A mum-of-two, who has made the decision to breastfeeding her four-year-old son, has defended herself against criticism from strangers.
Breastfeeding support worker Beccy Ashe, 35, has been breastfeeding for eight years in total. Her daughter Daisy, eight, was breastfed until she started school aged five, including throughout her pregnancy with her four-year-old son Tobias and alongside him.
Beccy currently breastfeeds her son Tobias twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, and he eats solid food throughout the day.
Beccy, from Liverpool, Merseyside, explains that her decision to continue breastfeeding was influenced by potential health benefits: "I always knew I was going to breastfeed, but I didn't plan to do it for this long when I was pregnant with Daisy," she said.
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"The organisation that I now work for, Breastfeeding Support, I started with them when I had Daisy.
"It was there that I was informed of all of the benefits of breastfeeding, like how it reduces the risk of breast cancer.
"When she got to six months old and was starting on solid foods, that was when I had to choose to either swap her onto formula or keep breastfeeding.
"It didn't make sense to stop, for me, so I decided to carry on until she was one and then introduce cow's milk."
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"So we did that, but she just never stopped!"
Beccy continued to breastfeed Daisy throughout her pregnancy with her second child, Tobias.
She said: "With Tobias, obviously I had more experience, and I wasn't worried that I wouldn't be able to produce milk.
"But I thought, even if there is some reason I can't breastfeed him, I'd find donor milk or tried to find someone else to wet nurse. Switching to artificial milk would have been the last resort.
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"I think swapping to formula can be pushed on mums sometimes if there's even a small issue or obstacle with feeding.
"That's fine if you want to do that, but everyone should be informed on their options."
Beccy notes that people tend to be incredibly judgemental when it comes to when they believe a mum should stop breastfeeding, but she doesn't care.
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"I know some people think it's disgusting, or whatever, and it's fine for everyone to have an opinion about it, I just ask that they be respectful.
She says although she has got judgemental looks from people in public, and dealt with backlash online, she doesn't care what others say.
"I know it's seen as weird, and of course people can say what they want from behind a screen, but in person I've never had a negative experience.
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According to the NHS website, it’s recommend that mums breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months.
The World Health Organization recommends that from six months babies should start eating solid foods as well as being breastfed for up to two years or longer.
If you are unsure about when you should stop breastfeeding, contact the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 or visit the NHS website here.
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