Made it past 12 months - how/when do I stop!

6 replies

PetitFilou1 · 12/09/2006 14:16

I am really pleased with having managed to feed dd for a year - she's only having a morning and evening feed now (she's just over 1 and I'm back at work) but neither of us really want to stop. How do you decide to stop? Is it likely she will tell me when she's had enough of it? I don't want to be feeding her when she's two - fine for some but not for me. I'm already having to keep quiet about it, sadly, at the moment as I'm getting some 'that's a bit weird' type remarks from friends who thought I'd stop on her birthday, which I'm happily ignoring. But....do I just stop when I feel ready as I have a feeling she won't want to stop herself?

OP posts:

trinityshiftingherleatheryarse · 12/09/2006 14:19

you may be surpirsed about whether she would fancy stopping herself, she may
ignore your friends, do it till you don't fancy it anymore and then if your dd still wants to you can either decide to carry on or wean her off gently
congrats for doing 12 months

BonyM · 12/09/2006 14:22

Hi petitfilou - I recently posted a similar question. Thread here .

If you're feeding only morning and evening then you don't really need to tell anyone about it and therefore will avoid any strange remarks.

A couple of friends of mine decided to stop at about 12 months and they cut out one feed at a time, giving cows milk in a cup instead of a breastfeed. It did upset their babies for a couple of days but they soon forgot about it. The nightime feed was the last to go and they did that by changing the routine, getting their dhs to put the baby to bed instead.

bundle · 12/09/2006 14:23

stop on her birthday, like something "changes" overnight? I tried to do a deal with dd2 (3 in April) to stop when she was 3...she said yes, then reneged on the deal and we stopped, quite naturally a few weeks later (she's never bothered with it since). I wasn't planning to bf for so long, it just happened that way and tbh people should keep their weird remarks to themselves you do it when you (both) are ready.

terramum · 12/09/2006 14:41

The LLL books "How Weaning happens" & "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" would probably be good reads for you. Are there any bf groups near you like LLL where you can borrow these books & meet other Bfers? Always a good idea imo to mix with other BFers to counter the negative remarks so you reach a decision that you are happy with. If you are both happy now then maybe carry on until you feel you need to start weaning or she instigates it herself. Two is such a long way away I really wouldnt worry about it just yet.

These links might be useful to you:
Weaning
Handling Criticism about Bfing

giggly · 12/09/2006 20:53

Well done, I managed to stop at dd first birthday last month and felt so miserable I started again after 3 days, only do the am feed though, all snuggled up in bed together, you will know when it feels right for you to stop.

yellowrose · 12/09/2006 21:25

petit - I don't have any advice re. weaning at 12 months except talk to LLL they are experts on this - but tell whoever is making silly remarks re. bf past 1 year to p* off. It's not their boobs/body and not their baby, so they don't actually have a say in the matter, do they ?

Flip