A mom has defended herself after being trolled online following the revelation that she continues to breastfeed her oldest child.
For infants across the world — human and animal — milk is the first essential source of nourishment.
When breastfeeding goes smoothly, with a good latch and a comfortable supply, many parents describe it as an unusually close bonding experience.
In many places, though, feeding patterns tend to change once a child starts teething or is confidently eating solid meals.
At that stage, most of their nutrition can come from food rather than milk, so families often decide to stop.
Shinnai Visser, however, made a different choice and continued beyond the toddler years.
The 34-year-old holistic mom, who posts on Instagram as @mindful_mamma_za, has faced heavy criticism after people learned she still breastfeeds her four-year-old daughter.
She later spoke with People to explain why she’s comfortable breastfeeding for longer than many parents typically do.
Visser also emphasized that the decision isn’t about gratifying her own preferences — despite the fact that breastfeeding can have health benefits for mothers as well.
“I’ve heard comments implying that it’s inappropriate, unhealthy or that it creates too much dependence. Some people assume it’s about my needs rather than my child’s, which couldn’t be further from the truth,” Visser said. “If you have ever breastfed, you will know I am not doing this for me.”
She said she once viewed shorter breastfeeding timelines as standard in Western society, but her perspective shifted after looking into practices across different cultures and historical norms.
“When I learned that humans historically breastfed far longer than we do today, it reframed the idea that extended breastfeeding is unusual. It’s not biologically strange — it’s culturally unfamiliar.”
And while some might imagine her nursing routine with her four-year-old mirrors how she feeds her 20-month-old, Visser says it doesn’t — describing it as led by the child, not by the parent.
“Some days she nurses once, and other times she doesn’t ask for a few days,” Visser said, explaining that it’s ‘very minimal and very intentional. It’s brief, calm and led by her.’
Beyond nutrition, Visser says she believes the short sessions can be soothing and may support emotional balance, offering a space for children to calm down and feel secure.
Visser described the feeds as: “It’s a moment of stillness, connection and safety. The child’s body settles, breathing slows and emotions soften.
“It’s a relational regulation tool, not just a feeding one.”
On the question of when she’ll stop, Visser said she expects it will happen naturally when it feels appropriate for both her and her children.
Although some people dismiss extended breastfeeding, supporters argue there can be advantages to continuing for longer than is typical in some countries.
Dr Colin Michie, chair of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s nutrition committee, has suggested breastfeeding can offer protective health effects — and that longer durations may even link to later outcomes.
He told The Guardian: “It’s widely known that breastfed babies are better protected against chest and ear infections, are at less risk of sudden infant death and are less likely to become obese, but it’s interesting to see the benefits of breastfeeding for a prolonged period of time not only benefit the baby in the early years, but also translate into increased intelligence and improved earning ability later in life.”
In many parts of the world, longer breastfeeding timelines are more common and less controversial.
For instance, Mother’s Choice Products reports that mothers in Turkey may breastfeed for 18 to 24 months, while in Guatemala breastfeeding can continue to around 12 months.
Meanwhile, Britain has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe, with some attributing the numbers to cultural attitudes and limited support for parents.