I am dying to tell someone my news..

[roundtower]

It looks like dd has finished with breastfeeding. She was 4 recently and had just been having a quick feed at bedtime for ages but was reluctant to give that up.

Five nights ago she was exhausted after a busy day and fell asleep listening to music with me so I decided to try that the next night and she didn't ask for a feed. On the third night I was away at bedtime (she always settled without bf if I was out) so I carried on with a slightly later bedtime and music and she has settled without bf every time. No drama, upset or fuss.

I am so pleased as I was ready to stop but wasn't sure how to go about it but she clearly was ready too.

I'm not looking for a debate about extended bf ( I am obviously pro ) but due to people's attitudes no-one in real life other than DH knew she was still breastfed.

She is my youngest and it is a big change in my life and it feels strange that I can't talk to family/friends about it.

Thanks for listening.

How lovely, well done.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and congratulations.

moresnow That is an interesting question. I was very open about breast feeding her until she was about 2. I didn't bring it up but if the subject arose I was always fine about it.

When she was coming up to 2.5 I went through a phase where I was struggling with it because she was feeding a lot day and night and to be honest I wanted to stop and didn't know how. Around then I began to feel that even people who had been supportive had lost sympathy with me and couldn't understand why I wouldn't stop cold turkey.

At that stage I knew dd just wasn't ready to stop so I got in touch with la leche league and spoke several times to an amazing counsellor who helped me find a way that both dd and I found acceptable- feeding at bedtime and on waking.

It worked so well that a year flew by. The subject stopped coming up because I suppose most people never even consider you might be breast feeding an almost 4 year old.

It is sad to think about it as something to be hidden or to have to be wary of but people can be very cruel even when it is none of their business.

Wow! Well done you. 4 years is immense. You did so well to keep going that long. It sounds so natural and beautiful the way it came to an end.

It's what I aspire to but not sure my body is up to 4 yrs! (if my DS decides he wants to go on that long).

That's lovely, so glad it was easy for you both.

I bf dd1 till she was 4 but it wasn't a nice ending at all as I was pregnant and suddenly couldn't tolerate her feeding and had to stop (same happened with ds1 and dd2) it was a horrible feeling as I loved bf up untill getting pg again it literally made me feel ill and it hurt. No idea what that was all about!

Really pleased for you though. Definately worth treating yourself somehow

how lovely :) I weaned DS very gradually just before he turned 3, but if I hadn't hated tandem feeding him and his sister, I think he'd still be nursing now!

I agree with this- 'it sounds like it was the perfect natural end.'
Thank you for sharing I love reading posts like this because everytime I see a similar happy outcome of natural term breastfeeding, or whatever you want to call it, I think it does a lot to show the case for feeding like this.
Really lovely.. no fuss, no tears; it's how I'd like to do it!

:)

DD was 3 in January and still bf some mornings. I think she will be stopping of her own accord soon and you're right - it's sad to not be able to share such a lovely achievement with friends and family.

Lovely story, thanks for sharing