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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Extended Breastfeeding?

23 replies

PrivatePeaceful · 11/10/2013 16:09

I have to take some info on extended Breastfeeding to my next peer support meeting.

I'm struggling to find much on the benefits online, so I am hoping that if you breastfed over 12 months, what did you find helpful/beneficial?

I need to know whether you received any criticism too and how supported did you feel?

Any info you are happy to share will be much appreciated.

OP posts:

PedlarsSpanner · 11/10/2013 16:12

'natural term breastfeeding' might throw up some online stuff for you?

DefiniteMaybe · 11/10/2013 16:20

Hi my dd is 2.1 and we're breastfeeding, not sure if we count as extended?

Benefits for us after 12 months are when she's tired, poorly, grumpy or annoying, it's an excellent way of calming her.
People are now starting to mention that she may be too old, but I tend to just shrug and ignore.
I can't say that I feel particularly supported, I went to our local bf cafe but no-one else is still feeding their older ones. But, I don't really need support. We're doing fine.
I still feed in public now and again, dd feeds probably 5ish times in 24hours.
Hope that helps!

Original poster

PrivatePeaceful · 11/10/2013 16:29

I'll try that thanks PedlarsSpanner.

That's fantastic DefiniteMaybe, so it sounds like a psychological benefit to your dd. Which must also help you by knowing you can calm her. Many thanks for sharing.

OP posts:

casper11 · 11/10/2013 16:37

Hi it am still breast feeding my 17m. I agree with the other post. She is getting stroppy at times when tired. So a quick feed settles her down and she is happy again. She only has about 3 short feeds during the day. Haven't fed her at night since 8m old. I think it mainly comfort she gets. When I try and express I can hardly get half an ounce out. I do feed in public and do get funny looks sometimes. Family keep asking if she has stopped yet. But I am happy for her to wean herself off. My son did at 19 m. I find it very easy. So don't need any support. Hope that helps. X

cornflakegirl · 11/10/2013 16:42

I fed DS1 till about 3.5 and am still feeding DS2 who is just over 4.

No particular benefits - or at least, that's not really why we're doing it. With DS1 it was just a lovely milky cuddle once or twice a day. With DS2 I've not really enjoyed the sensation of feeding for quite a while, but it's very important to him, so we still do it.

The fact that we kept going past 1 year initially was because I knew it was recommended, and had probably read lots of threads on here about the various benefits.

Haven't fed in public for a long time, so no criticism. I do tell people in RL that I still feed him, but am clearly too scary for anyone to make negative comments! Given the lack of criticism, I don't really need any support.

midori1999 · 11/10/2013 16:53

I agree with cornflakegirl about the reas

NoComet · 11/10/2013 16:57

Benefits?
Why must everything in life be justified.

DD2 BF for years because she wanted to and she enjoyed it!

NoComet · 11/10/2013 17:01

And I didn't mind, she's always been very easy to feed. I think because it was important to her, she worked out how to do it as she grew.

NoComet · 11/10/2013 17:13

Sorry should have read OP, my reply while truthful isn't helpful.

Benefits, I think it was DD2's safe place, her 30 minutes when the world revolved around her.

She BF well in to KS2 and she was an absolute angel at school. She also did piles of extracurricular stuff. Settling down to feed once DH was reading a bed time story to DD1 was her glass of wine at the end of a long day.

BranchingOut · 11/10/2013 19:21

I think it is still very useful for mothers to feel that they can seek out bf support. I bf to 2.10 and had a 'bleb' crop up at about 2 years, then also needed a little support when it came to stopping. But I am also a peer supporter so I knew where to go!

I found that bf was still amazing for comfort, unusual middle of the night wakings, illness and just knowing that his nutrition was being supported by breastmilk. However, I would have possibly ideally wound down around 2 to 2.6, as after that the 'twos-stubbornness' kicked in and added a layer of difficulty in stopping. But overall I feel happy that we carried on for that time, especially as he was able to tell me how much he liked it before stopping. :)

CreatureRetorts · 11/10/2013 19:24

I'm still feeding dd (22 months) and fed ds until 26 months. Might have fed him for longer but dd was born and couldn't face tandem feeding.

Both of mine are/were dairy intolerant so made sense to carry on feeding past 1. Plus when they're ill, they get a lot of comfort from bf and if they're not eating, at least they can get some sustenance.

But why should anyone have to justify feeding for the length of time they want to? If it works then why not.

BranchingOut · 11/10/2013 19:25

To add, he did stop of his own accord, but I had gradually made moved towards winding down and gently dissolving the pattern. So all in all, a happy and natural end.

looseleaf · 11/10/2013 19:30

I think the oxytocin it releases is very good indeed for your bond and patience when things could otherwise become monotonous/ plain tiring. I stopped a week ago when DS was 25 months and think it's really helped me to make lots and lots of time for him

Llareggub · 11/10/2013 19:31

My DS is 4.5 and breastfeeds. I've no idea if it helps him in any way but emotionally these days, but he certainly ups his intake when he is ill. He tells me it is yummy and asks for it in the evening and when he is tired. He doesn't ask for it outside the house.

I didn't make a decision to carry on for this long. It just happened. I'm divorced from his dad and I assumed it would end naturally due to the fact he spends half terms away from me but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

People tend not to discuss it but it is quite common. I am hoping there might be some health benefits for me too!

FadBook · 11/10/2013 19:31

I'm feeding dd 26 months.

Benefits - instant tantrum calmer, good immune system (anecdotal of course but dd hasn't been ill once since she was born ), reconnect after working full day at work - makes me sit down for 10 minutes 121 with her.

Not fed in public for a while and people who know me well know I'm feeding her (normally once/twice a day max). Family member thinks its "weird" and thinks i should stop now but not had much negative feedback. Everyone chooses what's best for them and this is best for me and dd.

From a different angle, bf'ing is beneficial for me from a hormonal and health perspective - lowers risk of breast and cervical cancers, as well as my body producing estrogen which it didn't do very well pre-dd.

Mama1980 · 11/10/2013 19:35

Hi I breastfed my ds1 until he was 3.5 I'm breast feeding ds2 and will continue until he wants to stop. With ds 1 it was a very natural calm end.
Why? Well we both enjoyed the cuddles and quiet time, plus the who recommends breast feeding until 2 and I read a lot of the medical studies behind this and was convinced. (Not a lot else to do in hospital for months ) Both my ds's were extremely premature 26 and 24 weeks so for me at least to start with, it was the one thing my otherwise fairly useless body could do.
Yes I tell anyone who asks, sometimes I've had questioning looks but mostly people have been supportive. Tbh though after all we went through I don't give a damn what anyone else thinks,

YoniBottsBumgina · 11/10/2013 19:39

I agree, I BF DS until he stopped on his own when he was 4. Not because of any particular benefits, just that it would have been a conscious decision/effort/thing to wean him, and it didn't seem like there would be any benefit to weaning, and several negatives (not least that it would be depriving him of something he liked for no good reason) so I didn't.

I suppose when you look at it as being a conscious decision to stop rather than a conscious decision to keep going it just makes more sense to see it that way. I don't know if that makes sense?

YoniBottsBumgina · 11/10/2013 19:41

I mean, why not justify weaning, rather than justify "continuing"?

"I don't want to do this any more" is a perfectly good justification to stop, of course.

Penny2012 · 11/10/2013 19:46

I'm still feeding at 13m and intend to do it until it feels natural to stop.

I love the calorie usage for me and lie the cuddles between me and my son. My husband has left me so to keep that as a consistent factor in my life has been a life saver.

For him, at times when he's been poorly, it has meant that he can have a source of food and hydration designed specifically for him, containing the antibodies he needs. It's comforting and soothing and of course is totally free with no washing up or boiling kettles so great for the planet! X

scrivette · 11/10/2013 19:56

I am breastfeeding 27 month old DS a few times a week in the morning. I like knowing that he is getting a lot of nutrition from it. From a lazy point of view, it means that I can sit in bed and feed him in the mornings without having to go downstairs and warm up a cup/bottle of milk! (Especially some it has got colder!)

There is a good 'breast feeding past infancy' fact sheet on the Kellymom site.

WalkingDeadFan · 11/10/2013 20:42

kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/ebf-benefits/

jennimoo · 11/10/2013 20:48

I fed DD until this January when she was 27m when it naturally stopped when I was pg. She didn't have a single sick bug until 6 days after her last feed and has had 2 more since then!

I found that when she hurt herself being able to offer milk to calm her and check she wasn't seriously hurt was very useful.

Balloonist · 11/10/2013 20:49

My KS1 child still feeds a couple of times ago. I would like her to wean now but I don't think she will while her younger sister is feeding. I don't know whether they are getting any nutritional benefit now in fact I worry about articles showing all the environmental toxins that get into your milk and think it's probably time I stopped. It has a huge psychological benefit for them but tandem feeding is quite hard for me as I often feel like a body they fight over. It seems to matter so much who has the right or the left and who is allowed to put their free hand where. Sometimes they try to poke each other's eyes out.

It's one more thing they can fight over now though for a while(when DC2 was a newborn) it did help to keep the peace

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