It doesn't matter what decision a mom makes when it comes to breastfeeding, she's likely going to get heat for it. It seems everyone has strong opinions about whether or not someone else should nurse their baby and if they do, they have equally strong opinions about where they do it and up until what age. One nursing mom from Australia is used to this unsolicited criticism because she practices extended breastfeeding with her 7-year-old son and refuses to wean until he makes the decision that the time is right for him.
Lisa Bridger is a mom of five and has been breastfeeding for over 20 years.
At this point, Bridger is a breastfeeding pro who is more than experienced when it comes to tandem nursing her kiddos. But when her oldest was born 22 years ago, Bridger never planned on how long her nursing journey would be. "I never really had a breastfeeding goal in mind, I just went along for the ride, I’ve always followed my children’s lead," she tells CafeMom.com.
At 7 years old, one of her youngest sons, Chase, still breastfeeds -- and has no plans on stopping.
Chase is the fourth kiddo in line and currently tandem breastfeeds along with his younger brother, Phoenix. Chase has nursed the longest of older his siblings, who all weaned between the ages of 4 and 5 years old.
Chase has autism and Bridger credits breastfeeding with helping deal with his diagnosis.
Although Chase was officially diagnosed with autism two years ago, the news didn't come as a surprise to his mom. She says that she noticed indicators very early on and part of her decision to continue breastfeeding is due to the comfort it gives Chase. "It’s not so much the breast milk but the connection, comfort and security he gains from the act of breastfeeding," she says. "I don’t respond to pumping so that was never a consideration."
Breast milk has also kept Chase from needing to take medicine, according to his mom.
“Breastfeeding has prevented him having to go on to medication because it calms him down. It calms and grounds him and is a fantastic way to reconnect too,” she told Kidspot. “We tried melatonin but it didn’t work as I couldn’t get him to swallow it. He gets melatonin from my breastmilk. I can shorten the meltdowns by feeding him. It is a great tool to help with autism.”
Chase mostly nurses at night but it's available whenever he wants -- and will be for as long as he wants it.
"I’ll continue until he’s ready, he’s already lost for milk teeth, his adult molars and beginning to erupt so his latch will change preventing a proper latch," she says. "He mostly only nurses to sleep these days, but occasionally when stressed."
Yes, Bridger gets slack for breastfeeding her son at his age, but she couldn't care less what haters think.
If Chase decides he wants to nurse during the day, his confident mom is happy to let him choose and will proudly breastfeed in public without worrying about what anyone around her thinks. "Some kids have blankets and dummies and mine just feed … Anyone feeding a child beyond a year gets accused of child abuse, pornography, damaging their health and told that if they walk and talk they don’t need it. How is respecting their needs abuse?" she told Kidspot. "I try to educate people who say negative things to me. Bottle feeding has become so normal that the whole idea of breastfeeding grosses people out. It is normal and okay, and I am not harming my kids. Natural term weaning is four to seven years."
Bridger feels bad for those who struggle with natural term breastfeeding and blames society for putting an "arbitrary age on weaning from breast to bottle" for making what she does seem abnormal.
"For those that don’t understand, its society that has put an arbitrary age on weaning from the breast, bottles have become so normal that people struggle with natural term breastfeeding, it’s simply mothering through breastfeeding, being respectful and responsive to the needs and wants of my children," she tells CafeMom. "I just hope that others can feel comfortable nursing to their time and not feel they need to hide something so natural."
