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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

DS (nearly 4) has decided it is time to stop breastfeeding

59 replies

FrannyandZooey · 05/03/2007 20:39

I have been feeling a bit wobbly about this for various reasons, and have spoken to some of you about it already (everyone has been totally lovely about it, thank you).

However I am now mostly feeling good about the fact that I was able to breastfeed him until he decided he was ready to stop, and also proud of him for having reached the stage where he feels he doesn't need it any more.

I thought there were probably very few threads about this on MN so worth starting this one for that reason alone.

Come and join me in a mostly celebratory mood as I pass round lentil canapes and raise a glass of carrot juice

OP posts:

MrsApron · 05/03/2007 21:54

pmsl at weaning dinner

Tatties · 05/03/2007 21:54

Oh Franny (((((((hugs)))))))

You are an inspiration

I hope you both have a delicious lunch

kamikayzed · 05/03/2007 21:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

FrannyandZooey · 05/03/2007 22:01

Do you think the other diners in the restaurant will object to me asking them to all join hands and chant, while I ritually cut a symbolic umbilical cord I have fashioned from hemp and previously attached to DS for the purposes of the Weaning Ceremony?

No?

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Tatties · 05/03/2007 22:02

MrsApron · 05/03/2007 22:16

i very dare you!

CanSleepWeirdShifts · 05/03/2007 22:17

Oh well done Franny. And there was I feeling proud that I am still bf'ing dd at nearly 13 months.

May I hijack slightly with a question - it seems that as he was getting so little recently then it was more of a comfort thing for him. Should you dare to ever venture out for an evening, was he bothered about missing this comfort at bedtime?

Saturn74 · 05/03/2007 22:19

Rites of passage indeed, Franny.
A wonderful achievement.
Well done!

Original poster

FrannyandZooey · 05/03/2007 22:25

CSWS yes he would complain a bit about it if I went out (still does!), but would be fobbed off with cuddles from Daddy instead

We must be the only parents who introduced a bottle when he was about 2.5 just for the once a week occasion when he needed to go to sleep without me being there. It distracted and comforted him and he has slowly given up needing that as well.

Was quite embarrassing when he told people, though. I think they thought my breastfeeding habits were quite odd, but that to start giving a child of 2.5 a bottle was completely barking

OP posts:

moondog · 05/03/2007 22:26

lol at the bottle thing.
My dd went through a phase of wanting one (after never having had one) at about the same age.

MrsApron · 05/03/2007 22:27

not the only parents Franny !

lionheart · 05/03/2007 22:29

Bravo!

Original poster

FrannyandZooey · 05/03/2007 22:30

Oh really! This must be another of those well-kept secrets then. It made sense to us at the time anyway

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Ceolas · 05/03/2007 22:32

Well done Franny.

Proud of you both xx

Original poster

FrannyandZooey · 06/03/2007 08:14

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TrinityRhino · 06/03/2007 08:17

Wow franny, huge congrats to you and your ds

Original poster

FrannyandZooey · 06/03/2007 08:51

Thanks trinity, did you get the hang of the sling yet btw?

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yellowrose · 06/03/2007 08:52

Franny - well done to both of you. It must be wonderful to know that he has self weaned when he was ready.

yellowrose · 06/03/2007 08:57

Ah, out of interest Franny, how many feeds a day has he been having ?

Just want to know what to expect when ds is that age !

Tutter · 06/03/2007 09:03

well done franny - good on you

out of interest - did you find yourself not telling friends and family that ds was still bfing (i only ask as you say "I think a lot of people do it, but not many people speak about it for fear of people's reactions")

i have a group of well off educated friends (who, acc to some MNers should be prime candidates for bfing) and they were surprised when i fed ds til 9mo!

Overrun · 06/03/2007 09:05

WEll DONE. I expect you are all feeling a bit hungover with your various healthy juices, but thougth I would lend my congratulations as well
As you know I am still feeding my dts 2.4. They are still interested, but bugger it up by fighting each other and trying to nab the others breast when he isn't looking
I feel a bit sad because all this silliness, and having to detach them when they inevitably start fighting, is not doing my milk supply any good. Now I am getting the imperious demands of "MORE MILK". I feel like saying it is your fault boys!
Anyway, despite getting sidetracked. Well done, and enjoy your lunch

Original poster

FrannyandZooey · 06/03/2007 10:37

Overrun I think you are the Queen of Lactation

Yellowrose he was just having a couple of minutes at bedtime. Between 3 and 3.5 I worked to get rid of the morning feed because I didn't enjoy it - then he dropped his daytime nap and we were left with just the evening one. I think my supply dropped a lot when we were down to just one feed and he got impatient with no milk coming. I also wonder if he was losing the sucking reflex as it sometimes felt different, and sometimes he said "my mouth is tired of this."

Tutter, I think people stopped asking, and perhaps preferred to presume he had stopped. We hadn't breastfed in public for quite a long time so people were free to assume what they liked. Up until about the age of 2.5 or so I would breastfeed him virtually anywhere if I felt doing so would cause less fuss and disruption than not doing so (ie if he was hurt or upset). I sometimes felt embarrassed or awkward about it but felt I was doing the right thing for him. The exceptions were in front of my in laws who are very traditional people from the NE, and my neighbour who I desperately try to appear normal in front of I have hoped that by trying to be un-self-conscious about it in public that I might have helped other women who would like to do it but felt shy.

By the time he got to about 3 he would no longer ask for milk during the day, even if he was upset - it was just a comfort thing at bedtime. I know every child is different though.

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yellowrose · 06/03/2007 10:49

Thanks Franny. Ds has dropped his afternoon nap recently he is 2.8 - so the nap time feed has gone although I have tried offering after lunch, he is no longer interested. We are down to morning and sleep feed at night now. Those are his favourites !

Ladymuck · 06/03/2007 10:53

Well done! And it is great that you feel that the time is right (though I agree with Cadmum that this is a bittersweet moment). Hope that you have a lovely lunch today (placenta cutting aside)

Of course the important question is whether you start to feel broody soon.

Original poster

FrannyandZooey · 06/03/2007 10:55

Yup the morning one was ds's favourite too but I pushed pretty strongly to get rid of it as I loathed it

too impatient to get up and on with the day I am an idiot

Ladymuck well no signs yet

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