Coco Austin Defends 6-Year Breastfeeding Journey, Sparking Debate

In November 2025, model Coco Austin is doubling down on her controversial decision to breastfeed her daughter Chanel until the child was 6 years old. Despite facing fervent online criticism, Austin maintains that the extended breastfeeding was a "bonding experience" and that Chanel ultimately decided when to stop.

Austin, now 46, explains that Chanel was able to eat solid foods by age 1 but continued nursing for comfort and closeness with her mother. The model argues that in Europe, it is not uncommon for children to be weaned around age 7, suggesting her own extended breastfeeding timeline is not as unusual as some may think.

Austin's husband, actor and rapper Ice-T, has also defended the family's choice, noting that Chanel eats regular food and only nurses "when she cries and just wants to get close to her mama." The couple welcomed Chanel in 2015, and Austin has been open about her breastfeeding journey, attracting both praise and criticism from the public.

As of November 2025, Chanel has been fully weaned, but Austin stands firm in her belief that she allowed her daughter to decide when to stop the nursing relationship, rather than imposing an arbitrary timeline.