Extended Breast-feeding -- How long???

[yummybunnymummy]

Hi, I'm happily B/F my 2 boys (DS1 2.75yrs and DS2 15mths) on demand and really enjoy it. But as I'm sure some of you can imagine, eyebrows are raised when I feed my eldest.

I can rant on about the pros of B/F for an age but feel like a lone extended feeder and would love to hear that other MumsNetters are still B/F.

Not extended Bfeeding yet as DS only 9 months old, although round here I feel like I am as everyone seems to have stopped (or never started!)!! I imagine I will be when the time comes though as he is very keen and at the moment I have no urge or see no reason to stop. People do keep asking me though, which I find annoying as I'm sure they wouldn't ask how long I was going to give formula for if that was the case.

I like the term Veronika Robinson used, full term feeding rather than extended!
I fed ds2 for about 26 months. ds3 is now 10 months and I'll feed him for as long as he wants.

Your right I never have heard any one ask 'how long will you give artifical formula milk for?'

Big congrats for B/F especially if everyone around you has stopped. With my DS1 I was lucky enough to get involved with a local B/F support group but all have weaned by 18-22mths and I now feel like their specimem tandem/extended feeding mother!!!!!!!

I've never heard extended B/F described as Full-term feeding - lovely, a much better perspective.thanks

Hi,

Well done for feeding this long.

There are lots more extended bfers about than you would think. Because of the stigma/taboo, many mums don't talk about it much or don't feed in public as much as they would like to. Several times I have just discovered through a chance comment that acquaintances are extended bfers.

I fed dd1 until she was 2 and a half, including feeding while I was pg with dd2 and tandem feeding. DD2 is now 22 months and still going strong.

Have you ever been to La Leche League meetings? When I first attended, when dd1 was newborn, I remember being surprised to see a 4 year old bfing. Prior to that, I hadn't even heard of extended bfing or tandem bfing. It's a good way to meet other extended bfers if you're feeling a bit isolated.

Thanks, I do go to LaLecheLeague meetings but I have the oldest B/F children within the group. Its a very new LLL group which is probably why I have yet to meet other extended Bfers.

Its strange as my DS1 grows older i feel more resolve to feed him when and where he wants. It upsets me that people can critise and judge me for something that is so natural, loving and positive.

Yummy - there are loads of self-weaning or full term feeders on MN

My ds is same age as yours 2.8 yo and we feed 2 - 3 times a day or more if he wants more !

I used to go to LLL in London, there were several women there who were feeding boys between 2 and 3 - were hoping to self-wean

We don't do it in public any more because he stopped asking in public. He did have a very nasty fall a few months ago and immediatley climbed on to my lap on Bournemouth Pier and I fed him, but that is rare now. He is too distracted to ask for a feed when we are out, which saves me any social stigma or comments !

Yummy - it is natural, loving and positive -it is just that we like in a society obssessed with boobs as sex objects. I can't see the UK going forward in a positive way with bf or bf in public until we tone down "the tits out for the lads culture".

I have said on other threads too that it is very unfortunately not just a w/class thing, I used to work in the City and it was exactly the same among the so-called educated m/class men. They all thought breasts were for sex, full stop.