Mom criticized for breastfeeding 9 yr-old says, 'It's nice for the child to be in control'

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The topic of breastfeeding, for better or worse, remains a controversial one — especially when it comes to discussing how long it should go on. It’s particular controversial if you’re Sharon Spink, a British mom who has been speaking out about how she let her daughter nurse until she was 9 years old.

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“When I came to have Charlotte, I had decided on natural term weaning. It’s nice for the child to be in control of when they want to wean, rather than forcing the issue,” Spink, 50, an actor based in North Yorkshire, England, told the Sun

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Spink, who’s also a mom to three older kids, said she wanted to break the stigma around extended breastfeeding

But for all the attacks on Spink, there were also many strong defenders, at least one of whom called her an “inspiration.”

“Wow what a fantastic amazing woman achieving nearly a decade of breastfeeding… What an amazing bond they must share,” noted another. “Shame something so natural is frowned upon in this day and age.”

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