Out of interest... when did you know (if at all) that you were going to be an 'extended' breastfeeder?

[Pogger]

Just musing really (and trying to type with my thumb while DD2 feeds to sleep)... I am amazed at myself for even thinking it - after stopping so early with DD1 - but I can't see the point of stopping this time. DD2 is only 4 and a bit months so you never know I suppose, but I'm just curious whether most of you just sort of carried on almost without realising, or whether there was a 'moment'?

I started going to La Leche League when my DS was tiny, to get some BFing support, and it was there that I met BFing toddlers and realised what was possible. I planned to keep going for a year to start with. WHen I got to a year I thought I'd reconsider at 18 months but stop by 2 whatever. Got to 18 months, kept going. Now DS is about to be 2 and shows no signs of stopping... I do actually quite want to stop now, but I'm not quite sure how to do it.

But in terms of others around me - three out of nine of our NCT group are still BFing our two-year-olds, and I also know several other friends who are still BFing toddlers. That's apart from LLL people I know. So I don't feel too much of an outcast for still breastfeeding!

I didn't set out to do it either, it just sort of happened (DS is 2.10 now). I carried on way past what anyone in my NCT group did, and of another group of about 12 of us that did aquanatal together, I've carried on the longest too. I find if I say I'm still feeding first, other women will admit to it!

I knew I was 'extended' when DS was nearly 16 months. Our aquanatal group was having a Christmas party, the BFing was brought up, and I said 'oh x, you're still feeding too aren't you?' and she said no, she'd given up that week. Suddenly felt very alone!

But in the meantime I had MN, and then found out my neighbour/childminder is still feeding her DS who is 4 months older than mine! It's been nice for both of us, she's more shy than me about people knowing. Also met another woman who fed her DS till he was three and her DH insisted she stop (he's nearly 4 and she's still sad/annoyed about how it ended).