Your take on this breastfeeding debate?

Well, if the main issue is whether breastfeeding after age 1 is shameful or not: it's not. And 'extended' breastfeeding is actually becoming more common these days, not less.

Just to correct one of the other answers: 'saggy boobies' have nothing to do with breastfeeding, however long. It's pregnancy that causes breast changes, not breastfeeding. It's just that breastfeeding tends to mask the changes. The women who experience breast changes after breastfeeding experience them regardless of whether they breastfed for a week or a year or two years or even longer.

While I planned to wean my daughter off the breast at around a year( (because she would be old enough for ordinary cows milk then,} I agree with you. When my daughter was born, we were encouraged to start solids earlier than now, and breastfeeding after 7 months considered 'long!'

What is weird is that many people who consider HUMAN MILK has little food value after 1 year, think that milk from other mammals or a soya substitute is ESSENTIAL for humans up to the age of at least 5.

As for teeth, if the baby starts biting then the mum might choose to wean, but not all babies bite when nursing.

I think the longer the better. There is nothing embarrassing about nursing a baby past a year or well beyond a year. It is never natural past a year. And teeth have nothing to do with when to wean. Breast feeding beyond a year is not weird, and many people still do it past a year. You see it less after a year because babies are eating a variety of solids and likely drinking other fluids like water, juice, and cow's milk and thus they need it less. Just because she does not see mother nursing babies after a year does not mean it does not happen.

In the end it is what is best for the mother and child regardless of length of time.

This isn't a topic for debate, and neither of you are right or wrong.

If SHE finds it embarrassing to breastfeed her children past one year, nobody should try to force her to do it.

If YOU choose to breastfeed your own children for 2 years, nobody should try to make you wean.

Statistically, she is correct that relatively few mothers in western societies breastfeed beyond one year, (so yes, it is 'out of the norm') though the numbers aren't quite small enough to be 'almost nobody.'

I'm going to side with your friend on this one. Although there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding your child until they are 2 years old, I prefer not to do that. My daughter is almost 4 months old and I plan on just going on for a year. I have a few reasons as to why I want to do that, one of the reasons is because of the teeth. I'm a first time mom, so I'm a little afraid of having my nipples bitten lol. Another reason is by the time she's one, I'll be giving her whatever I'm eating, of course within reason. And my last 2 reasons are one, I don't want to have saggy boobies. I've heard a lot of people say that if you breastfeed for a long time you get saggy boobies. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but it's something I don't want happening. My 2nd reason is because I'm also experimenting, since this is my 1st child, I want to see what things I feel comfortable with, the things I like, things I don't like, and the stuff that works best for me. So whenever I have my 2nd child, I'll be able to decide if I really liked breastfeeding or not and if I did like it then I'd continue until my child was 2.

I agree with Pippin's answer. It is recommended that a child be breastfed until 2. It isn't impossible to breastfeed a child with teeth. Breastfeeding does not make your boobs sag. Between the two of you, I agree with you the most. I plan to breastfeed my son until 2-3 or until he decides to wean. If a child is biting then they are not actively nursing.

Definitely agree with you. No way am I going to stop breastfeeding my child at 12 months.

2 years seems more realistic on average.

I believe if our society continues to make breast feeding past one year "a big deal" it will always be a big deal. I weaned at around 21 months because my milk nearly dried up when I got pregnant, but 2 years was my goal and will be with the next one. I've personally seen the benefits of nursing and have a degree in health science. To me, it's what I'm "suppose" to do, although I don't harp on others who don't.

Your answer. My daughter is 10 months walks more than crawls and has 3 teeth and i don't.plan on quitting until she does

If they can name it, they're too old for it! I don't mind pumping for my child but I stopped feeding him when he started biting (actually bit off a part of my nipple!).

I'm afraid I'm siding with your friend, choice 2.