If you successfully BF, how long did you do it for, and why did you stop?

[Icoulddoitbetter]

Afternoon everyone,

My DS is about to turn 1 and I'm still BF with no intention of stopping soon. Most mums I know have either stopped already or are in the process of doing so. There has also been an increase recently in people saying to me "so exactly how much longer do you intend to BF?" !!!

I know MN has a lot more extended BF'ers than I'll meet in RL, but I'm just curious as to why people do it for as long (or as short) a time as they do. Amongst my friends it just seems that people feel 6-9 months is enough. I can see why, and completely respect their decision. In fact I'm still shocked that I find myself here happy to carry on BF until, who knows? I'm also no earth mother, my DS has a bottle at bedtime given by his dad, and bottles if we go out and he's babysat.

So, if BF worked out for you, at what point did you think "right that's enough now" and end it? And what was the reason?

Don't know if anyone has been controversial in this thread yet but I'm afraid I'm going to...

(Apologies for hurt feelings in advance)

Firstly I admit to feeling a tad intimidated by most of the mums here. I have 1 DC. She's 12 weeks old and I'm still BFing her. I'm the only mother at my baby group BFing. I thought that was good work

Secondly (putting my flame shield on here), I feel uneasy with the thought of BFing a 3+ year old. By that age the child is forming memories and I don't want my DC to remember suckling at my breast. I doesn't sit right with me. What do you ladies think about this? Does it make me selfish?

Why don't you want her to remember it? What's the problem? Untangle that, and you have uncovered what it really is that people find slightly discomfiting. Everyone wants you to do it, but they don't want to see it, or hear you talk about it. Troubles people on many levels (seeing comfort and love they may not have had in childhood is one) and actually I think the breasts-as-sexual objects is actually a red herring in this debate. It's about strange and troubled attitudes to mothering.

To be fair to you, I did think that too before I had my daughter. But the relationship develops, has its ups and downs and to be honest, it does still feel natural and not weird. They don't suddenly turn 2 and feel any more grown up than they did the day before. My kid was speaking at 9 months ("if they can ask for it, it's time to stop", being a frequent retort)

Honestly, it feels entirely normal. I wouldn't myself do it out of doors as I don't need to, but I don't feel weird

It doesn't make you selfish though (some mothers just wake up one day and say "I've had enough"), and well done you, especially in a FF environment.

feelslike my dd does not remember being Bf (she was 2.6y when we stopped) but she has seen pictures and knows she was bf, has watched other children being bf and she 'bf' her dolls on occasion
she is particularly keen on me telling her stories of when she used to bite me, finds it hilarious

to me this is all part of normal healthy childhood and starting a positive body image

It is up to you do consider your feelings and decide how to act

Only BF younger 4 for 1-5 weeks. BF no 5 for 11 months. He self weaned at 11 months.

Bf ds1 until 10 months - I stopped because I went back to work and felt that my supply had diminished, he was losing interest and I had the misguided notion that he might sleep better.

Still going strong with ds2 at 15 months - only morning and night as I'm working and made the decision that I didn't want to bfeed during the day even on non work days. Every so often I think I might stop but it's so easy and lovely that I can see me carrying on for some time yet. My dh always said he was uncomfortable about me bfeeding a toddler, but now it comes to it he isn't at all (not that it would make any difference ) - my mum is the only one a bit perturbed!