How long did you plan to bf for and when did you end up stopping?

[JollySergeantJackrum]

With all the threads on extended breastfeeding I was just interested :)

[AlsoAvailableSober]

Planned on 6 months + if all went well. All went pretty badly (x2) and ended up doing 10 & 12 months respectively

[Babieseverywhere]

Planned to breastfeed for 6 months.

Not stopped yet...DC1 nearly weaned but not completely stopped at 4.11 yo, DC2 and DC3 still nursing at 2.11 yo and 11 months.

[JessBeanie]

Planned to do 6 months but big initial weight loss meant formula top ups and my supply never got established so only managed to mix feed for 3 months

[JollySergeantJackrum]

I wonder why everyone planned 6 months. I did too. DS only 11 weeks so not there yet!

[Chipotle]

Planned for 6 months, still breastfeeding at 15 months.

[MissMarjoribanks]

Planned to breastfeed for 6 months. After DS was born at 33 weeks didn't expect to get established at all but expressed to feed EBM and kept trying. Managed to get established at 8 weeks old and carried on till 12 months and 17 days. My choice to stop (going back to work) but accepted with no fuss from DS.

[RobynLou]

I planned on 6-9months - despite nct classes I thought once dc start solids at 6m they would quickly cease to need milk.

I am now tandem feeding my 3yo and my 5mo......

[MissMarjoribanks]

I though 6mo because my mum told me they moved onto cows milk then and I didn't know any different. Then I found out that advice had changed and no cows milk till 12mo. By the time I got to 6mo it was such a doddle we just carried on. Had done all the bottle sterilising when expressing and couldn't be arsed to do it again.

[weeonion]

when pregnant I planned to bf for 6 mths. Once DD born i aimed to just through each feed, one feed at a time became my target. We eventually made it to 2yrs. It ended up totally right for us and glad we stuck with it through those early days.

[ensure]

DD born at 32 weeks, I wanted to breastfeed for at least a year because with prems, if you do so, it reduces their raised risk of heart disease back to the lower risk for non-prems.
Still going now though in fact and she'll be 3 this month.

[twinklegreen]

dd1 planned to feed for a year stopped 14mths (wanted another baby, I don't seem to ovulate until i've stopped feeding)

ds planned for 1 year again stopped 14mths (wanted another baby)

dd2 didn't have a timescale (didn't want another baby) stopped at 20mths (my decision, not hers. feel a bit sad about stopping her, but have been constantly pregnant/breastfeeding since the end of 2004 so really needed a break!)

[PetronusOfSteel]

I planned 9 months before DS1 was born as I knew nothing about babies still needing BM or FM at that stage, my friend even had the date written in her diary when we were due our first post baby piss up! I ended up feeding him until he was 21 months and we did manage to go for drinks in the couple of weeks before I got pregnant again.

I haven't got any expectations how long I'll feed DS2 (currently 6 months) but hope it's the same or longer.

[scarlettsmummy2]

I planned to do it for six months but my milk dried up at four. I was devastated. I tried everything and wasn't using a bottle as well, so not really sure what went wrong. I am really hoping it doesn't happen again when I have my second baby.

[TheMitfordsMaid]

I planned to breastfeed for 6 months and marked the date on which I would stop in my diary. I have actually been breastfeeding continuously for 4 years and 8 months, and tandem-fed two children for around 4 months. DS1 stopped when he was around 2 years 9 months and DS2 is still feeding at 2 years 2 months. I'd love to get to 5 years of breastfeeding!

[RitaMorgan]

I don't know if I had a plan before ds was born - after the birth I aimed for 6 weeks though, then 4 months, and by the time we got to 3 months it was so easy that I just continued.

Now he's 11 months and we're winding down to stop completely at 12 months. I feel quite sad at the prospect of stopping though and not sure if it's the right thing!

[TapselteerieO]

Both dc bf'd until they were 14 months and gave up by themselves, I was not a huge fan of bf'ing, I wanted to do it but didn't love it, did it because I thought it was better than bottle feeding and wanted my norks to be useful, rather than ornamental and generally annoying.

[twinklegreen]

scarletsmummy just curious, what made you think your milk had dried up?

Also, did anything new happen around the 4 mth mark? (i.e. changes in routine, contraception etc?)

Sorry to tangent from original thread!

[threefeethighandrising]

I had no idea how long I'd BF for, but maybe a year. 2.7 now and still no firm idea when we'll stop!

[threefeethighandrising]

RitaMorgan, you really don't need to stop at 1 if you don't want to you know.
Woud it help to now that the WHO advises feeding until 2?

I wonder if you're due to go back to work? I always thought you had to express at work to keep up BFing, but that's not true. I worked 3 full days a week and fed DS when I was at home, and it was fine (not sure if this is the same for everyone, but certainly for a few women I've spoken to about it).

[PuzzleRocks]

With DD1 I planned to breastfeed for 6 weeks. Can't quite remember why. Stopped when she was 2.5 years old.

Planned to do at least 2 years with DD2. Just stopped last week at 2 yrs 2 mths.

I tandem fed for 6 months so have just stopped after a continuous 4 yrs 2 mths.

[beckyboow88]

With my DD (now 8months) I just aimed to try my best didnt set myself any goals as DS never caught on so I ended up bottle feeding him. Did really well, started to introduce a bottle at 7months as maternity leave was nearly over and now she prefers the bottle so we are slowly stopping, really proud of myself for coming this far and really satisfied as DD is making the descion and I'm not forcing her to stop. :)

[threefeethighandrising]

I'm so glad I'm still BF DS. Last week he had a nasty vomiting bug and refused to eat or drink anything for days, but he'd still feed, so I didn't need to worry about him getting liquids / nutrition.

I spoke to NHS direct about the bug he had, and told them I had some Diarolite (sp?). They said if he was BF there was no need for the Diarolite!

[moaningminniewhingesagain]

First time planned at least 6m, struggled and stopped at 3m.
Second time planned at least 6m, self weaned at 26months. Tricky start with early weight loss and brief top ups for a few weeks but weaned them off and did fab

[RitaMorgan]

threefeet, I am going back to work in September but only part time, and have cut down to just morning and bedtime now anyway so it's not that particularly. DP and I are going away for a weekend without DS the week after his 1st birthday and I really can't express and still feeding would just make it too difficult I think... that sounds like a really shallow reason! I don't know, I've been switching daytime feeds to milk in a cup over the last month and DS is fine with it now, so it seems like now is as good a time as ever to stop. If it wasn't for this weekend away I think I would probably continue though.

[megapixels]

I planned to stop at 2 years with both DC. With the first she self-weaned at 18 months though and I was devastated , seems so ridiculous now as I continued to try to force her and felt like a failure that it didn't work. All went as planned with the next one.