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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Extended breast feeders - when did your baby/toddler give up?

28 replies

CasanovaFrankenstein · 17/08/2014 22:31

Been feeding for two years now and showing no real signs of giving up, particularly at night!

Wondered how long this will continue?

OP posts:
FetchezLaVache · 17/08/2014 22:34

He was 3.6, but he'd been winding it down for several months.

If the night feeds are getting too much for you, just explain that there will be no more insert your name for it here at night and in future, LO will have to wait until the morning. At 2, he/she is plenty old enough to understand! Be prepared to harden your heart for the first few nights, but LO will soon get out of the habit of waking when they realise there's nothing in it for them.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 17/08/2014 22:36

I'm not allowed to say, but a long time after she started school.

She's an embarrasable teen Grin

AllChangeLife · 17/08/2014 22:39

19 months for all other feeds apart from morning... the morning one I think I'll end up having to harden my heart to one day (I'd like some time off before ttc number 2).

There was no winding down for the others, was a bit like an off switch, and he has asked for it only twice in about a month!

ElephantsNeverForgive · 17/08/2014 22:44

DFs DD was five and told to stop as she wouldn't stay in her own bed (DD2 had long since sussed doing this was a bad idea).

I known several big toddlers 2.2-3.5 who still fed, but I've no idea when they stopped as like DD they no doubt moved to evenings an quiet mornings and no one would know.

MoreSnowPlease · 18/08/2014 14:18

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

Original poster
CasanovaFrankenstein · 04/09/2014 19:16

Thanks all. Been difficult because the big molars have been through and it's been agony Sad

He just seems to be more fixated on it - hard to distract in the day sometimes!

OP posts:
KirstyJC · 04/09/2014 19:19

Last month at 3.5yo. Bit sad about it and relieved at the same time....

Slavetominidictator · 04/09/2014 19:20

I encouraged my dd to wind down to just morning and evening and then just evening. Had her last evening feed a week before her second birthday. She is 2.3 now and very occasionally still asks to be breastfed. I genuinely don't think she would have stopped of her own volition for quite some time, if ever (!), but I needed to get on with ttcing number 2, also I was just ready to stop.

happypotamus · 05/09/2014 09:59

She was 2.9, but before that had only been breastfed at bedtime for a while (and not every bedtime as I am at work at bedtime 2-3 times a week). Suddenly just after Christmas she decided she would rather have milk in a cup than milk from mummy.

leedy · 05/09/2014 14:38

2.5 when I was 5 months pregnant with his brother, but hadn't fed at night or out and about since before he was 2.

Wobblestones · 05/09/2014 14:56

My DS is now 36 months. He has always been the most prolific feeder but over the last few months has cut down and now only feeds in bed. So he feeds to sleep, feeds when he wakes at night (several times) and has a long sleepy feed as he's waking for the day. He now only asks during the day if he's unwell, very tired or has hurt himself.
I'm incredibly grateful we've still got our lovely breastfeeding connection but I am curious about how and when it will wind down, so I'm watching this thread with great interest.

Original poster
CasanovaFrankenstein · 10/09/2014 18:08

Oh Wobble that sounds so similar!

In the last week he's stopped asking for the morning feed. He's also separating feed and cuddles as he will ask for a cuddle on it's own, 'til now it's been acuddleandafeed.

I will also be sad but I had mastitis so much at the start - always a bit worried it will return with all the little teething cuts. Plus only feed from one side...

OP posts:
MrsMarigold · 10/09/2014 18:13

I'm in the same boat DD is two and howls and rips my clothes off I think she thinks it's a self-sevice milkbar. she's always got away with it because she is so tiny but today I saw a two year ld a lot less articulate and smaller than her so I think that excuse is wearing thin.

CantSleepWontSleep · 11/09/2014 23:36

DD had her last feed on her 4th birthday, pre-planned because I was feeding her and her brother and was pregnant with ds2, and didn't want to tri-andem feed.

Ds1 stopped when he was a couple of months over 4, but didn't feed every day for the last couple of months.

Ds2 is 4 and 2 months and still feeds at bedtime.

But every child is different :).

MrsHathaway · 11/09/2014 23:57

26m, both of them, each time while/because I was pg with the next.

I developed D-MER and restricted feeding as much as possible. After a week or so they tried again and I flat refused ("it's gone away until the baby comes") and after a few token attempts when the new baby had come they lost interest.

DC3 will be final. I have no idea whenh he might stop!

MultipleMama · 12/09/2014 22:35

My eldest is 6yo and we use the "no ask no refuse" method on 4 of our DC (2 are on demand). Rarely he asks though except when ill or he's had a bad night/day. My 3yo asks most nights.

So when I see signs of giving up I'll let you know Wink

I'm really enjoying it and not thinking of weaning/stopping any of them just yet :)

usualnamechanger · 12/09/2014 22:37

At almost two years old. Baby suddenly decided not to have more breastmilk.

Happydutchmummy · 12/09/2014 22:38

Dd self weaned when I was pregnant with ds. This was after her 3rd birthday.

rocket74 · 12/09/2014 22:49

Oh wow was hoping DD would stop of own accord soon as she is now 27months. It's mainly evenings and once or twice in the night. She will try for it more at weekends though. I do really want to stop it now for various reasons it just makes evenings so difficult and she rarely falls asleep before nine pm. Any tips on how to stop without full on hysterics? Need to limit the upset as its sets off DS5 who has autism, he can't stand the sound of her crying which is probably a reason why I am still doing it and failed at weaning at 18 months.

mumnosbest · 20/09/2014 10:51

My DD is 2.9 and down to 1 morning feed, though I put a stop to the bedtime one with a battle. She's showing no signs of stopping.

weebairn · 20/09/2014 10:56

20 months but I think it was due to pregnancy.

MollyBdenum · 20/09/2014 10:58

Mine stopped at 7 and 4.

longtallsally2 · 20/09/2014 11:03

Both of mine were like wobbles - heavy nighttime feeding, daytime sporadic feeding for comfort until 3.5. Unfortunately I didn't hang on until they self weaned, as they showed no signs of cutting down at night. With ds1 I offered him a 'big boy present' if he wanted it instead of night feeds. He chose, and was very proud of, a £2 toy train! (I had been thinking bike!)

DS2 was offered the same deal, but declined. However I was unwell and just couldn't keep up with his demands - he found more excuses for daytime feeds than his big brother, so at 3.5 we went for distraction. It was exhausting but worked as I distracted him at every conceivable opportunity!

PogoBob · 20/09/2014 11:07

Tried waiting for DD to self-wean and she did cut back on day feeds around 2 and half but made the decision to actively cut out the bedtime feed at 2 3/4 as I was getting exhausted (was tandem feeding a rather large 5 month old DS at that point).

DS is now 21 mo and is still going strong, he's got a cold at the moment so is wanting to feed every 3 hours this week day and night!

I'm in two minds what to do about DS but suspect I may end up deciding to wean rather than waiting for him - I think I just produce milk monsters!

Mouldypineapple · 20/09/2014 11:09

I stopped just after DD's 3rd birthday. She just had a morning and evening feed by then, and not too bothered missing out the days I was at work but really it was my decision and sometimes I feel a bit sad but at the time it was right for lots of reasons.
That said, nearly 2 years on she still likes cuddling my 'boobies' esp when ill but also has a quick cuddle in the mornings! She wants me to have another baby so she can have more milk. So I think had I not gently encouraged her to stop at the time we'd still be going strong!