At what point are you considered to be "extended" BFing

[Fibilou]

As per title ! 6 months, a year, 2 years ?
Just want to know when I can consider myself part of this elite group

I am feeding my 19mo son, and tonight for the first time he didn't ask for a feed before bed :-( I feel really sad about it! However, I would much rather him self wean than have to make him stop. People have pretty much stopped asking me about it now, although MIL couldn't understand why I carried on past 6 months.
I stopped feeding him at night a couple of weeks ago, expecting a battle, but he has accepted it with no problems and we are now both sleeping better. So nice to get a decent night's sleep at last :-)

I know I will really miss breastfeeding when it's finally finished and I feel lucky to have been able to feed my son for this long. There does seem to be a thing in this country where women are in a hurry to get their babies off the boob and nightfeeding is seen as a bad thing and unnecessary. I found it was the only way to get any sleep in the early days.

IMO it shouldn't be referred to as 'extended' breastfeeding, as if a short-term Western BFing relationship is biologically normal.

It's simply breastfeeding.

If it needs qualifying, it should, IMO, be referred to as 'sustained.'

IME, after a year, people start questioning your sanity.

Agree with slouchingtowardswaitrose - I prefer to think of it 'natural term' breastfeeding.

I like 'natural term' - and of course people bristle at 'full term' so is politically better IMO...

My OH call me a lactivist - after seeing this term in a newspaper article.. I rather like it..

Yes, the cut off around here is a year.

Arbitrary. Bollocks to it. I had a very bizarre conversation with an acquaintance who went to great lengths to explain to me exactly why I didn't need to carry on breastfeeding past a year. She was very structured with her feeding and stopped DEAD on 6 months, so she simply doesn't appreciate my reasons. Also, breastfeeding a toddler is (for me) so very different to feeding a baby. It's difficult to explain the beauty of it (to someone who hasn't done it) wihtout sounding inappropriate or smugarse.

Anyway, it is ALL about social convention. My DH was breastfed (not by me ...) until he was 9 months old. So when we had children, really pro breastfeeding and supportive, until we reached the magic 9 month mark. Suddenly, it was 'a bit weird'.

Arbitrary. Bollocks to it. Only 2 people have votes as far as I'm concerned, and that's me and DD. DS could influence it, I suppose, but he's just happy that there is a magic cure for the wailing.