Can someone tell me about self-weaning?

[FoxesSitOnBoxes]

Is that what it's called?!
DS is 18 months and through no real planning is still breast feeding before bed and whenever he wakes at night. I co-sleep (again it just sort of happened) so he moans and rolls over and feeds/comfort sucks for a bit & sleeps. Sometimes I hardly notice
On a good night he wakes once at 10ish then sleeps til morning but feeds more if he's poorly/teething.
I'm perfectly happy with things as they are but don't want to be doing this when he's much older.
I can't face the sleepless nights of trying to stop feeding him (& love the cuddles)
Has anyone been in a similar position and just let breastfeeding stop naturally? How long did it take? Any stories of similar situations much appreciated

[lalath]

I let DS self-wean for daytime feeds but at age 2 I night-weaned him using Jay Gordon's method for co-sleepers: drjaygordon.com/attachment/sleeppattern.html

He continued to feed during the day until he was 3, but it was a very gradual drop-off - in fact, it took me two weeks to notice that he had stopped entirely!

We still co-sleep (he's 5).

[readingrainbow]

My DD is 2.5 yrs and is gradually dropping off her requests for feeding. I did little things like having dh put her to bed or sleep with dh in the middle rather than DD so she isn't right next to me. It really is a gradual thing, even though a year ago I felt like she would never stop! Now we are getting to the stage where if I don't remind her she has a 50/50 chance of forgetting to request a feed. She tends to depend on it for dropping off at naptime more than bedtime or in the night. My supply is quite low now so it isn't a long feed.

[Junosmum]

From a statistical point of view average age for self weaning is between 2 and 3. The sucking reflex needed to breastfeed is lost between ages 6 and 8 so all children will stop breastfeeding by age 8.

[FoxesSitOnBoxes]

Thank you all! I think I'm going to carry on at the moment. I'm happy and he's happy but Jay Gordon's method looks doable when the time comes (thanks!)
Putting DH in the middle is a good idea as I find that DS definitely feeds less and sleeps more when DH is away and I can put a bit of distance between us in the bed (rather than him sleeping with a tempting boob at face level all night!)
Good to know that it is likely to naturally tail off soonish. It seems a pity to force anything at this stage but I definitely don't want to be feeding him when he's starting school
Thank you!

[sillyoldfool]

My first stopped at 3.5 when my second was born, my second stopped at 5, third is still going at 2.5...
I said I really didn't want to feed a school age child too, but when it came to it we just carried on.