Strawberry Letter: Breastfeeding A 7-Year Old
Dear Steve and Shirley,
I’m a 22-year-old female who enjoys spending time with my family. I have an older sister who is 28 year’s old and I look up to her. Our relationship and bond is great except she has a couple flaws about herself. It all began when she got pregnant at the age of 21. She decided she wanted to go the healthy way and breastfeed her baby. That isn’t the problem! The problem is my niece is now 7 year’s old and my sister is still breastfeeding her. Is this normal? My sister tell her doctor’s said there is no problem with it all, but what her doctor’s don’t know is that she isn’t putting it in a cup for her to drink she is letting my niece latch on. I think it’s sickening and disrespectful towards others. Sometimes while being in public my niece will have these little tantrums and outburst for my sister’s breast. My sister will have to sit somewhere with her or sometimes take her to the bathroom to allow her to latch on. This is embarrassing especially in public when people are staring and are also talking about it. She doesn’t even have my niece in a public school, she homes school’s her cause of this problem. My sister is now 7 months pregnant with her second child and she plans on breastfeeding this baby as well. When I asked her what is she going to do about my niece she said there is enough milk for both and that’s why she was blessed with two breast and not one. I asked her doesn’t she think my niece is a little to old to continue letting her do this and she will catch an attitude with me and sometimes will not allow me to see my niece. I love both my sister and my niece, but I feel like if this continues to happen I can’t be seen in public with my sister and it’s eventually going to come between us. Please give me your advice on this issue.
Thank you.
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