Coco Austin is addressing criticism head-on, explaining why she continued breastfeeding her daughter, Chanel, until the age of six and why, for her family, the choice was about comfort and connection more than nutrition.
Appearing on the November 9 episode of The Dumb Blonde podcast with host Bunnie Xo, the model and TV personality said the extended breastfeeding was driven by bonding. ‘It wasn’t like I was feeding her because she needed a meal,’ Austin shared, noting that Chanel was on solid foods by her first birthday. ‘It was more of a bonding experience… it was because she wanted to be close to me.’
Austin emphasized that the decision was led by her daughter, not imposed. ‘I’ll let her stop when she wants to stop’ was the mindset, she said, stressing that the practice naturally tapered off. As she put it with characteristic bluntness: ‘She’s not going to be 16 on my boob.’ According to Austin, Chanel eventually stopped around age six, which she acknowledged is longer than many Americans are used to.
Extended Breastfeeding & Cultural Context
While Austin recognizes extended breastfeeding isn’t typical in the U.S., she pointed to different norms abroad. ‘In Europe, some do it until age seven. There, it’s completely normal,’ she said. ‘We Americans think that’s unusual. But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it as long as it’s just in your home.’
She added that the closeness built during those years has lingered in other affectionate ways. ‘To this day, she is obsessed with boobs. She’s always sitting or lying on me,’ Austin admitted with a laugh, framing the phase as a fleeting chapter she chose to embrace. ‘It’s just a really special moment because it won’t be like this once they hit their teenage years. I’m cherishing every moment I can with Chanel.’
Austin and actor-rapper Ice-T welcomed Chanel in November 2015, and the couple has fielded public scrutiny over their parenting choices before. Austin said she’s comfortable with their approach and has learned to shut out online noise when it comes to private family matters.
Ice-T’s Support & Earlier Comments
This isn’t the first time the family has addressed extended breastfeeding. Back in 2016, Austin told E! News she was ‘kind of obsessed’ with nursing during Chanel’s first months and navigated a mix of breastfeeding and formula as her daughter grew. ‘I’m doing whatever I can because now she’s growing, so she needs more milk… so I have to go from breastfeeding to formula, breastfeeding to formula,’ she said at the time, adding, ‘I wish she would want a little more of me.’
In 2021, when Austin shared that she was still breastfeeding Chanel, Ice-T publicly backed his wife on social media. ‘News Flash! We feed Chanel FOOD… She just likes to suck mom’s boob every now and then… Me Too!!!’ he tweeted, underscoring the couple’s unified stance and their tendency to meet online chatter with humor.
On The Dumb Blonde, Austin reiterated that what worked for their household was shaped by closeness and consent, not rigidity. She framed the entire experience as child-led, and said that once Chanel grew out of it, the habit ended naturally.
Inside Coco & Ice-T’s ‘Old-Fashioned’ Dynamic
Later in the conversation, Austin turned to her two-decade relationship with Ice-T, describing what she called their old-fashioned approach at home. ‘He has his man place. He goes out, does his job, works hard for his money. My place is to keep the house in order. That’s what I manage. I keep everything sane, so when he comes home from the streets, he can relax,’ she said.
She clarified that while the public might not see it, the couple knows their roles and what works for them off-camera. ‘You wouldn’t see us having one publicly, but we know each other’s places,’ Austin said, adding that the balance has endured over the long haul of their marriage.
Asked how things might look if their roles were reversed, Austin joked that she would be the rough-and-tumble one. ‘I would be rough and tough, the gangster guy with style, and he would be the opposite. If he were a girl, he’d be like me — the outlandish, outgoing, crazy chick,’ she said. ‘We complement each other because we’re kind of like the same person, and we know that. And we also let each other shine.’
Across the interview, Austin kept returning to the idea of doing what feels right inside the home, whether that’s parenting choices that emphasize closeness or a relationship dynamic that leans traditional. For her, it’s all about meeting each other where they are and ignoring outside pressure.
As conversations around parenting continue to play out online, Austin’s comments serve as a reminder that family decisions often exist on a spectrum. In her case, the approach was simple: prioritize bonding, follow her child’s lead, and maintain a united front with her husband. And, as she noted, that strategy has worked for them — even when the internet has opinions.
