Breast Feeding Age

Alison Barrett, clinical director of maternity services at Waikato Hospital, writes in the NZ Herald about how she still breast feeds her daughter who will soon turn five.

I am of course no expert on breast feeding, but my gut reaction is that having not weaned your child by the time they enter school is psychologically unhealthy for the child. The most extreme example of this was David Bain’s family, whose mother breast fed them until they were 13.

Dr Barrett says that the decision on when to stop breast feeding should rest with the child. Umm I think this is asking rather too much of your average two year old. You know “Hey Mum, I think I’d like to stop breast feeding now and try diet coke instead”.