TV chef Jasmine Hemsley has sparked a huge debate online after admitting to breastfeeding her daughter until she was almost four and still breastfeeding her son.
The best-selling food writer and influencer, 45, took to social media sharing how breastmilk helped boost their immune system.
TV chef Jasmine Hemsley has sparked a debate on breastfeeding
She admitted to breastfeeding her daughter just before she turned four and is still breastfeeding her two-year-old son
She recently shared a clip on of herself her son at a family festival while she attempted to do a yoga class.
In the clip, she shared how long she’d been : “4.5 years of continual breastfeeding, including 1 year 7 months of tandem somewhere in the middle.”
Her confession has now stirred up a debate online, with some branding her a ‘supermum’ while others found the confession ‘disgusting.’
Jasmine, who shares daughter Mahi, five, and son Dash, two, with her long-term partner, photographer Nick Hopper, hit back at the haters.
“Breastfeeding is a biologically normal way to interact with your child,” she wrote on Tuesday.
“Extended breastfeeding of a four-year-old and older is pretty unremarkable in many parts of the world today.
“I get that it’s triggering for some people for different reasons – I am not immune to being triggered by things that don’t align or didn’t work out for me so I’m super compassionate about that.’
The mum and TV chef also noted that her son doesn’t rely on breast milk and has three meals a day.
One comment read in part: “Do you not have a life? Make sure you have school-age children nursing on your body until you have your next baby.”
“Everything about this comment is very strange,” replied Jasmine.
The famous chef hit back at those who deemed her breastfeeding journey ‘disgusting’
“Yes I have a life, I have a family, I cook, I clean, I have a job, I get my cut once or twice a year. This is my two-year-old son… where on earth have your opinions come from?”
guidelines state: “Exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk only) is recommended for around the first 6 months of your baby’s life.
“Breastfeeding alongside solid foods is best for babies from 6 months.
“You and your baby can carry on enjoying the benefits of breastfeeding for as long as you like.”
What are the recommendations around breastfeeding?
The NHS recommends exclusively (feeding them breast milk only) for the first six months, but it’s completely up to you to decide when you want to bring it to an end – and there’s really no right or wrong way to do it.
The NHS says weaning often happens gradually as your baby begins to eat more solid foods.
They note that solid food shouldn’t replace breast milk, as there is evidence to suggest breast milk helps a baby’s digestive system when processing solid food for the first time.
“Once they are eating solids, your baby will still need to have breast milk or formula as their main drink up to at least their first birthday,” recommends the NHS.
“Cows’ milk isn’t suitable as a main drink for babies under one, although it can be added to foods, such as mashed potatoes.”
You can also combine breastfeeding with formula, too and the NHS says “phasing out” of breastfeeding is often .
For example, dropping one feed in the day or at night time.
After around a week, you can begin to think about dropping another.
“If your baby is younger than one year, you’ll need to replace the dropped breastfeed with a formula feed from a bottle or (if they are over six months) a cup or beaker, instead,” they say.
You can , and while the NHS recommends breastfeeding your baby exclusively for the first six months, you shouldn’t feel like you cannot continue for longer.
The World Health Organization says: “Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.”
Jasmine explained that Mahi stopped nursing in December 2023, just weeks before her fourth birthday.
Jasmine added that while she had faced negative comments from her post, she has mostly found support from other mums and is planning to slowly stop and never expected her breastfeeding journey to last as long as it has.
“I honestly thought I’d be done at the one-year mark if it went to plan,” she said, adding that she once resorted to a highly unusual method to deter her son.
“I tried mustard on my nipples one evening with Dash and he didn’t flinch,” she wrote. “It was Dijon though – I should have gone English hot!!”
Those who saw the post were left divided in the comments; one person wrote: “I love this! What a wonderful breastfeeding advocate you are!”
Another commented: “Super mum!”
“Incredible,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “Weird.”
“F****** disgusting, your breastfeeding a f****** four-year-old,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “Disgusting.”
