Meet the 6-year old who is still being breast-fed....

At six-and-a-half years old, Denise Sumpter’s daughter is the oldest child still breastfeeding in the UK - and her mother has no plans to stop any time soon.

Instead Ms Sumpter will let Belle decide when it’s time to quit. Currently, the Year Two pupil asks for a feed when she is tired, ill or simply wants some bonding time with her mum.

The frequency varies. The little girl sometimes asks to be fed as much as twice a day or as little as once a week.

Sometimes she feeds on her own, and other times she latches on alongside 18-month-old brother Beau.

And Ms Sumpter, 44, insists she will continue until Belle decides it is time to stop. 'I’ll feed Belle as long as she asks,' she says.

'I don’t know how long that will be. It will be the same with Beau. I don’t think there’s anything weird about it. I feed both children on demand - whenever they want it.'

Belle is a head taller than most of her classmates and is rarely ill. Her mother puts this down to her 'mama’s milk', which she also says is responsible for the confidence of her clever daughter - a talented violinist, singer and dancer who is top of the class in most subjects.

Ms Sumpter, a PhD student of ancient science, says: 'I have two healthy, bright, confident children who I truly believe have benefitted from breast milk, and continue to do so.'

She also has the backing of partner Jules Deering, 47, a technical director at a university drama department.

'Breastfeeding hasn’t impacted my sex life in any way,' she adds. 'It hasn’t ruined my breasts.'

In fact she credits it with helping her keep her figure and her health, saying: 'I’m protected from various cancers and can eat what I want without gaining weight.'

But she insists that the benefits it gives to her children are the driving force. 'Mothers who feed for longer are often accused of being selfish,' she says.

'There are things I get out of it - like calm, happy children. But I can say with certainty I’ve done this entirely for the benefit of my kids.

'When Belle finishes I’ll be sad but it’s a natural progression. Her milk teeth are going and I get the impression she won’t be feeding for much longer. But she can take her time.'

Ms Sumpter admits her choice has raised eyebrows, saying: 'I used to get the odd comment from relatives who’d say "here we go with the milk thing again". 

'But I think because people know I’m confident in my decision they let me get on with it.'

However, Belle no longer feeds from her mother in public. 'I will sometimes tell Belle no,' says Ms Sumpter.

'She hasn’t asked to be fed publicly since she was about four or five. Luckily, I haven’t had many negative responses.'

Despite her insistence on the benefits of breastfeeding long term, Ms Sumpter says she never planned to continue breastfeeding for so long.

When Belle was a newborn, she expected to feed her for six months to a year at the most - but when the time came she began to change her mind.

'I heard women talking about tricking their babies to stop breastfeeding, or simply taking it away,' she says.

'Belle seemed so tiny and she really needed her milk.'

Once she started to look into the subject, she discovered baby-led weaning. 'It became clear that the norms in this country aren’t necessarily correct or what is best for children,' she says.

'The World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding up to two years and beyond. I decided to let nature play its course.'

Ms Sumpter, from Islington. North London, found help and advice through groups such as breastfeeding support organisation La Leche League. 

'Having a strong support network is really important,' she says. 'I try to help parents with the information I have as it saves lives, empowers women and makes children happy.

'When mums are told to cover up while breastfeeding in Claridge’s or ignorant politicians like UKIP leader Nigel Farage tell nursing mums to "sit in the corner", it only does harm. 

'What we need is more openness and more truth so mums can make informed decisions.'

She adds: 'There are so many myths about breastfeeding it’s unreal. People argue that after a certain age breast milk has no nutritional benefits but that’s nonsense - there is not a single food source that suddenly stops being nutritious.

'My children have hardly been ill. Beau came down with something the other day and because I nursed him through it he was better in 24 hours. 

'I’ve had similar with Belle. If they’re upset it calms them. It helps them sleep.'

She also says that accusations of fostering an unhealthily dependent relationship between her and her children are untrue.

'People think by feeding Belle this long I will stunt her confidence. But she is extremely independent - if anything, she can be too bolshy sometimes,' she says.

'Her teachers say she is mature for her age. She’s been away from me at her nan’s for a week and was fine.'

She admits: 'If you’d asked me five years ago I never would have thought I’d still be breastfeeding Belle. However, it turned out to be one of the best things I could have done for my family.'

And for little Belle and Beau, nothing could seem more natural. 'Belle understands not everyone breastfeeds as long as her, but she’s proud of it. 

'She’ll pretend to breastfeed her dolls. The other day at playgroup Beau picked up a toy bottle and didn’t have a clue what it was. I was proud of that.

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