A young boy asked his mother to breastfeed him until he is ten years old, and her answer surprised many people, including her family members.
Sheryl Wynne, a mother of two, has recently taken part in an interview where she spoke about her special bond with Riley, six, and Mylo, five.
Wynne, a doula, shared her unique story with the British media because she wants to spotlight the benefits of breastfeeding.
The woman is also fighting to remove certain myths and stigma around nursing.
The British mom is advocating for other mothers to feel comfortable with the idea of breastfeeding their babies and young children until they are ready to wean.
Sheryl Wynne said that she had received many harsh comments from her family members.
Many of her relatives have been questioning her sons’ behavior and wonder if her decision to breastfeed them is not affecting them negatively.
Despite the criticism, Wynne, 39, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire said she would march on with her decision because it is “a tool” that calms her children and has created a lifelong bond between them.
The mom revealed that she nurses her two boys several times a day. She gives them what she calls her mommy milk before they go to school and sometimes boldly breastfeeds in public parks and school playgrounds even if people are staring.
The hypnobirthing teacher said that she had plans to stop breastfeeding Riley when he turned three, but she decided to include him in the decision, and he wants to go on until he is ten years old.
The woman said: “I think about when I’ll stop all of the time. It’s never felt right to end it unnecessarily. It’s what they’re asking for and it’s biologically normal even if it’s not in society. We started the conversation when Riley was three when they would stop having mummy milk, and Riley said when he’s ten, and I told him there’s no chance. The choice isn’t just mine; it’s a relationship because it’s something we do together.”
She added that it is not up to her anymore and added: “It’s not like I don’t have a choice, a lot of the time, they ask for it, and I’ll tell them to get off. I do wonder if they’d just stay on there all night. It’s made us closer. It’s the fact they know they can come to me and be comforted any time.”
Talking about the naysayers, she explained: “I’ve been pretty lucky in that I haven’t had negative comments from strangers, but family members and people I know have asked if I think I should stop. They question whether the way my children behave is anything to do with them being breastfed. They’re hard work, but that’s children. People think they’re experts in other people’s children but I’m not doing it blind even though I am following my instincts in many ways.”
She defended her decision to breastfeed in public by saying: “Riley and Mylo pick up on people’s opinions. My eldest wouldn’t ask for it when we’re out because he knows other people will see, but he will behind closed doors, but my youngest is confident. Before Mylo went into preschool, he was asking for mummy milk in the playground in the morning. He took me to the bench, and I had to dig deep into myself. I wanted to tell him we weren’t doing it there because people could see, but I didn’t want to pass my anxieties onto him.”
She went on to say that breastfeeding has always been natural to her since she was a little girl.
She confessed: “I remember playing with dolls while little and pretending to breastfeed them because I thought that’s what you do, and that’s where milk comes from. That’s what I wanted to do. It was a really nice experience for all three of us to do that together. Riley would reach out and stroke Mylo’s head or hold his hand, and that’d how I felt it was supposed to be, and I was a lot more confident with my own body.”
The breastfeeding advocate is trying to change minds.
