Extender BF-ers - tell me how old your DC was when they gave up

[thereinmadnesslies]

That's it really. DS is 4.6 and still has a BF at bedtime. I never set out to feed him for this long. DS has a milk allergy and so it was suggested that I carried on with BF until 2, and then from there we've gradually cut down to just a bedtime BF.

DS says he will stop when he was 5, but then he said he would stop when he turned 4 and didn't. I don't want to destabilise him right now by forcing him to stop. He's just started school so he's exhausted. But I'm starting to worry that at some point he will tell the other kids about his bedtime routine and they will laugh at him.

How old were your extended BFers when they stopped?

Woops- while night weaning that should be.
But on other hand, her sleep should get better if weaned I think, as right now she gets most of calories at night, therefore doesn't eat much.

Youngest was 3 1/2. I went away for a week and just didn't offer again when I got back.

They do stop eventually.. It gets less and less and just stops.

Ok I lost a bit of first post there. Should have said, she slept while most of the other babies were not sleeping on the flight. Other advantage, bedtimes will be reall long and awful when weaning, they r pretty bad just now if I am out or trying not to feed.

Gamer chick, did u not get really uncomfortable boobs or mastitis?

Yoni, that's a good point about the age. I think if it was just a couple of feeds a day I'd feel better about it.

And wot mania, thank u for the tips! The point about tanking up on cuddles is a good one, hadn't thought of that. It's also good to see the different tactics set down makes me feel like I've more up my sleeve :)!

No not at that age.. He was my third and my boobs knew the score by then. They tend to produce milk as you need it so don't fill up with missed feeds.

If gamerchick doesn't mind me answering that one... you wouldn't because after a while you just don't ever make excess milk or get engorged. Not sure what the age is, I suppose it probably changes depending on the child, but older children can easily go days without feeding anyway so it doesn't make sense to get engorged in between. You actually produce milk for about two months after the last feed once you get to this stage, but only on demand, ie if your child is actually feeding or you express.

Expressing gets harder though too, when I say express I mean that when DS was feeding I could get a couple of drops out but I doubt I could have cracked out the breast pump and filled a thimble, let alone a bottle!

Interesting fact too, when your child is in the process of weaning (or on a nursing strike) you actually go back to producing colostrum, and it tastes different to the normal milk.

Ah xposted :)

Feeding for this long has also made me feel a lot more laid back about BFing in general... I think if I have another child I won't worry so much. This has proved to me how robust supply really is, and also that it works, so there is less "blind faith" and more just knowing that it will all be fine.

Wow, interesting! 2 months? I wonder what the age is. I know when I was 20 hours away from dd a month ago (so 15 months old) I was pretty sore and ready for a feed when I got back! I guess she is still very little.

I led a weaning attempt with DD1 when she was 27months - she waa on a restricted diet and so therefore so was I and after two years with no dairy ir soya I'd simply had enough. I was also permanently exhausted as she flatly refused to sleep without a nipple in her mouth.

Dd2 is 18 weeks, interestingly doesn't feed at well as dd1, she feeds for food not comfort and I have a feeling she will self wean much much sooner.

Exactly what you said yoni. It's like when you're new to it and stressing about supply.. your boobs really know what they're doing if left to get on with it. They just need to learn their lessons and your boobs just supply it when it's needed rather than filling up all the space.

Boobs are mint really