Boob-mad at 22 months

[NotQuiteCockney]

DS2 is nearly 22 months. I am generally happy to keep bf, and he's a happy independent sort of creature.

Except he is boob-mad. We only bf in my bed, 3-4 times per day. He can demand boob at other times (when we're home) and I will sometimes say 'yes'. He doesn't generally demand boob a lot (but then we're not home that much). But when I feed him first thing in the morning, and right after his nap (if we have time), he would happily feed for an hour I think.

And there just isn't time, frankly.

He's mostly actually drinking for a lot of that time, I am definately still making quite a bit of milk (still get engorged in the morning!), but I'm sure he could get the same amount of milk more quickly if he wanted to.

Every morning, I say, "ok, let's go get your brother" or "let's go have breakfast" or whatever, and he doesn't want to go, and eventually I have to give up and get up with him despite him not wanting to.

Any tips for luring him out of bed faster? I guess this will be less of problem while we're in summer holidays, and maybe unlimited boob then will help?

He does eat well, he drinks water (even stops for a palate-cleansing drink of water in the middle of a bf!), and he's not in the least clingy.

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God no advice, but exactly the same problem, so would love to hear what people advice!

my ds is like this, NQC, but is very very clingy and that's what is making me think I should stop. Also, think dd is playing up and being babyish and she is feeling left out

I fear your DS would probably still be clingy without the boob. There are plenty of clingy 22-month-olds who aren't breastfed, aren't there? My DS2 does have his clingy moments.

Re: including your DD - how old is she? Because I generally feed DS2 lying down in my bed, my DS1 hangs out with us, sometimes I read to him. Oh, DS1 does sometimes get cranky when DS2 feeds for a long time, but because he wants to wrestle with DS2, not because he wants me.

yes, that's what I wondered, NQC. just a really difficult phase atm.

dd is 4. I often feed ds to keep him quiet when readign to him and she's never seemed to mind except she is always trying to compete with him in the clingy, whinging stakes atm.....

how many feeds is your ds on now?

I think it improved for me around this age, or at least in the next 6 months, NQC. Do you, or could you happily, limit his time, in a way he can see? Like one of those big egg timers, or a clock with a hand, or something? And say "We can lie here until abc, then we have to get up and xyz."

Meanwhile, think of all the extra calories you need (I always find that very satisying)

Well, I do try to lure him out of bed, saying "come on, let's go have cereal, oh, DS1 will eat all the cereal" and so on. But now, with the "school holidays" (as in, DS1 is at summer school, and can't get there before 9am anyway), I am trying to just relax and read and ignore him, and actually that's working better than hassling him while he's feeding.

He feeds normally about 3 times a day. At least twice, at most 4 (unless ill).

Oh, and yeah, thanks to my new "just relax" policy, he's been willing to leave the bed a few times. He never was horrible about it, just grumbly or briefly screamy.

I find a similar thing works (at least with him) when he's clingy, I just squeeze him and try to patiently give him all the cuddles he could ever want and just cope with it. I try to not even be impatient or annoyed. And often that settles him down and he can go back to wandering about on his own.

Oh, and the extra calories probably don't help, as I'm constantly starving but unmotivated to eat atm. Not really enjoying my food, except for fruit. (I periodically decide I should have a bowl of ice cream, but then get diverted and have an orange. Broken, eh?)

(But he is robustly healthy, and I'm very happy to continue bf. I regret stopping at 18 months with DS1.)

Yes, I agree 'giving in' and meeting their needs is usually the best way to help them get over having those needs, instead of telling them they don't have them in the first place, or just refusing to deal with them.

When written down, that looks totally obvious, but I think it goes over a lot of people's heads. I wish I had the patience to carry it out all the time, as well.

excellent advice, NQC and Franny - temptation is to try and deny them cuddles/feeds when you're busy and sure this makes them more clingy.

Will try to remember this when stressed out! Cheers.