Parenting

Aussie mum: I breastfeed my school aged sons

The mother's decision has divided viewers.

Lisa Bridger, a mother from Adelaide, has been breastfeeding her children for twenty years, and she’s ‘sick and tired’ of being judged. 

The mother-of-five appeared on A Current Affair to defend her right to breastfeed her children, who are aged 6 and 4. 

She told the program, ‘I know without a doubt, that it’s fine for me, that we don’t hurt anybody by doing it.’

Lisa’s sons, who both suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have regular meltdowns, and the Adelaide Hills mum thinks breastfeeding is the best remedy to calm them down. 

She said, ‘It’s that connection, I believe,’ adding, ‘He gets a massive connection with me…it’s the skin-on-skin, it’s a routine for him, it’s just that suckling, it causes him to calm.’ 

While it is legal to breastfeed your child, Lisa’s decision has come under fire. 

She told A Current Affair, ‘I’m not harming anybody, I’m not harming my children, I’m following their lead [and] I’m not forcing my kids off.

‘Which can cause more issues than allowing them to do their own thing.’

When asked when her 7-year-old son will stop breastfeeding, Lisa said: ‘When he’s ready.’ 

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