'I breastfed my kids till the ages of eight and six'

Karen Millen called women who breastfeed their children after six months "selfish", but one mum tells us this couldn't be further from the truth

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Just a couple of weeks ago, fashion designer Karen Millen issued an apology after branding mums who breastfeed beyond six months "selfish" and saying it becomes an "addiction" for the child "because they only know the boob".

Her comments on Vanessa Feltz's daytime TV show on 5 triggered a backlash, so mum-of-three Millen, 64, issued a video apology, saying, "I know I have upset a lot of people."

Seamstress Emma Hawes Taylor, 50, who lives in Oxfordshire with her telecoms manager husband Andy, 58, and their two children, breastfed Lilia, 15, until she was eight and Gabriel, 10, until he was six.

I thought it was weird

Emma says, "I didn't have preconceived ideas about how I was going to do things. We married when I was 34 and Andy was 42, and started trying for a family immediately.

"When I got pregnant after a miscarriage, I read a few books, attended antenatal classes and made only one firm decision - I wanted to breastfeed, if I could.

"My friend, Nikki, had two children and was my go-to for information. She had fed her children long beyond the World Health Organisation's (WHO's) recommended two years minimum. I told her, 'I do want to breastfeed, but I don't want to do it as long as you!' I secretly thought it was a bit weird to feed a child that was walking and talking.

"When Lilia was born in 2009, I was pleased to be able to feed her straightaway, but we started to experience issues with pain and latch, which weren't resolved until she was 10 weeks old.

"The harder it was, the more determined I was. One day I sobbed to my health visitor, 'I think I'm going to have to formula feed her, this is too hard!' She said, 'You really want to breastfeed and that's why you're so upset. I think you'll regret it if you stop.'