When to stop breastfeeding?

[skibump]

ds is 10 months old, I'm thinking of stopping bfing. Just wondered what other people's experience was? (and picking brains of people who've actually done the research )

ooh well done! obviously everyone else is far more computer and MN literate than me!

no me neither, but the little ones are soooo cute. i had a 'mummy milk rocks' bag though

I've fed my older ones for 2 years each....there was some overlap because the first three were all born close together, so there was a short time when all three were feeding! but I always found it very easy/convenient....am now exclusively feeding 8 month twins,( no solids yet ), but don't think I will continue for so long, mainly because I would love just one more and at 43 I know my fertlity is probably in freefall and breastfeeding might just be the final nail on that... I think the WHO recommend 6-8 months breast in developed world and 2 years+ in developping world, but delaying solid food in the developed world is probably just as important as it's early introduction may be linked to allergies/childhood obesity.
Incidentally I've always worked fulltime from 8-12 weeks and have managed expressing very well, and combine this with giving the breast.

mozhe - first of all respect for excl. bf twins ! must be very hard work and i admire any one who has managed it.

the WHO guidelines are GLOBAL though - 2 years is recommended for optimum benefits for mum and child no matter where you live. equally 6 months excl. bf is a global recommendation.

what a cool site ! I wish i'd known about mumsnet when i weaned my son at 9m due to external pressures. keep going as long as you like

Cool clothes. One of my friends is very pro-bf and pregnant again so I think I know what to get her for a present!
Skibump: just to say. Keep bf'ing as long as you feel comfortable for, as long as you feel happy. Don't listen to mums and mum-in-laws. I know mine kept badgering me from when both my dc's were 1, but I enjoyed it and they enjoyed it, so... I conceived while bf'ing and my ds selfweaned while I was pregnant. I suspect because my milk changed to colostrum. He never complained, just stopped when the taste changed. That gave me a good 4 m of not bf'ing. My dd then bf until 2y, when she also self weaned. (I think with both of them going on holiday and therefore having a change of routine played an important part too.)

3 boys,( 3,4 and 6 ), 2 girls twins 8 months.....one more would be great but I know at 43,( well nearly 44..), odds are stacked against it...still I never did like an odd number !

wow mozhe - well done for bf all your kids - you must be a very patient mum

Thanks yellowrose...patience ? maybe but bfeeding so convenient and being a fulltime working mum I'm all for convenience ! Aviatrix, maybe we will both get lucky...each of my last three pregnancies happened whilst bfeeding BUT with each advancing year we become less fertile so maybe if I 'm not pregnant in 6 months I will give up....

Thx everyone, v helpful. One more question, obviously those who conceived had periods while bf, when do they come back? Sorry for the detail

ski - it depends - mine came back when ds was only 5.5 months old although i exclusively bf until he was exactly 6 months and never scheduled his feeds - i read somewhere that if the night feeds continue the less likely you are to get periods - i was feeding ds several times during the night until he was around 9 months old (when he started to sleep through) so not sure what happened with me and why i got mine back so early it seems to vary woman to woman

Wow Mozhe, feeding 3 at the same time I'm so impressed. In fact I'm impressed with anyone who can manage 5 kids (and want another)

Thanks for the link Aviatrix & ILMBboohoo- really good stuff

Thx Yellowrose.

I think you deserved more time off than that

Did you start solids YR ? I got my period the week i gave DS a spoon of baby rice

Skibump....my cycle always came back around the time the youngest ' feeder ',( if I was feeding more than one...), was about a year, hat coincides with about the time they start taking solid food.

Love this thread. I'm loving it.
Feed for as long as you want. I think a lot of MIL talk about it being strange or pervy. I know its hard to put up with.
I go to a baby signing class with my dd2 9/10 months now. It is run by our local la leche league counsellor, a lot of the women there want their babies to sign for BF rather than ask for boobie.
Do you want to stop feeding? Its hard if you want to wear dresses or something...but it is a small amount of your life. I don't know a single woman who regrets one day tyhat she fed her baby, more of us regret stopping.
My dd1 got nasty ear infection 2 weeks after I stopped feeding her at 19 months. I put her to the breast and tingly nipples it really helped her.

Still have no period, would love to give tandem feeding a go.

skibump - I bfed my two older girls until they were about 15/16 months. It was just right at that point, and they went onto cows milk at that point. Will prob do same for dd3.

My periods came back at about 9 months with the first 2, and baby is only 4m and still no period yes (yah!)
hth

dd3 was conceived when I was bf'ing dd2, it's absolutly possible!

Yes Hana it happened to me three times...but as you get older conception will get more difficult and not bfeeding may be just be the thing the tips the balance...sadly.I'm 43 now so am giving it 6 months of 'trying',( fun all round...!), and then will stop in desperate hope of ' catching ' no6 before it's too late ! Of course it may be all ready...so may be my last 6 months of bfeeding, hmmm.