Breast feeding, clingy, affectionate toddler

[Deutschmum]

My 16 mth DS is mega physical! He loves to cuddle and rough and tumble and be carried, even about the house. He also loves to BF and is super clingy if he knows he's about to be left (I use childcare 2 mornings per week). Though I never imagined I'd BF for this long I have, but I'd like to stop but I don't have the mental/physical strength to wean DS off... Is it my parenting or his character making life so??! Any tips for this scenario? I find myself falling apart inside when I with other mothers of contented kids while DS clings and head butts me for milk...

[Jakeyblueblue]

My ds was the same at that age but at 21 months, things have improved a little. He went through a phase of being super clingy and crying if I even went to the bathroom. He also ramped up the breastfeeding and worked out he could try to get a boob out anywhere he liked!
Tbh, I haven't done anything to curb any of the behaviour because I think it's quite normal for a breastfed toddler. I felt the Same as you when my friend babies were totally different to ds, but that doesn't make him the abnormal one. It's just a case of different parenting styles. I've been very much an attachment parent, whilst they've formular fed or weaned before 12 months and have only got content babies through methods such as controlled crying. Whereas if you went to a la leche group toud probably find most of the toddlers there woukd be the same as us! If what you're doing works for you then that's fine.
It will get better too, just this last couple of weeks, ds has stopped crying when I leave for work etc and I've also found that his speech and comprehension has improved to a point where I can reason with him. At 16 months, he really didn't understand why he couldn't bf whenever he wanted or that if I left him, I would come back. Now his language has exploded and he accepts it if I say the milks all gone or tell him he's got to wait until we are home.
Your little one sounds perfectly normal to me and it also sounds like you are doing a great job. Hang in there'. This too shall pass.

[Deutschmum]

Cool thanks. ds is beginning to understand a few words, more to come. We're living in germany and more mothers BF for longer here which helps a bit.

[sh77]

I have a two year old and tried to stop feeding from his second birthday. He understood pretty quickly 'food finished' but has been mega-clingy aince. He too is a very affectionate child but He will now only fall asleep on top of me (we co-sleep) and i think this a replacement for feeding. It is very exhausting.