To ask if you bf past a year?

[Susiethetortoiseshellcat]

I am currently breastfeeding my almost 1 year old. I only feed him 2/3 times a day now but I think he would struggle to be weaned from these as he still very much demands them, particularly the night feed.

I have a group of friends with similar aged babies and all the ones who are breastfeeding are on a deadline to give up at a year. They are surprised, if not a little disgusted, that I don't feel the same urgency to wean by then. I would like another baby and know it will be difficult while I am still feeding but other than this I don't see the great urgency if he's not ready. It's true he is now a good eater so perhaps is only breastfeeding for comfort but there must be some benefits, are there? If you continued past a year can I ask why and if you think there are any benefits or should I try to wean him completely now? He is not a fan of cows milk.

DD1 decided herself to stop just after DD2 was born (maybe the taste changed for her) and she was 2.5 years. DD2 stopped when she started school (3 + something) but it was part bribery on my part. She would have carried on and on and burrows her face into my chest now when she's upset.

No one else's business what suits you. So what's right for you and your DC.

I'm currently breastfeeding 13 month old DD2.

She would not let me give up if I tried!

She'll let me know when she wants to wean I hope.

Ignore them. It's their own insecurities about extended breastfeeding, not yours.

The benefits continue. I bf until 15 months and tbh I was done. He only had it at night to go to bed and during night but then one day I just didn't offer and he didn't show a desire and that was that. Do what you want to, try not to let others pressure you

Still feeding at 18months. TBH I have no idea how I'm going to stop. I plan to stop at 2ish. I don't like bfing.

fed my daughter till she was 2 (she's 3 in April) and now i have a 6 month old son, hoping to do the same. Do what your body feels is right OP Good luck!

Fed DS to 3 and plan to let DD do similar. She'll stop when she's ready to.

DS1 was 13m and gently wound down to one feed at bedtime.

DS2 was 20m. I stopped cold turkey as he was being erratic and demanding about it. If it was a nice cosy bedtime feed, I'd probably have been happier to keep going.

Following on from DS1 and expecting similar again, I had plans to go away for 4 days for a special occasion soon after DS2's 1st birthday. He happily managed to go without when I was at work or unavailable, but it turned out that he liked a lot of feeds when I was around. He was happy enough in my absence, but my breast pump was very busy for my own comfort!

BFing a toddler that gets a lot of nutrition from solids is very different to feeding a young baby. If you're both happy, roll with it.

I'm still bf at 19 months. Dc1 was until age 2. Definitely reiterate what others have said - you can be our all day or for the evening or whatever and it causes no problems. My toddler only asks for feeds at bedtime and in the morning and if we're at home and I sit on the sofa, never at any other times.

Yes I'm on my 3rd DC and the first 2 stopped at 2/2.5.

With DC1 I thought I'd stop when I went back to work. ..then 12 months. ..them maybe until immunisations at 13 months. He stopped not long past his second birthday.

DC2 was a bit keener and would have carried on for ages if they could have. It wasn't too dramatic stopping though.

DC3 isn't quite 2 yet but I'm not worried about when she stops. Is great for calming them when they're overtired, feeding them when they're sick, making them feel better when they're hurt etc. Good for them + me so I'll just see how it goes.

My parents were agog with DC1 but they're kind of used to it now so don't say much. My pil don't get bf at all so we just don't talk to them about it.

If it works for you and your baby who cares what people think :)

So interesting reading about your experiences, thank you.
I must say I do find it so useful for when ds is ill, tired, upset, has missed me, but have wondered whether this was wrong and I should simply view it as food. With your first you are constantly questioning yourself and I think the dangers of feeding to sleep, establishing a routine and schedule, etc are so drilled into you, particularly where I am, that it feels like I'm 'indulging him" by letting him feed for comfort rather than hunger. I guess I am more drawn to the baby-led approach of following his lead but that's not so fashionable around here, at least for the people I speak to anyway.

Good to know you can go away for a few days as I thought if I continued I would never be able to miss bedtime. And yes about calling it milk and nothing else! I think that's my dh's fear that he will scream for "booby" or similar in public!!

DD is 2y7m and still feeding. Mostly only at night, but she occasionally asks in the day. I only really feed at home these days, probably since around the time she turned two. I occasionally feed her in the cinema, or on a quiet beach, but not in Costa or at toddler group anymore. It's silly really isn't it? Whose business is it other than ours, but I can do without dirty looks or sly comments.

I fed DS until a few days before his 2nd birthday. By that point we were down to one feed a day and breastfeeding so established that it was easy enough to have a day or two off for any reason if needed. I was working full time.

2 years felt like a reasonable cut off point and I went on a work trip for 6 nights which played into it quite well. There was no fuss about it, I just didn't offer again when I came back and DS didn't ask.

I do remember crying a shit ton when giving my last feed though and posting on MN about it. It truly felt like the end of an era. Don't rush it unless you want to.

I'm also still bf at 13 months and have been feeling odd about it (only through a few comments).

First 2 stopped at 1 year, but dc3 shows no sign of stopping. I guess I'm waiting for his lead.

This thread has made me feel better. And yes, bf in public is now harder as ds2 isn't little anymore. I guess that's my insecurities too though.

DC1 self weaned at 26 months when my milk dried up during pregnancy with DC2. He still liked to latch on for a few seconds but forgot how to do it properly very quickly. It took me longer to fall pregnant while breastfeeding but obviously it's still possible. Do what works for you, people will have odd opinions about whether it's right but unsolicited opinions is something it is apparently hard to avoid as a parent so I learned not to listen...!

DS has just finished BFing at 21mo (he stopped himself during the day and I stopped the night times as he wasn't sleeping though and I was beginning to resent doing it). He does shout 'boobie' but he actually means blueberries much to everyone's relief

Currently breastfeeding number 4 who's two months old.

The other three were all weaned at 12 months. Personal choice. I'd had enough. They were eating food, drinking milk etc. and only feeding at nap and bed time. I didn't think there was any need to continue breastfeeding them.

Nothing against people who extended breastfeed though. My cousin is still breastfeeding her 4 year old. Personal choice.

I have to admit all the benefits notwithstanding I am jealous of those whose kids self weaned pre 2...no sign whatsoever of that here!

2.5 years. It helped when ill and she wouldn't have anything else and was a source of comfort. It felt like stopping would have been cruel and arbitrary at 1 year although I had originally intended to wean at 1 (I thought it would naturally happen then).

'Milk' is apparently a hard word to learn to say. I know a lot of people who teach 'milk' to babies/toddlers end up with a child who says 'gok' or even... 'cok'. Was much discussed a while ago on a group I'm on

I always just went for boo. Easy to say.

People waffle on about the 'dangers' of baby led but I've never got it really. Always seems to me people are saying oh the parents needs must be prioritised. We generally put the most needy person first, which lets be honest is going to be the baby 99% of the time. Have had no issues putting my foot down when they get older and can understand a bit more.

My 20 mo says muk. Or just pulls at my top..
I will stop but I want him to be able to communicate more rather than just saying to him it's off menu one day.
And I need to work out how the FUCK I get him to sleep without it first

Mine all stopped themselves at round about 9 - 10 months. Each time I was a bit because I'd wanted to continue till 12 - 18 months, But the decision was made by the babies. Must be something about my milk at that stage.

My eldest stopped (from morning/bedtime) at 14 months when I had a night away from her - she just refused after that. In retrospect I guess I could probably have continued with a bit of patience but it was just before Christmas so there were advantages to stopping! My youngest I think I stopped at around 15 months by choice; but definitely waited till after we'd had a trip to Australia for a family wedding - useful to have the option of feeding them for take off and descent (don't think he needed it every time but can't remember, 10 years ago now lol)

Fed dd1 until just before 2 last feed was Christmas eve Christmas day a brilliant distraction! Stopped mostly as I was 7 months pregnant and didn't fancy the idea of tandem feeding. Dd2 was sometime after 2 can't remember when exactly it just trickled out. It wasn't an issue as she would happily be put to bed by dp and have no feed for a while before we 'stopped'.

I stopped breast feeding DS when he was just over 2,5 years and it was enforced my me as I'd been struggling to conceive DC#2 and wondered if BF'ing was the problem. DS didn't appreciate being made to go Cold Turkey but within a week he stoped asking for milk.

I'm currently 17 weeks pregnant and over the last month DS has become obsessed with my boobs again, always wanting to touch them and kiss them and he's starting asking for milk again. I guess their growing size intrigues him.

I'm so panicked that when new baby comes my DS is going to start wanting to BF again

There are several 'Breastfeeding older babies' facebook groups that may be useful/ supportive. I fed DS until he self weaned at about 5. Like a PP I went the 'don't offer, don't refuse' route (although I put him off until later if he asked at an inconvenient time - I wasn't feeding him in the aisle at the supermarket at 4 )

If you're both happy to keep feeding, then do - and if you decide it's time to quit before he does, that's fine too