I still breastfeed my four-year-old son – people say I’m ‘vile’ but I think it’s perfectly natural

A MUM-OF-TWO has come under fire for continuing to breastfeed her four-year-old son. While she views it as perfectly natural behaviour, many people have called her "vile" for it. In her viral video, the TikTok user who goes by Studio Somer (@studiosomer) shared her unbothered attitude towards her haters.

She pointed out the flaw in most people's logic when it comes to breastfeeding. "For some reason after their first birthday it because the most vile thing you could do," the mum said in the caption of the clip, which received 4.2 million views. She added that "people will give you their opinion, especially online.".

The TikToker has previously stated that she will allow both her four-year-old and her 19-month-old to "breastfeed until they are ready to wean". She explained that "every time" she sits down, her children want to be "held, nursed, or cuddled". And while she struggles to "have a moment to myself", she pointed out that her older self with miss these times.

The mum shared that some people have accused her of continuing to breastfeed for her own benefit. She recalled how online trolls have told her "You're doing it for you". And breastfeeding isn't the only unique parenting technique she has adopted. The stay-at-home mum revealed that her toddler "has never slept in a crib".

Instead, she and her husband placed a mattress on the floor of their bedroom to allow for "contact sleeping". "Are we really telling mums that nursing and holding their babies to sleep is a bad thing?" she asked. TikTok users shared their thoughts on the mum's breastfeeding approach in the comments section.

"There’s just a point where it’s weird and wrong," wrote one follower. The NHS recommends breastfeeding your baby exclusively (feeding them breast milk only) for the first six months, but it's completely up to you to decide when you want to bring it to an end - and there's really no right or wrong way to do it.

The NHS says weaning often happens gradually as your baby begins to eat more solid foods. They note that solid food shouldn't replace breast milk, as there is evidence to suggest breast milk helps a baby's digestive system when processing solid food for the first time.

"Once they are eating solids, your baby will still need to have breast milk or formula as their main drink up to at least their first birthday," recommends the NHS. "Cows' milk isn't suitable as a main drink for babies under one, although it can be added to foods, such as mashed potatoes.".

You can also combine breastfeeding with formula, too and the NHS says "phasing out" of breastfeeding is often the easiest way. For example, dropping one feed in the day or at night time. After around a week, you can begin to think about dropping another.

"If your baby is younger than one year, you'll need to replace the dropped breastfeed with a formula feed from a bottle or (if they are over six months) a cup or beaker, instead," they say. You can breastfeed for as long as you want, and while the NHS recommends breastfeeding your baby exclusively for the first six months, you shouldn't feel like you cannot continue for longer.

The World Health Organization says: "Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.". "If the child is old enough to ask for a refill then they are too old," said another viewer.

"Why would you breastfeed that older one? Weirdo," asked a third person. "You will never see me breastfeeding a child that old," commented another TikTok user. "What four!!! That's nasty, [the] kid's old enough to drink Ribena," pointed out one commenter.