You are breastfeeding your child over 2 years old and the comments about it keep coming. How to get rid of these permanent attacks?
If the rate of breastfed babies is 71% at birth, it drops rapidly: the duration of breastfeeding in France is on average only 3 months. Today, while the virtues of breastfeeding are recognized within populations, uncut breastfeeding is not socially accepted. Indeed, it is not uncommon for mothers to have to justify the “extension” of this duration. This is what happened to a mother, last week, who wanted to breastfeed her child in a public space and was ordered to stop or get out.
Yet science proves it: breast milk is the best food for your baby’s growth and development. Each mother produces it especially for her child. Breast milk provides the perfect content in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals and is easy to digest. In addition, the breasts pick up bacteria in their environment and produce antibodies Consequently. The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, and continued breastfeeding until the age of 2, or even beyond depending on the wishes of the mothers. However, long breastfeeding remains a rather controversial practice within Western countries and this requires constant support and encouragement.
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Long breastfeeding: how to respond to attacks?
It is estimated that the natural weaning age for humans is between 1 and 7 years old. If you are attacked or asked when you are going to stop breastfeeding and you are tired of trying to explain, here are 5 sentences taken from the bookChoosing to breastfeed” by Carole Hervé, FIRST edition. The author advises to answer simply with humor:
- “Oh, in about 5 minutes.”
- “When he goes to college.”
- “When she gets her own boobs.”
- “When he finds breasts he prefers to mine.”
- And if someone says to you “Are you still breastfeeding?”, answer with guts: “That’s great, isn’t it!”
Finally, if these remarks bother you, do not hesitate to say so or to make it understood to your interlocutor. Breastfeeding is a choice that concerns every mother. Nothing obliges you to speak about your decision, and even less to explain it.