Lauren McLeod doesn’t care for the haters who shame her for still breastfeeding her son Bowie — who is 5 years old.
The 29-year-old parent also isn’t here for the trolls who claim she’s abusing her kid by continuing to offer her breast milk to him.
“I never thought I’d be breastfeeding my child aged 5, but I’m like any other mom doing the best I can for my children,” she recently told South West News Service.
The defiant Australian said the act is “not weird or sexual” and is “completely normal.”
The mommy influencer wannabe added that she will keep on going until her son wants her to stop.
McLeod, who is a doula, had hoped Bowie would stop around the age of 2 — she claimed she and her husband, Anders, 33, were both breastfed until that age. Her daughter, Tigerlily, 2 years old, is also still being breastfed.
Bowie receives breast milk three times a week before bedtime, while Tigerlily eats “on-demand.”
son Bowie, dad Anders, daughter Tiger Lily and mum Lauren. 8
McLeod’s son Bowie, her husband Anders and their daughter Tigerlily. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
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The mother of two doesn’t want to stop breastfeeding her kids until they tell her they want to. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
The doula explained that breastfeeding is very natural. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
She explained that people “will say something really mean” and believes the comments come “from a lack of education but nobody has ever said anything to my face.”
Others have called her “gross” and an “abuser” and have accused her of not giving her kids actual food.
McLeod denounced the ridiculous accusations and said “of course we [give them food].”
“I believe we’re doing the right thing for us,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing for us to bond and reconnect after a long day.
“I’ve been really lucky to have easy breastfeeding journeys, and I’ve had no major struggles,” she continued.
McLeod has also breastfed her friend’s baby, who won’t take bottles when she babysits. While she said it was a “little strange” to feed a baby that isn’t her own, she said it still felt “natural” and was happy to help out her pal.
McLeod claimed she gets hate from trolls who say she’s abusing her kids. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
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Bowie is almost 6 years old and apparently still loves to breastfeed. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
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Her 2-year-old daughter Tigerlily is also still drinking milk from her breast. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
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Her tips to help milk flow easier include eating healthier foods and drinking enough water. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
She declared that society should normalize breastfeeding other people’s children, as she said it truly “takes a village” to raise kids.
“People have been doing this since the dawn of time, grandparents would feed their grandchildren,” she told SWNS, adding that she has donated “express milk” to parents who need it more than her.
McLeod also revealed her best tips for breastfeeding, which include drinking a lot of water beforehand, eating healthy foods, feeding a baby while having one’s shoulders back, asking for help when needed and otherwise taking care of one’s self.
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“I’ve been really lucky to have easy breastfeeding journeys, and I’ve had no major struggles,” she said. Lauren McCleod / SWNS
She added that women should breastfeed while lying on their side if they feel sore and should ask a midwife to check for tongue and lip ties, as they are really common and can cause issues with latching.
In another stance as a milk activist, McLeod previously defended her choice to breastfeed her kids last September.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times more, humans were biologically designed to wean from the breast between 2 [and] 7 years of age,” she stated at the time. “I’ve been called a ‘sick nut,’ I’ve been told I’m disgusting, weird, gross, selfish, abusing my children, the list goes on.”
Earlier this month, she shared a social media post where she was seen drinking a glass of white wine while breastfeeding Tigerlily.
She suggested that people have misinformation about drinking while breastfeeding, saying that many assume that “alcohol goes straight into breastmilk and will make the baby ‘drunk.’”
However, McLeod said that is untrue and people believe this due to a “lack of education.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “moderate” alcohol consumption — up to one drink per day — is “not known to be harmful” to an infant.
However, the CDC noted that the highest levels of alcohol can be found in breast milk 30 to 60 minutes after consuming a drink and can remain detectable for about two to three hours per drink consumed.
