What age did your child give up breastfeeding?

[Boomerangs]

This is aimed at mothers who have let their child self wean.
I am still breastfeeding on demand my 15 month old. I am happy to do this for as long as she wants, but I am curious as to what age others children decided to self wean.

[BaronessBomburst]

Four.
It had dropped down to mornings only, in bed, as part of the wake up cuddle, and just petered out when he started school.

[Biscuitsneeded]

DS 1 stopped at 19 months. I was 5 months pg with DS 2 and it was becoming v uncomfortable, but I had to physically absent myself for a weekend so that he forgot about it. He was ready to wean, though - didn't ask for it when I got back. DS 2 never wanted to stop, but finally stopped at 4.5, a month before starting school. We talked about it a lot and agreed that now he was a big boy he didn't need to have BFs any more. He was still a bit reluctant but he accepted it and was pleased to be getting 'big'.
Just as a matter of interest, DS2 has had 100% school attendance for the past three years. He gets colds but generally escapes other childhood nasties. I am really pleased he BFed as long as he did, even though many people definitely thought I was mad at the time!

[Biscuitsneeded]

But I should clarify that from about 2 he was only having a quick morning and evening feed, and certainly not 'on demand'.

[DangerQuakeRhinoSnake]

2 years 7 months and by that time only at bedtime. I was pregnant and it was getting quite sore for me plus my milk dried up. We replaced the feed with little games / stories at bedtime instead.

[SusanAndBinkyRideForth]

Dd1 was 4.5, dd2 was 2.5 :)

Dd1 dry nursed all through dd2s pregnancy and I tandem fed for nearly 2 years. She did have a bit of gentle encouragement to wean as well, and I night weaned her at 2.5 when 4 month old dd2 and 2.5yo dd1 were tag teaming me all night and I couldn't cope.

Dd2 self weaned as soon as I dried up in the current pregnancy. She's never been quite as bothered about feeding as dd1 though.

[Boomerangs]

Thank you for your replies I am not planning on ttc no.2 until dd is at least 3 so there is a chance she will have self weaned by your sounds of it. Sorry to sound ignorant but what is dry nursing ? I'm assuming no milk ?

[SusanAndBinkyRideForth]

Yes feeding despite no or little milk. Can be quite uncomfortable or painful!

[JulesJules]

Dd1 was nearly 2. I was pg which had obviously affected the taste - in fact it was her reaction that made me realise I was pg.

Dd2 was nearly 4 and I wanted her to stop bf before she started nursery so I was a bit more proactive with her, distraction, not offering, giving her other drinks except before bed which was the last feed to go.

[LiquorsOnDeck]

Still going at 3.5 years
Never planned to carry on so long, just sort of happened. Only at bedtime and nap time now though.

[Thomasisintraining]

2.5 years. A lot of children seem to self wean in pregnancy if you do go for it. Yes dry nursing is comfort sucking when the milk flow stops or is dried up. I could not let ds dry nurse for a second it was too uncomfortable in our case.

[Writerwannabe83]

DS is 2yr 4m and still going. I'm really not enjoying it anymore so I'm going to wean him myself.

[Rinceoir]

My DD is 2yrs 3months. I'm also very ready to wean her, but I know it's going to be so hard. I'm not planning another for at least 2 years, if at all. So if anyone has any ideas? Or wants to form a support group!!

[SybilsLeaves]

16 months - in the early days, she was on every 2 hours, when she wasn't attached for a marathon cluster feed, and I thought for sure we'd still be going when she was 2. But we introduced cows milk at nursery from about 14 months and she went down to a morning and night feed only. Then she stopped being fussed about the morning feed and, when we were on holiday, wasn't interested in the night feed (ie before she went to bed). I tried 3 nights in succession and then accepted the lady had spoken!