Sometime before that!!! My first reaction when I read this question was: "Ouch! Teeth!!!"

According to my son's pediatrician, breast milk starts losing its nutrients between 9 months and a year. So, anything after a year is not being done for nutritional reasons anymore.

You've got to be kidding? That goes a bit beyond nutrition...either some woman needs counceling or this child will, in the future, need some counceling. -Buddy

usually after the first year. then you would substitute breast milk for that baby milk powder

New law just passed in Tennessee. a woman may breastfeed an infant up one year of age, in public, without being arrested for indecent exposure. I believe the spirit of this new law, is to make mothers begin the weaning period of their child. I seriously doubt a person would be arrested, in violation of this law, but its meant to discourage what you have asked. Do some women still receive sexual gratification from an older child nursing? i do not know.

a year!! 7 years is just gross....

Yes! Here's article link http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22767088-2,00.html

Most women I know that nurse, do so for less than a year. Usually, only about 5-6 months (about the time they start cutting teeth...ouch!) I know a few who nursed until just over a year old, but not much longer.

I don't think it is up to anybody to decide how long breastfeeding should take place besides the mother and the child, and they should BOTH be considered, people need to do what is right for their family. Most Large medical assosications in the US, Canada and UK reccommend breastfeeding for "Up to 2 years and beyond" Breastmilk never looses it's nutritional values anymore than apples and oranges do, and is great for the well being and helth of both mother and child. I would NEVER nurse my kids to the age of 7 but It's also not my place to judge anybody who does.

I breast fed both of my boys until they were around a year old. They pretty much weaned themselves. They got to the point where they were more interested in looking around the room than eating. They both went straight from breast feeding to drinking from straws. A friend of mine breast fed her children until they were 3. It became uncomfortable when they would run up to her yelling "Mommy I'm thirtsy, I want a drink ," and then pull up her shirt themselves!

I breast fed my first daughter for a year. I don't disagree with breastfeeding for longer, but for me it would be creepy to breastfeed a child who is capable of dressing themselves and capable of carrying on intelligent conversations with me.

no longer than 14 months

I think that when the kid can walk up and say hey I'm hungry, that is way too old. I breastfed for a year and that seemed to be pushing it in my opinion.

i agree with about 10 months to a year they should get cut off.just the other day i was in a waiting room and there was a woman that finished breastfeeding her tiny,tiny baby--layed her done in the stroller and hooked up her 3-4 year old to the other 'side'.that is just repulsive!she didnt even cover up-she had no shame!

One word, "TEETH" when teeth come in that should be the end.

It would be interesting to hear from kids who are or were breast fed to an older age. We have 4 kids about 3 years apart. My wife has breast fed each until the next was born 3 years and then tandem fed for a month or two after. The last is 4 and still feeding. We have had a couple of discussions about how long to feed for. I think it is a bit wierd but then I am weird anyway. Maybe it is just not the norm. Anyway it would still be interesting to hear from people who were breast fed longer.

Maybe 2 but then I'm not a mom. I know a 7 year old should be eating food by now considering they'd have teeth.

9 is the oldest age I've heard of for a child being breastfed. I think it depends on the circumstances. I wouldn't condemn a mother for feeding beyond a year. It's their choice and it won't harm the child as long as they are not being forced to breasfeed when they are no longer interested. It is far healthier than giving dummies to older children. I found out a friend's 6 year old still had a dummy at night and I think that is gross.

a year old, or until they start breaking their teeth. THAT HURTS!!!

I'm pregnant now, and am planning on breastfeeding. Most children will wean themselves when they are ready. I've decided, personally, that I am willing to nurse as long as the child wants, up to three years old. Historically, children have been fed at the breast until they could "chew meat and hard bread". That sounds good to me, as a general guideline.

By the age of seven they can open the fridge, get some ice and pour their own juice and make a glass for you too. I think seven is too old to continue to breast feed.

I personally didn't breast feed any of my children, it was too weird for me. (sorry...I guess it's the way I was brought up, I wasn't breast fed, and I'm so happy I wasn't...the thought of sucking on my mom's breasts makes me ill) I don't think children should be breast fed after around a year, though. When they are eating regular food and drinking out of a sippy cup, I think that's old enough to cut them off!

I think if your child can WALK up to you pull up your shirt and suck away than it's kind of creepy....

I would think that borders child abuse! With my last baby, I had to stop at 4 months and was upset about it, but I always said when he started cutting teeth I was done. Have you ever seen a baby chew on their bottle nipple....uggh makes me cringe!

I have a question, if you ask ped. and family planning they say a child should not see their opposite sex parent naked after they are three years old, because it's inappropriate and confusing for the child, and at that age can start to remember things. So if they say it can harm your child at after that age than wouldn't that imply that at least your sons should not breast feed after 3, since they would obviously see your breast? Just a question.

i think it should be 2 years old even though i personally wouldn't do it for that long.

Historically, that would not be perfectly normal. Until the last couple hundred years or so, EVERYONE did that. Usually, when the "milk" teeth fell out and the adult teeth came in, the child was considered too old to breastfeed anymore. The same thing goes for many other mammals. Seems to me, nature and history are on the side of the 7 year olds breastfeeding. That said, I didn't do it. I told my daughter when she turned 3, she was a "big girl" and no longer a baby, and would not be allowed to nurse anymore. She would've kept going if I'd let her, but I wanted a break before any other kids came, and she was eating normal adult food quite well enough by that point I didn't feel the need to supplement her diet with anything weird and chemical. She still says, at age 4, that she misses nursing... but I think what she really misses is cuddling with me that much, so we have hug times where we curl up together and read, play or just talk. The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months, and for at least the first year and beyond "as long as mutually desired by mother and child". It also recommends that adoptive mothers of infants induce lactation and follow these guidelines for adoptive children as well! The World Heath Organization and UNICEF both recommend breastfeeding for at LEAST the first two years "and beyond". I may not be in favor of 7 years myself, but I think those who do it have both history and medicine on their side, and the whole bunch of you condemning them ought to rethink your bias.

the cut off age is 1 yr,because your child will be immune 2 your breast milk, but do at least 4-6 months because itz very very good for your baby as far as gettn sick, catching colds, ear aches,etc., they're isnt much of a need to breastfeed after 1 year, baby has the nutrients he/she needs by then!

I breastfed my daughter til she was 3, only reason I stopped was that I had developed a lump in my breast, who's knows how long I may of gone on for and does it really matter if both are happy and healthy...

My son is 16 months old now ( i actually nearli wrote years...which would just b wrong lol) I intended to feed exclusive for 6 months and then begin to wean him..which I did BUT he wasnt gonna let the boob go that easily lol, I mainly feed him before naps/ bedtime but if he clearly wants it at another time I will satill feed him now, Tho hes starting to bite me on purpose now so everytime he does that hes coming off lol, i think i shall prob continue till he is 2. But have no problem with people doing it for longer or shorter times, everyones own choice ;-)

i think the right age is 6 months.They start getting teeth at this age and they normaly bite your nipple.At 6 months they start to eat to so to change to formula is a good thing.The idea of nursing a child of 7years . . . gross no thanx!

Personally, I think if the child is old enough to recognize the difference between boys and girls, it's time to have his mouth off mommy's nipple. I would say five at the absolute latest. If they wish to continue providing breast milk, then, by all means, grab a pump and get to milking. Then, they can drink it out of a cup.

If the child can ask he or she is WAY too old. I think nine months to a year is the maximum and I believe that the benefits of breast-feeding beyone that diminish greatly.

when ever the mother AND child feel the time is right.the world health orginization recomends at least 2 years, and the benifits to mother/child from extended breastfeeding continue until the child weans,no matter what the age.

12 months a child doesn't need a nipple or a bottle after 12 months. They are able to eat food at that point!

I think I would stop around a year. Once they start growing teeth, that's bad news... Or use the pump and give it to them in a bottle. But yeah, a kid older than 3... That's a little wierd.

I don't think I would ever breastfeed beyond a year. I do think it's a personal preference, however... Although it gets weird when your child is capable of yelling to their friends that they're thirsty and want a drink from Mommy's ta-tas.

How long your child will nurse for the most part depends upon where in the world you live. This is a cultural issue. Weaning (and breastfeeding) norms vary from culture to culture, for various reasons. Anthropologist Kathryn Dettweiler (University of Texas, Austin) has focused on the biologically appropriate age of weaning and found it to be at (or about) age 7. The United States has the earliest age of breastfeeding cessation in the world (3 months). The AVERAGE age of weaning worldwide is 4 years of age. This means that with the United States average age of weaning so low (3 months) there are many other countries who have higher average ages at cessation of breastfeeding (i.e., up to age 9). (!) The benefits of breastmilk are enormous and extremely complex--very interesting on a scientific level. For example, one single feeding of colostrum (the golden substance that precedes a mother's milk) lines the baby's gastrointestinal tract, enabling it to digest larger protein molecules--such as are in cow's milk, which is what formula (artificial milk) is based on--for the rest of that infant's life. Personally, having been educated quite a bit on the subject, I have one son who nursed until he was about 6 years old. He is now 15 years old, and a freshman in the public high school where I work as a teacher. He happens to have earned a 4.0 GPA his first semester in high school, wrestled varsity his freshman year, and is currently in two sports, band at school, has a band at home, and is generally an asset to the community who enjoys life. He is very healthy. Nursing a child above the age of one is not accepted in our society (the United States). It is different than nursing an infant. Toddlers and preschoolers tend to nurse more for comfort than for nutrition, although the nutritive value of breastmilk is astounding once you begin to learn more about it (mother pass immunity to illnesses they don't even know they have yet through their milk, for example). I happen to have some friends from other countries. My friends from Kosovo pressed me to tell them how long I nursed my child. I normally do not share that. When I relented, my Kosovan friends (who happen to be Albanians--and Albania is the poorest country in eastern Europe) told me that they were nursed until 5, with big smiles. (This from 32 year old men who have survived the war in their homeland). They proceeded to share with me about one man's nephew, age 7, who wanted to nurse. The man's sister was refusing. All of her brothers (all adults) said, "Come on! Nurse our nephew!" and lovingly haranged her until she nursed her boy (which really does not take long with one that age). Then all the men erupted in cheer! This is obviously VERY different in attitude than our culture in America. In any event, it is good for our offspring to be nursed, and to ingest human milk. There are health benefits that we don't even fully understand yet, plus there are psychological benefits. There are many better things to get upset about than someone nursing their child longer than our cultures dictates. Mothers and children who nurse until the age of 7 are biologically normal, even if our culture has evolved to believe otherwise. (Keep in mind, we have very powerful businesses in our country--including formula companies--who have affected the evolution of our cultural norms).

That is up to the mother and child.

I say if they are old enough to ask for it, they get it in a cup! I have breastfead both of mine and am looking at my 3 year old right now drinking milk from a cup and thinking "amen!"

I wouldn't see myself doing it for much longer than a year. I would certainly be a bit uncomfertable once my daughter started walking and talking and being able to use a spoon.

7 is good. Months not years.

i think the cut off age should be 6mo or 1 i only breast fed for my 3 for the first month

The World health org. recomends 2 years minimum and up to five years to give both mother and baby all the health benefits available. The ancient Jews social code agrees with that but puts the limit of 10 yurs old on it. After that it becomes sexual and not food.

... teeth ... !!! ... once the child can chew, it is time to stop breast feeding ...

i don't think there needs to be a cut off age, that's crazy