To stop or not?

[SESthebrave]

I'm still BF 25mo DD. She feeds on waking, early evening and if I'm putting her to bed, at bedtime too. I work full time but on the days I'm off, she will sometimes ask for a feed in the day, although not so much recently.

I BF my DS and he self weaned at 21mo. I'd imagined similar would happen with DD but not yet!

Next weekend DH is taking both DC to visit family in Ireland. They will be gone from Friday morning until Wednesday morning. I've only ever had 1 night away from DD and that was over a year ago. I don't know whether to use this as an opportunity to stop BF.

I'd quite like to stop but I'd also quite like her to self wean (ideally soon!)

What would you do / advise?

If you want her to self wean, and sooner rather than later, it sounds like when they get back you should start to play the "don't offer, don't refuse" game and see if the time away was enough to change her habits.

But you know that and maybe I'm wrong, but by the sounds of it you're not really ready to stop yet. It's ok to carry on if you want. Although I remember it being more irritating than not in the run up to DC1 self weaning at 28 months so I remember the feeling of should I, shouldn't I very well.

Not much help am I?

:)
You are in that you've voiced my debate I've been having with myself pretty well!

21 months is on the early side for children to self wean. Most children will self wean between the ages of 2-5 years. It is a dialogue however, as most mothers will place some influence on the process, so usually not just the decision of the child, unless the child is on the older side. All children will self wean with or without maternal pressure.

combust - my DD is 25mo so I'm sure it will happen soon. I just wondered whether to take advantage of this enforced break.
21mo was in reference to my DS who truly did self warn as I didn't realise his last feed was his last feed at the time IYSWIM.