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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:
bushymcbush · 11/09/2012 16:27

DD1 fed until 3y6m and I stopped her because I was 30 weeks pg and her feeds were causing uterine contractions Shock. the strange thing is that she has just turned 4 now and doesn't remember it at all! Which quite upsets me actually! But is as it should be I suppose.

mawbroon · 11/09/2012 16:28

Was at the dentist today about ds1. He is getting his orthodontic appliances in the middle of oct. I told him that he can have his last ever milk the night before. Although I might relent and let him have the last one on his birthday which is a couple of days after.

I suppose I will still be an "extended" feeder though, because ds2 is showing no signs of giving up at 2.5yo, but it's early days yet Smile

TerrariaMum · 11/09/2012 16:31

I'm still feeding DD at 21 months. I didn't necessarily intend to feed that long, but it's just nice and it's really helped while she has been teething this month.

AngelDog · 11/09/2012 18:46

There's info on nursing manners on Kellymom.

BenRoo · 11/09/2012 19:36

I'm in.
DS 22mo is a total boob monster and today is a 'i wanna give up day!!!'
BUT...tmrw will more than likely be a completely different story.
For the last few weeks his feeds have dramatically increased (I cannot sit down)
My nipples are red raw (but I am due on,does anyone else get ultra sensitive around this time?)
He also tugs and twists.
And although my family and some of my friends accept my decision to bf this long my ILs have thought it weird from almost day 1 :(
Can anyone confirm that there is a developmental leap/separation anxiety/sleep regression thingy at this age?

clutches at yet another straw

BenRoo · 11/09/2012 20:09

I also LOVE the nipple plaster idea...now where did I put those 'Nippits'
;)

Mibby · 11/09/2012 21:08

DD 22 months on Saturday and still going strong :) Never, ever thought id get this far :) :)

Mibby · 11/09/2012 21:10

We have some sort of separation anxiety/ sleep thing going on here too BenRoo

BenRoo · 11/09/2012 21:16

Phew thanks Mibby thought I was on my own!
I just wish it would pass.... *yawn

MadderHat · 12/09/2012 07:50

I'm still feeding DD who just turned 2, but typically just once a day in the morning and only when she asks. My husband has wanted me to stop since she was 1, but as the WHO recommendation was 2, reluctantly didn't push it. She won't take any other milk, though does like cheese and fromage frais. He's very annoyed that he can't "make me stop". Whereas in my opinion its not ME that's not stopping, it's her, and I am happy to support what she wants in this matter and it's not affecting him in any way. It's not even as if he's there at feeding time (approx 7am, he leaves for work at 6am or is fast asleep if it's weekend.) There are times I want to stop, mainly when it's inconvenient for me, but DH wanting to make me stop makes me want to dig my heels in and I also respect the health and immunological benefits to DD, especially with a family history of diabetes and high cholesterol.

midori1999 · 12/09/2012 15:25

Grr. What is it with people's obsession with teeth? I've been asked three times in the last three weeks has she got teeth yet/doesn't she bite? (one of them a health professional) Well, yes, she has teeth, but babies/toddlers don't chew the milk out, so I think I'm ok... Hmm

jaggythistle · 12/09/2012 15:29

Grin at chewing the milk out!

this time around i can point out that i managed ok when DS1 had all his teeth so should be ok with a couple when they emerge.

DuelingFanjo · 12/09/2012 15:41

can I join. DS is almost 21 months and feeds all the time. I have decided not to night wean yet after starting a thread about it and being told he's going through a big developmental change.

I have a question for all those of you who have babies/toddlers who only feed in teh morning or evening... how? I co-sleep so DS can wake as many as 5 times.

Elpis · 12/09/2012 16:01

DD is 3.5y and feeds 2-3 times a day, depending on my whereabouts. I'm 37 weeks pg and thought she might stop, but she shows no sign of doing so. Looking forward to the challenge of tandem feeding... I love the cuddles and am perfectly happy for her to continue until she wants to stop. that said, it's sometimes painful during pregnancy.

I've a friend in France who's still feeding her 4yo daughter, and know a colleague who fed her children until they were 3, but no one else. It's a bit lonely sometimes but the La Leche League magazine helps - sadly there are no meetings in my area.

mawbroon · 12/09/2012 17:57

When I used to feed both ds's together, I was subjected to 16 teeth from ds2 and 22 from ds1. That's 38 teeth. And there was no biting Smile

BertieBotts · 12/09/2012 18:07

Oh, I do have a question for those who have children who self weaned without any kind of persuasion, DS is 4 in a few weeks and for the last few weeks/months his latch has been so shallow that 90% of the time there's either no suction or he's kind of chewing the end of my nipple. Occasionally he'll get it right, as in comfortable (I'm not sure TBH what "right" feels like any more!) but it's not very often.

Usually when this happens I take him off because it doesn't feel nice and he doesn't seem bothered at all but just rolls over and goes to sleep. It's like he's asking for it out of habit rather than actually wanting it. Does it mean that he's self weaning?

Fanjo I found that DS used to feed a lot at night but when he was just 2 I had a new boyfriend and used to sleep downstairs on the sofa bed with him and found when I wasn't there DS woke up less, so at 26 months I moved him into his own bed, took a couple of months to settle with extra wakings etc, but by 28 months he was reliably sleeping through and used to just feed at bedtime and then come in with me in the morning. The morning one got later and later and eventually stopped although he does sometimes have a sneaky one if I'm trying to have a lie in!

TruthSweet · 12/09/2012 21:17

Bertie - it sounds like he might be coming to the end - that's what it felt like with both DD1 & DD2 when they were at the end point of being able to bf.

greenbananas · 13/09/2012 06:49

I'm still feeding DS1, who has his fourth birthday next week. He feeds to sleep every night (we co-sleep) and occasionally during the day as well. He usually only asks to feed at home or at breastfeeding groups where other older children are feeding too.

DS has severe multiple allergies, including to cows milk, and breastfeeding has helped me to feel confident that he is getting some of the nutrition he needs. I don't want to stop, and nor does he, but I guess it will happen some time soon in the natural scheme of things.

I'm 32 weeks pregnant with DS2 and I suspect DS1 is going to get a bit of a shock when my full milk comes in (although he has been warned). I am looking forward to being able to feed them both together, and I hope DS1 will put on some weight along with the baby.

I don't think any of DS1's new pre-school friends know he still breastfeeds.

RedMolly · 13/09/2012 17:33

Still bf ds at 21 months and plan to carry on for as long as he wants. He feeds 5 times a day - just fell into a routine of feeding morning, after each meal and bedtime. He feeds to sleep and also has a nap after luchtime feed. He hasn't fed at night for months now, though he does have extras if he is upset, teething etc.

Family have been very supportive, including pil, though i think they are expecting us to stop before school - they may be disapponted! I still feed ds out and about though we do seem to get more attention now as he is quite a chunker and not very discreet - i don't worry about it but it does make me feel a bit self-conscious.

I really hope to tandem feed if i ever get pg with dc2 - hadn't really thought until reading this that i might be reducing my chances of ttc while still bf so much. I'm in my early 40s so don't want to leave it too much longer, but don't want to stop ds feeding when he loves it so much. Are there any stats about ttc while bf?

Elpis · 13/09/2012 20:24

RedMolly If your periods are back and regular - and you have a reasonably long cycle - you shouldn't have any more difficulty conceiving than someone who isn't bfing. You need to have a long enough luteal phase post-ovulation for the embryo to 'take'. KellyMom has some useful information about it.

My periods returned at 22 months and took a while to settle down, partly because I was ill and lost a lot of weight. I conceived after three regular cycles and when DD was 2.8.

Be warned, though - apparently you're more likely to conceive twins while bfing!

Gilberte · 13/09/2012 20:40

I have been breastfeeding for 4.5 years and tandem feeding for 20 months. Tried to encourage my DD1 to wean before she started school for numerous reasons and some family pressure. She was having none of it.

I nightweaned DD2 at 18 months and as DD1 had a virus and was rejecting the breast I ended up not feeding either of them for three days. I thought blimey I've weaned them both without too much fuss. A week later and they were requesting feeds as much as ever. DD2 is still nightweaned unless DH isn't around to settle her in which case she reverts to type.

I would still like DD1 to wean completely. If it was morning and evening that would be ok but I no longer want to be asked if she's bored or tired in the day no more than I want to dish out some haribos for the same reasons.

RedMolly · 13/09/2012 21:44

Thanks Elpis - that is reassuring (apart from the bit about twins!).

BexieID · 13/09/2012 22:04

DS self weaned at 22 months. DD will be 3 in December and shows no sign in giving up! She is due an op soon, so i'm happy to carry on till shes had it but i do feel its time to stop.

midori1999 · 13/09/2012 23:03

Be warned, though - apparently you're more likely to conceive twins while bfing!

Yes, has read this and I am hoping this is the case... Grin Planning to (hopefully!) TTC at the end of the year and I know that I am ovulating and my periods came back when DD was three months old, so fingers crossed it should happen as easily as if I weren't breastfeeding.

Original poster
RecursiveMoon · 15/09/2012 16:01

I've just had relatives staying, I think that they know that DS still BFs. DSis definitely does.

Sometimes I dream of DS stopping BFing, and me getting my hair dyed and a tattoo Grin.

OP posts: