Any ebf-ers about?

[FredWorms]

Inspired by another thread I wondered whether there are any about who have fed for years like myself (DS is 6.7)?

The thing is, these threads always seem to get so political and I'd quite like to ignore all that and just talk about it a bit. (Makes me sound like a journo, I'm not).

I think DS may have stopped bf now, I realised this earlier today, and I think it's interesting that I'm not particularly sad, unlike many seem to be. It's been such a long, slow weaning, years fgs!, that I haven't really noticed.

My DD self-weaned at 3yrs 3 months. I never set out to BF but she was a tiny 4lb4oz, is now a strapping 12 year old (taller than me) and absolutely wonderful.

It was incredibly hard at first, but I'm so pleased I managed it. Looking back I wouldn't have done it any other way.

I was pretty amazed at the attitude of some NHS staff though. We had to take her in for a hernia op when she was 3 months old. I couldn't feed her for a few hours before her op. I remember the nurse saying to me "Ain't she got a dummy? Poor little thing..."

After the op the consultant told a nurse "Don't let her feed that baby!" as though I was some kind of weirdo...

When we got back downstairs to the ward I had to go and express milk down the toilet sink as I was about to explode. Thankfully a kind nurse came looking for me and told me to ignore the consultant - my baby needed feeding!

Family members told me she'd be "clingy". Never the case.

Just do it your way!

Well I've been a bit shocked as to what some people count as being ExtBF, eg anything over six months.

DD is now 14 months and it's actually now a pleasure now that she no longer needs it / requests it all the time so that when she does request it, we just get all snuggly.

I'm not an ebf-er as DD is only 16m but I think we're heading that way. DD loves her milk and asks for it at least 1/2 dozen times a day when I'm not working. She usually asks by patting my boobs and saying 'more'!

It's very interesting hearing the viewpoints of those who have done natural term weaning. I read some of that AIBU thread. It's a shame there is such a lot of ignorance about breastfeeding out there. So many myths to dispel.

DD2 fed until we both decided that 9 was old enough.

She was going to give up when she started school, somehow it didn't happen.

I've posted a fair bit over the years, so I guess all I want to say here is your not alone.

I had a couple of DFs who fed to 5 and stopped only because of becoming PG or needing sleep. (And I've had PMs from others)

DD2 sussed that letting Mum sleep increased the likely-hood of continuing BFing long before then.

In fact I guess that's the main conclusion I've reached about ENF, it's not the Mother's choice. We choose not to say no, but DD chose to continue.

It was her who worked out how to breath and not bite as she stopped being a baby. It was her who sussed when not to ask in public, I never told her not to.

Strangest of all, she instinctively new how many days she could miss and still start again.

BFing was her special thing, the secure base from which she put on her cool confident act for school.

DD1 has a hug, DD2 fed it's really that simple.

So, I often read about older children who have a feed mornings and evenings, but how many of you have voracious feeders, like PirateHat's DS?
DS will feed 6 - 8 times a day and still wants milk if he wakes in the night. He'll be 3 on Sunday.

About a fortnight ago he went feeding loopy and was asking every hour or so day and night. Then he had a slight temperature and was sick the once, and then chicken pox appeared. It was so mild as to be barely diagnosable. He only had 8 spots, 4 of which were just pin pricks. Then I realised why he'd been feeding so much. I had it really badly as a child so he'd benefited from my immunity.

Also makes me wonder how many times he hasn't been ill, but would have been, IYSWIM? The playgroup actually commented that he was rarely ill compared to the other children, and that even when they all had colds and snotty noses he didn't seem to pick it up. Mind you, he also eats a lot of fruit. :)

My DS1 "drank it all" as well, I thought it was very cute. He self-weaned (with a bit of a nudge, I was pregnant and it was getting ouchy/supply was tanking) at 2.5. DS2 is only 3 months, so no idea how long we'll go for!

I'm tandem nursing DS (3.4) and DD (6.3). DD is slowly weaning, though. She goes for days without feeds now, but has been a milk monster for most of her life. She asks for more cuddles now, which is lovely in a different way.

4 yo DD1 would feed like a newborn if I let her. I'm trying to get her to cut down and it's going OK. I've no problem feeding 4 or 5 times a day but the constant pestering was driving me nuts.

She's definitely not one of those morning-and-evening children that everyone else seems to have!

As I remember morning and evening and sometimes after lunch if we were watching TV after lunch.

But not continually like before she started on solids. I would have gone mad and DD1 would have too.

By school age it was weekend mornings and all evenings and eventually evenings for a few nights then not bother for a few or the odd Sunday morning (she dances on Saturdays).