British mom defends her decision to continue breastfeeding her 6-year-old daughter and sparks controversy.
Denise Sumpter is breastfeeding her school-age child, Belle, but she also breastfeed her 18-month-old son, Beau. She plans to do this in the future, and has no plans to stop. Besides, many intense debates she doesn’t see anything wrong with that.
“I’ll feed Belle as long as she asks. I don’t know how long that will be,” she says.
Sumpter says that it depends on her daughter’s decision when she is going to stop breastfeeding her. But no matter when it happens, she admits she will be very sad.
The mother of two children claims that her daughter Belle enjoys being breastfed. She thinks that her breast milk has huge benefits for her child, keeping her healthy and boosting her performance in school.
“There are things I get out of it—like calm, happy children—but I can say with certainty I’ve done this entirely for the benefit of my kids,” she says.
Аlthough Denise is confident about her choice still sharing her story raised a million debates about nursing older children.
On social media, the opinions are divided. Some support Sumpter, saying it should be a personal decision when to stop breastfeeding your child. Others think that this is gross and weird and could have serious social consequences for Belle.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding a baby for the first six months. Extended breastfeeding is when you continue to breastfeed a baby after a year. According to the Mayo Clinic, this extended nourishing offers some extra benefits for a child, including balanced nutrition and increased protection against illness. But it still should be done between the ages of 2 and 4.
Those who think that a 6-year-old is too old to be breastfed maybe have the right point. For many mothers this is weird and perhaps improper. Imagine your child pulling off your breast and then catches the school bus. It definitely doesn’t seem right for someone.
In the end, it’s up to each family to make own decision on when to stop breastfeeding.
What is your opinion?