well by most infants under 12 months of age. Therefore, when a breastmilk substitute is needed/wanted for a child under 12 months of age, formula is recommended, and after that cow's milk is more practical and affordable. But both of these are still substitutes for breastmilk. In addition, there are some negatives to the child's teeth by using a bottle for too long, so weaning from a bottle to a cup is recommended if a bottle was used. Just because a bottle-fed child no longer needs formula or bottles after 12 months, does not mean that a breastfed child should no longer need to nurse on the same timeline. That mentality arises from the formula-feeding paradigm that our culture has been in for the past few decades, in which breastfeeding is seen as an alternative to bottles/formula. A breastfeeding paradigm sees both the formula that the infant drinks *and* the cow's milk that the toddler drinks as substitutes. As long as the child still "needs" milk of some kind in her diet, there is no reason to prefer the substitute over the biological default. As the child gets older, she no longer *needs* milk (of any kind) in her diet at all, but may still *like* milk and even still *benefit* from milk. Even as an adult, I enjoy cow's milk in my diet, though milk is not a necessary part of an adult diet.
Also, children who are nursing learn to drink from a cup and eat table food just like children who were bottle-fed.
Great post, I think this is spot-on. A lot of us probably forget we continue to have a desire and biological need for milk even after we are weaned from the breast or taken off the bottle. Here in the U.S. the norm is cow's milk because it is readily available and somewhat cheap. But in other countries that may not be an option. So it's really not so *icky* to want and need milk into ages 4, 5, 6. And like you, as an adult, I still enjoy a glass of milk on occasion. Imagine the world before humans realized they could drink cow's milk or other substitutes. I wouldn't be surprised if breastfeeding was common even beyond 7 years then.
I think it is fine to interpret it that way. In my circle (American attachment parenting, la leche leage member types who practice child-led weaning) it is very common to nurse to at least two years old. It is most common for kids to wean in the two's and three's and some continue into the four's. Just a few continue beyond four into five or six. I have not known anyone who nursed beyond six yet. So I would put the top of the bell curve at somewhere around 2.5-3.5 years in this group too, just in my personal experience.
To place myself on that curve, my first weaned at 4.5 years but was not the last of her friends to wean. Three of her same-age peers were still nursing when she weaned (but all are weaned now at age 6.5). My second is still nursing at 3.5 years. I have always assumed that she would wean earlier than my first did because she was less intense about nursing as an infant, but at this point I find it very unpredictable. I would not be at all surprised if she nurses into age four though.
I don't practice child-led weaning because that's how long chimps breastfeed or because I am following a religious recommendation or because I am aspiring to another cultural norm or anything like that. I do it because that is the way I have chosen to be in relationship with my child. These pieces of information about what others do might help me defend against detractors, by being able to show that what I am doing isn't harmful or anomalous in other contexts, but they are not my motivation for my choice. I believe that it is "normal" for me to nurse a 4 year old, not in the sense that it is common or average, but in the same way that it is normal (but not necessarily common) to have green eyes, a naturally occuring but less common variant. Or the way it is normal for someone to be short and someone else to be tall. We're not all going to be average, but that is still a normal condition.
Like I said to Dorthy, as long as you're in the ballpark I think you're o.k.
It's when you start going w-a-y out of the park (for humans) that we run into problems. And it's best not to wait until the ball is heading over the wall to try to catch it.
Sorry for the goofy analogy . I hope you know what I mean.
If I remember correctly, about three years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics ecommended that kids breast feed through the first two years of age (up from 1 year). Breastfeeding much beyond three or four years old is odd by US cultural standards. I would hope there are health benefits.
About ten years ago, I was in Maui sitting at a computer in a bookstore next to a woman typing on a second computer. The women was about 5'2 inches and it was startling to see her approximately 8 year old daugther (about one foot shorter than the mother) walk over, uncover the breast, and start suckling.
We are all subject to cultural expectations and when a behavior defies cultural expectations by a large margin then such behavior is often characterized as bizarre.
It is scientifically understandable, and justifiable to breastfeed through about three years of age, but does the science suggest any health benefit beyond this age?
The child in the video is 7, not 8 and she weaned prior to turning 8. If you look up the mother's name and read her response that is what she will say. 7 is still within the biological range of normal.
Actually, I have done research on this. At age 7, the breastfeeding makes them statistical outliers. And that's worldwide breastfeeding. If you care to throw Western Civilization in the pot with the third world to reach your biological normal standard, fine. And this mother stopped breastfeeding this child at age 9.
Actually, I have done research on this. At age 7, the breastfeeding makes them statistical outliers. And that's worldwide breastfeeding. If you care to throw Western Civilization in the pot with the third world to reach your biological normal standard, fine. And this mother stopped breastfeeding this child at age 9.
I already said that a 7 year old who is breastfeeding is obviously a statistical outlier. Not sure why you think I believe otherwise. The biological norm for our species encompasses all humans, it doesn't matter where they live. Cultural norms are another matter all together.
One reason American kids are weaned before 6 months is because most moms go back to work. They can't nurse often and still work full time.
An interesting thing I am seeing are women who exclusively pump from birth. To me this is the best of both worlds and best of all the mom isn't the only one feeding the baby.
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. I hope you know what I mean.
The biological norm for our species encompasses all humans, it doesn't matter where they live. Cultural norms are another matter all together.
