'Don't call me a paedophile' Mum who breastfeeds seven-year-old slams trolls for bullying her

An Aussie mum who breastfeeds her seven-year-old son has has revealed she has been attacked online, saying trolls labelled her "sick" and called her a "paedophile".

Lisa Bridger, 46, is struggling with the level of hatred after she spoke about how she still feeds her son, Chase, and his four-year-old brother, Phoenix. Both boys have autism and the mum says they get comfort from breastfeeding.

In an open letter to  Kidspot.com.au, the mum-of-five from Adelaide lashed out at the abuse, saying it was not acceptable.

"To the adults who have commented that I am sick and need to get help, there is nothing mentally wrong with me; I am only doing what is natural," she said. "It's not a sexual act. I'm not a paedophile which is what quite a few have suggested."

Describing her son as "very independent, self-assured, none damaged", Lisa said none of his friends at school have bullied or teased him about the breastfeeding because he has talked to them and they understand. 

"Watching and seeing all you adults bully and abuse me, telling me what I need to do for your comfort, overriding my child's comfort, I can see why so many children bully these days," she wrote. She added that Chase is unable to take medication for autism due to the side effects and he gains a lot of comfort from still feeding from his mum.  

In June last year, Lisa revealed that Chase often has meltdowns and he is soothed by breastfeeding, and she is happy to feed him in public despite a few strange looks. 

But she was knocked by cruel comments, with strangers claiming she was damaging her child.

Despite the backlash, Lisa is still determined to continue breastfeeding for as long as the boys want - even feeding both her sons in tandem.

"You can't force a baby or toddler or older child to breastfeed, in fact I'm ready for him to wean whenever as I have been for quite some time," she said.

Practical Parenting expert, Dr Ginni Mansberg says there is no set age to stop breastfeeding.

"We would like it if you can go a full year, in terms of health benefits for the baby, but also for the mum, but not many people make it to that stage

"We haven't studied breastfeeding of children who are older, we don't really know what it does, because I can't imagine there would be any harms that would come.

She added, “Now, if a child was spending all day attached to the mothers breast and therefore not running around playing normally, interacting normally then you could say there are a few issues there.”

Last year Practical Parenting revealed the story of a mum who only weaned her daughter off breastfeeding when she was nine. You can read her story here.