Who else is breastfeeding their older baby?

[PurplePidjin]

DS turns one in a couple of weeks, we're down to breakfast and bedtime but i just know people are going to stop saying Wow and start looking

Even my very supportive GP needed reminding of the WHO guidelines of feeding to two when i saw her recently the look on her med student's face was a picture :o

Come in, have a of your choice and we can remind ourselves it's them not us

[MyLeftElbow]

I'm still feeding DD - she's 30 months... Not so much a baby any more! She has three feeds a day, one first thing, one after lunch and one at bedtime. Offering boob is also an excellent way to stop any tantrums before they develop! Distraction - hurrah!

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

DS was over two and DD about 16 months. Both came to a natural end on their part. Wish it had been longer with DD as we went to Japan when she was 18 months and food and drinks were a real issue.

Genuinely wouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks

[TwoThreeFourSix]

We very recently stopped BF, when DS was 2.1 years. Fortunately I had DH's support (despite BF rates being very low in his country - our friend BF for "ages"...she stopped at 4 months )

My parents were also very supportive although started to find it a bit odd after about 18 months (DM stopped at 9 months and 15 months with her DC). DM saw DS curled up on my lap feeding once and said he looked so/too big. But then a couple of weeks later admitted that he seemed to need and enjoy feeding.

I EBF until 6 months then went back to FT work, when he was on formula/solids in the day and BF morning and evening, except at the weekend when he returned to feeding on demand.

From about 18 months it was just 1 feed in the evening when I got back from work, not linked to bedtime. And it was very useful on holiday at 23 months when DS wasn't eating much. We bfed more frequently and even in the night which we'd stopped at 13 months.

DS kind of self-weaned - his last feed was interrupted by me being sick (am pregnant) and he didn't ask again for over a week. When he did start asking again he happily accepted a glass of milk instead (my boobs were very sore and I didn't want to tandem feed).

Despite being a total boob monster I was amazed and thrilled and relieved at how easily he stopped. He was obviously ready.

However, no one outside of my parents and DH know how long we bfed for. It's just not done here and I would get loads of criticism. Apart from a Dr who was very happy to discover I still BF when DS had D&V...

[PurplePidjin]

So many ignorant HCPs mine's utter shit but is at least encouraging of bf!

[MrsNPattz]

My little man is 14 months and still loves the booby! No plans to stop, I love the bond we have, I love the comfort it gives him and I love co sleeping (although more sleep would be nice!!) It's great to hear of so many others still feeding older babies

[BillStickersIsInnocent]

DS is 19 months and no sign of stopping. It's been a godsend recently as he's had hand, foot and mouth, vomiting and chicken pox in quick succession, has been off his food so breastfeeding has meant I can get fluid and nutrition into him.

My HV is a bit too. She Made It Very Clear that he was feeding for comfort, not for any other nutritional or health benefit.

Okey dokey idiot

[Theironfistofarkus]

Still going at 2.5. I know others find it weird as the more honest of my friends and siblings tell me. I was quite happy doing it until Af returned about 3 months ago. I think it must be hormones as a week or so before Af it feels physically uncomfortable. I think my body is telling me its time to stop. Toddler has other ideas...

[slightlygoostained]

DS is 14 months now, have never had anything but positive comments and happily feed him out & about if he wants it.

Went away for 3 days recently & he was fine. I got pretty engorged though, didn't manage to express enough to completely get rid of it. Also went through breast pads more quickly than I expected.

Actually feel a lot happier now I know I can go away for a night, even if I don't actually do it.

The one drawback/advantage is that I haven't restarted periods yet (and if they don't come back after a 3 day break, then I wonder if that puts me into the small percentage of women who don't restart until weaning?). Obviously this is great in one way but not so great if I want to start TTC.

[BadgerBumBag]

I am bf dd who is almost 3. Not often as she is well into self weaning. Dp's family have stopped asking as I think they find it weird but my close friends all know.

My dsis is feeding a 1 yr old and was actually asked by her hv the other day if baby pulls away! She was so offended that hv implied she was forcing her baby onto the breast in some way.

[MaMaPo]

Oh, hi Pidj!

Baby C is one in a few weeks and we're still bfing. Up
Until 2 weeks ago she was feeding morning, night and up to three times in the night, but she slept through last night so her feeding is reducing naturally. I think she'd feed loads during the day if I offered but she's never den the most enthusiastic eater of solids and I've noticed that has improved loads since I've cut down day feeds.

I think I'll keep feeding for a while. We have to go away for around 2 weeks when she's 18 months so might have to wean then :(

No real comments from others - I have a few friends still feeding their 12-15 month old, so I don't feel any pressure to stop.

[MummyBeerest]

Still going strong at 15mos here. She's a late teether and took awhile to take to drinking milk. It helps her sleep {shrug}

My family thinks I'm insane. I dare them to tell me so at 3 am.

[IsThatTrue]

happy DS Is 11mo and he's feeds 1st thing, around 9, 11, 1, 4, bedtime and once/twice during the night. He eats well done days, others not so much. I got him weighed last month ( first time in 4 months) and he's sticking to his centile line. So I am just letting him self regulate, he appears to know what he's doing. But he's my third so in slightly more relaxed than I used to be (although the others were ff, so bfing is completely new to me).

[BerstieSpotts]

I just wouldn't even mention it to the HV unless she specifically asks! If she does maybe say "Oh, a couple of times a day maybe" unless you want her to follow you around anxiously with advice on how to sleep train, cut down feeds, introduce cow's milk "Because it's nice for a change sometimes, you know!"

[happydaze77]

Thanks Berstie. I know what you mean about downplaying the feeds. We have our 12 month check soon and I'm planning to tell the hv that dd has "3 or 4" feeds, so as not to invite comment! The same hv suggested that we wean at 4 months and we'd see feeds being dropped soon after, whereas I'm more of a 'kellymom' kind of thinker.)

[BerstieSpotts]

DS fed about that amount at 12 months as well. I remember downplaying it because it seemed like a lot. I think you just follow your baby. Some of them only want two feeds, some want loads more. In actual fact it was probably more like 8 over 24 hours. I didn't really count them. He didn't eat much, though. Wasn't much I could have done about it as everything I tried failed, I wish I had just relaxed and felt happy he was at least having BM. He never lost weight, so there wasn't actually anything wrong at all. Carlos Gonzalez' "My Child Won't Eat" is fantastic to read about BF toddlers even if you haven't got food problems.

I never did a dream feed so can't advise on that, sorry!

Cucumber I think your supply will be fine, at that age it takes far longer to drop off completely. You may find that she self-weans, though. If you want to continue you might have to follow the advice for a nursing strike which is basically skin to skin and lots of attention! Alternately she might not blink and just come back to it! If your supply has dropped it won't take her long to bring it back up again. I'd take a breast pump in case you get uncomfortable unless you're comfortable hand expressing which you may find easier than a pump at that stage.

[happydaze77]

Can I ask how often your dcs feed?

DD is 12 months and still has five feed per day (see my earlier post) which I know sounds like a lot, but I think they're small feeds. I know there is an upper limit to the amount of formula that is recommended after one year, to ensure that they eat enough solid food, but does the same apply to breastfeeding?
She has three good meals and the odd small snack, is average height and weight so I don't think we're missing anything. . .
I know that many mums just bf 1st and last thing from 12 months. If you're doing that, do you provide cows milk at all during the day?

One more thing (while I'm on a role with the hijack ) Should I be brave and drop the dreamfeed? DD sleeps through after it and so I've been a bit reluctant so far. But she has a good tea and a good feed at bedtime so I'm wondering if it's really necessary. .

Thanks all.

[PurplePidjin]

larle i was hoping for 6 months, am amazed I've got this far tbh. Dsil went to 15m and 2y with hers so no hassle there, my mum dried up through stress when i was 6 weeks (only child) so is equally amazed at me. It really helps that there's 6 of us with babies within 2 months of each other who met through bf group and are still both feeding and going to the group.

Actually support was my sort-of aim for this thread so hijacks welcome cucumber :)

At 18 months i reckon things will be very different and your supply will just cope. Maybe take a pump and see if you get anything in the morning so your body knows you still intend to feed? Plus several practice runs of overnight stays so dd is comfortable doing different things with different people. I worked till after bedtime unexpectedly about 6 weeks ago, missed the bedtime feed, got back to my mum's to collect him and he'd gone to sleep, was in his car seat, and just woke for a night feed as usual. He was 9 1/2 months at the time and fed to sleep every time unless in the sling or car :) i was ridiculously chuffed shame she hasn't offered to repeat the experiment

I have a few hours off here and there, lovely and it's nice but i miss him. People don't seem to get that much as I'd love a night off, I'd still worry and it'd actually be harder because I'm not in control. When he's old enough to choose and enjoy a sleepover with grandma/cousins of course he can go (i have fab ILs who don't live close enough imo) If i want to do something i just go after bedtime which is --thankfully- 6 o'clock :o

NotCitrus sounds like an excuse to make daddy do everything for a few days if you ask me

[NotCitrus]

Dd is 21 months - I was trying to quit from a year as she's been a violent wee thing, but she's only just started sleeping through mostly, and my willpower to avoid the quickest solution in the night has been nil. Once she gets her own room in a few weeks (been saying that for months!), I'll try to quit again, as she's quite happy to settle after cow milk for Daddy.

Ds was 14 months when he gave up.

[msmiggins]

Another one here- I b/fed my children until 4 and 5 years- including 3 years of tandem feeding.

[lovelyredwine]

I bf dd until she was 2.1. People at work were incredulous that I had NEVER had a night away from her in ALL THAT TIME! Like it was totally mental of me.

[comedaygoday]

Still feeding DS3 at 21 months and no signs of stopping. Fed DS 1 and DS2 until they wanted to stop and plan to do same with DS3. He is definitely the keenest on breastfeeding so think it'll be a while yet till we stop.

[IsThatTrue]

pidj DS is 1 on the 8th dec, he still feeds about 5/6 times a day, wherever, whenever, no one has batted an eyelid yet.

either that or I just don't notice

[Cucumberscarecrow]

I am bf my 14 month old.

I don't give a fig what other people think about it but I am bridesmaid at a three day wedding in March and really want to leave DD with my MIL so I can concentrate on being a good bridesmaid but have no idea how my boobs or baby will cope with what will effectively be a four day separation. At the moment, she still has four to six feeds in 24 hours.

Sorry to hijack thread with my worries but has anyone had a similar experience?

[jimijack]

10 month old ds 2 here.
I am asked daily if I am still breast feeding.

Very proud to say yes I am.

[larlemucker]

I go to my local support group most weeks and they have been very supportive. I only planned to feed to 6 months! we found it very difficult to start and ended up topping up but with help from booby group I got him back to ebf.
how do you teach DC to just feed at home if you dont want to feed in public?