This mother is still breastfeeding her 7-year-old child and has made it no secret that she’s not bothered about what other naysayers might think. As a matter of fact, the Australia-based mother says that breastfeeding her child, who is on the autism spectrum, has actually been very beneficial for him.

Lisa Bridger, of Adeaide, Australia, says that one of the biggest reasons why she breastfeeds her son is because it has helped prevent him from having to go on medication. She is currently feeding her 7-year-old son Chase and her 4-year-old son Phoenix, who is also on the spectrum.

The breastfeeding and skin-on-skin contact that the mother and son share actually helps the boy calm down.

According to the Australian site Kid Spot, Lisa said, “When I had my first it was just natural. He latched on and that was it. No one ever told me there was a cut off age and I didn’t know about the WHO guidelines. They requested and I gave: it just worked.”

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Lisa also said that she tried to give her son melatonin, but it didn’t work as he couldn’t swallow it. But because he get melatonin from her breastmilk, it helps shorten his meltdowns and has overall been a great tool to help with his autism.

As far as the criticism that she gets online and the funny faces many people give her in public, the mother-of-two says that she pays no attention to what others might be saying about her. All that matters to Lisa is that she’s doing what’s best for her two children, despite the fact that many people say her older son is too old for breastfeeding. Nevertheless, Lisa says that she hasn’t worn a one-piece dress or a high neck shirt in years and does look forward to one day getting her “body back.”

The proud mother also says that her sons Chase and Phoenix actually look forward to their breastfeeding sessions with their mother. She explained, “Anyone feeding a child beyond a year gets accused of child abuse, pornography, damaging their health and told that if they walk and talk they don’t need it. How is respecting their needs abuse? You can’t breastfeed a piranha.”

Although many medical experts agree that the longer you breastfeed your baby, the better, there’s no actual timeline as to when you should start weaning your child. Some mothers wean as early as six months while others wait until their child is at least 2 years of age. Although pediatricians suggest that once your child shows more interest in solid foods than breast milk, it’s best to follow their cues. Statistics show that many women in the United States stop nursing before their baby is six months old.

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