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.

4 years 3 months.
Later, the child fed her baby for 4 years 6 months.
Benefits - she knew exactly how to bf, no problems - we are still close thirty years later etc etc

Interesting to note that all higher primates feed offspring until 3/4/5 years old- even when food is nutritious and abundant.

I don't get why people think once you drop breast milk or formula you have to start giving cows milk. You don't. So long as you're giving a varied and balanced diet then it's really not necessary. None of my kids have drunk milk, although they'll have it in cereal.

I stopped at four months with my twins because it was just too difficult to maintain, and 14 months with DS3. For me it was totally based on what I wanted and needed - I was back at work full time and only fed him to sleep in my bed. I was exhausted.

I don't think there's anything wrong at all with putting yourself first. You won't break the bond with your child and they don't need it past established mealtimes at around age one.

skerry - do any of those primates have to go to work, or maintain relationships with family members that live 200 miles away?

If I was a cave woman with no other responsibility than keeping myself and my child warm and fed then I'd probably feed indefinitely.

then I'd probably feed indefinitely.

No you wouldn't.

Primates don't either

No primates don't have work, but I am pointing out that longer term breastfeeding is biologically normal and has probably been done for 99.99% of homo sapien existence.

felicia- my kids have never drunk cows milk, I have offered- they think it stinks.

All mine except I think the first fed for a year (and she was almost a year). They all gave up feeding rather than my forcing them off. They all did choose to give up by about age 2 - the twins were the longest.

No one drinks cow's milk in this house by the way. I don't drink any milk. However lots of people do like it and have no problems with it.

Better a child has milk than coca cola but better still to have water.

@felicia there are millions of people who feed to 3/4 and beyond. I feed a 2yo plus work, plus visit family around the world and across this country. Tbh if I didn't bf I wouldn't be able to do all these things so it means my life is easier. Without bf I certainly wouldn't be able to work full time or travel as much.

Feed as long as your baby wants Hun xx

rainbow- exactly.

I was able to work ( I have no family support) and breastfeed.
Many 3/4 years olds are feeding only once or twice a day at nighttime/morningtime.

Funnily enough one of mine can't stand milk either. Can tolerate a little on cereal, but that's it. The other one will drink it, but only good quality full fat stuff. I can't stand it personally.

My kids hate all dairy. Never drunk any milk, no cheese, no butter, no yogurt.

DS2 self weaned at about 2yrs 9 months when I was pregnant with DS3.

I didn't try to wean him earlier as he clearly wanted to continue breastfeeding, and there didn't seem any real reason to wean him.

I went back to work part time when DS2 was almost a year old, and my supply adapted very easily to him just feeding on mornings and evenings on those days. There weren't any issues with engorgement or the milk supply dropping. And he'd also settle down for the night without a breastfeed for other people if I went out for the evening (although he did insist on a bedtime breastfeed if I was in the house at bedtime). I fully agree with all who've said breastfeeding a toddler is very different to breastfeeding a baby, and far less tying.

I always referred to it as "milky" though, having heard stories of other mums embarrassed by toddlers shrieking for boobies in public places.

I also joined a FB group for mums breastfeeding toddlers. I think there's a lot more of it around than people realise - toddlers don't need to feed in public as much because they generally also eat solids, and by the time babies are over a year, baby conversations tend to have moved on from talk about breastfeeding.

And I also worked full time (expressed milk at work or had twins brought to me) and had family hundreds of miles away. It is in fact easier not harder to travel with a breastfed than a bottle fed baby or toddler as it's all there on demand with no preparations needed. I remember in the 1960s my doctor father showing us a very old photo from Africa of a 6 year old boy breastfeeding whilst also holding a cigarette - which an arresting image (not that my father recommended smoking of course!)

In my case all the toddlers just decided to give up aroud or just before about age 18 months to 2 (and one at a year or a bit younger) so it was fairly easy for me although a bit sad that is stopped. They stopped when they chose to.

Just to add in respect of pp that I returned to work full-time with my first one when she was 6months old and continued to bf until she was 5yrs old (returned to work when second one was 9months old and still bf at 2.5yrs old). No family nearby (all abroad, from 1hr flight to 8hrs flight) but that had no impact really. We regularly travel 4-5hours down south and I find it easier to be bf to be honest. Bf is certainly not just for sahm, it can work very well with a busy career, if anything it gives you that time to reconnect with your child in the evening. I think it helped me actually when going back to work FT.

I fed my 6 year old for nearly 3 years. His little brother is now 6 weeks and I plan to do the same.
It's normal and natural. The WHO recommends 6 months exclusive at least and 2 years supplemented with other foods.