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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Natural term BFing

77 replies

RecursiveMoon · 08/09/2012 20:58

There was a natural term BFing thread about a year ago, and I wondered whether it would be good to have another thread to share experiences etc? Unless there already is and I've missed it Blush.

DS is now 2, and only BFs in the morning. Sometimes I want to stop, and sometimes I want to continue, so I'm not sure that we'll make it until natural term weaning. I never imagined that DS would BF for over 2 years though, and we wouldn't have attempted it w/o advice etc from MN.

I can't preview this properly as I'm on my iPhone .

OP posts:
SirGOLDBoobs · 08/09/2012 21:01

DS is 2.9, and he too only feeds in the mornings. I have moments of "AGH I want to stop!" but then again, the snuggles are so lovely... Grin

Original poster
RecursiveMoon · 08/09/2012 21:16

Envy about the snuggles Boobs. I don't get many of them!

OP posts:
PeggyCarter · 08/09/2012 21:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Breathoffreshair · 08/09/2012 21:22

I imagined I would BF for about a year and then stop. my LO is two in a few weeks and still BFs in the mornings or when upset (eg. after a tumble).
I've now decided to just let things run their natural course although I sometimes wish I could drop that 5am feed!!!(especially as I am 18 weeks pregnant - getting a bit sore now).
This morning Lo asked for milk and I just gave it a try saying "mummy milk all gone" and Lo just snuggled up to me and we both had a lie down for another half hour.
But I will miss the feeding when it's gone.

discrete · 08/09/2012 21:24

Ds1 self weaned at around 2.9. I was pg, and he said 'mummy milk is for the baby now'.

Ds2 is 2.5 and only feeds at bedtime or if he has an upset/is ill. I must admit that I would welcome him self weaning, but he shows no sign of wanting to and I won't force him.

thereinmadnesslies · 08/09/2012 21:29

Checking in Grin

DS is nearly 3.5, and showing no sign of giving up. He only BFs at bedtime, but absolutely loves it and can't be bribed to stop. Fingers crossed he will self wean by the time he starts school ...

Original poster
RecursiveMoon · 08/09/2012 21:35

I sometimes wonder if DS is self-weaning slowly. I don't time how long he feeds for, maybe I should start Wink.

And anyway, stopping BFing would mean getting out of bed even earlier.

OP posts:
TheCountessOlenska · 08/09/2012 21:35

I stopped cold turkey with DD when she was 2.3 - I just said that mummy's milk had finished and put plasters on my nipples Blush. She took it really well and never asked for it after that day but I feel sad because I was under pressure from DH and my Mum to stop. I miss it when she's hurt herself or is ill Sad

Next baby can carry on as long as he/she likes!

pearlgirl · 08/09/2012 21:39

I thought ds3 would self wean before he started school - he was only feeding in the mornings and was very upset at any mention of stopping - he continued to bf until his milk teeth got wobbly and it all petered out with no stress and upset - for him it was the gentlest way to finish. For the last year or so feeds were every couple of days and at his request and I could go away and pick up again.

Not sure how long ds4 will continue - he is 2yrs 5months now and keeps introducing my boobs individually to people as he has given them different names.

Original poster
RecursiveMoon · 08/09/2012 21:43

I'm trying to be a bit more open about DS still BFing. It comes up in conversation sometimes at my work (because I can't use certain chemicals) - if I don't tell my colleague that DS still BFs, they assume that I'm pregnant Grin.

OP posts:
Original poster
RecursiveMoon · 08/09/2012 21:48

Oh Olenska Sad.

OP posts:
CaseyShraeger · 08/09/2012 21:59

DS bf until DD1 was born when he was 3.2 (although by the end he was only having a couple of feeds a week) - once she arrived he lost all interest and self-weaned completely.

DD1 self-weaned somewhere around 20-22 months; she went through a major Daddy phase at bedtime so dropped her evening feed and the morning feed didn't last long after that.

DD2 is 18 months and still going strong; no idea when she's going to wean herself.

mawbroon · 08/09/2012 22:16

DS1 has almost stopped. He still asks but is not upset if I say no. I have told him that we are not going past his birthday which is next month. It is time!

DS2 will go for a while yet I think...

SeventhEverything · 08/09/2012 22:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
RecursiveMoon · 08/09/2012 22:21

mawbroon, I remember you from the last thread. I think you tried to teach me how to get DS into the Ergo while it was on my back too? I never did bloody manage it, I more treated the Ergo as a useful thing that I could use when DH was around. I've not used it for a while and DS is >14kg now, I'm not sure if I'd manage him in it now.

OP posts:
GOLDFaverolles · 08/09/2012 22:25

DS3 is 19 months and still going strong, he's a complete boob monster!
I can't see him stopping anytime soon, but he's my last, and I'm happy to keep going :)

mawbroon · 08/09/2012 22:28

LOL RecursiveMoon, I think I have been on every "extended" feeding thread for the last 6 years or so. Seems I have been feeding an older child forever!

ds2 is about 12kg and I still manage him easily in the ergo. He is much more eager to walk than ds1 ever was, so perhaps we can stop using it sooner with him. ds1 was about 35lbs when I stopped carrying him.

Original poster
RecursiveMoon · 08/09/2012 22:35

Thanks mawbroon, that's encouraging. I think I'll stick him in it tomorrow!

OP posts:
Pascha · 08/09/2012 22:39

DS is two next week and feeds once or twice a day. I'm 24 weeks pregnant and I don't know for how long he will continue, he rarely asks for it outside normal times (first thing and naptime), sometimes he latches on when we share a bath. Would really like to see if it continues to birth and I can have a go at tandem feeding.

BaronessBomburst · 09/09/2012 02:45

Signing in too! DS is 2.7 and still very keen. DH is starting to complain and thinks that it's time he stopped. I can't get a straight answer as to why. :(

herecomesthsun · 09/09/2012 02:57

DS continued v enthusiastically past his 4th birthday. A few weeks in, I explained that he was such a big, grown up boy I really thought it was time to stop, esp before he went to big school. He has been milk-free for about 3 months now. He seemed to cope pretty well.

jaggythistle · 09/09/2012 08:08

i might sign in in advance. Grin DS2 is only 4.5 months old, but he's fairly certain to be my last so not sure when we'll stop.

i accidentally caused his big brother to wean when trying to get pg (stopping his morning feed did seem to work) and he stopped feeding regularly at about 2. He did still ask for milk for a few months afterwards, but he seemed to forget how to latch really quickly. i didn't say no to him as i didn't want to make it a big deal with baby on the way.

countessolenska i think DH was quite keen for him to wean too. i wonder if DS1 would have wanted to carry on if I'd gone back to doing morning feeds once i was pregnant. :( i do feel happy that it was a calm process that didn't seem to upset him at all though.

MichaelFinnegansWhiskers · 09/09/2012 09:24

Morning! I was aiming for 6 months, but DD is 19 months and still loves bf, and I can't imagine life without it. I'm just about pregnant with DC2 now though, so not sure what that will mean.

I'm lucky in that DH is very supportive - perhaps largely because mummy milk is the closest thing to an off-switch! My family think it's weird and I should have stopped long ago. Not sure about my ils, as I've avoided doing it in front of them lately - but they're coming to stay shortly so I'll doubtless find out. I think the most helpful thing has been knowing I'm not alone - both from here and quite a few RL friends who bf toddlers.

Do most of you know other people in RL who ebf? I can imagine it could feel quite lonely without that.

coldcupoftea · 09/09/2012 09:32

DD2 is 2.3 and showing no signs of stopping. Just mornings and bedtime generally. I must admit I have got to the point that I rarely volunteer the information, and I imagine most people assume she has stopped.

DH is pretty keen for her to stop, and to be honest I would be quite happy if she did- but on her own terms, I can't bring myself to force her. She's my last baby!

SirCharles · 09/09/2012 09:49

Marking my place. First time mum to a 3 month old and interested in bf beyond a year or so. My mum bf my youngest DB until he was 2.