Am I the only fool still BF a 1 year old on demand?

[Jenkeywoo]

I love DD so much but today my friend who has a baby the same age came round and of course her baby is all big and independent -FF so only two bottles a day - she even holds her own bottle. My friend just puts her in a cot and of course she warbles her way off to sleep nicely on her own. My DD... she gets tired and fed up, I BF her. She falls and bangs her head, I BF her. She gets upset as big sis nicks her toys, I BF her. Sometimes she just gets all 'unglued' so she comes to me for a quick 5 minute slurp then she's all restored and strong again. Basically if she asks, she gets. But she is taking the mick a bit in the evenings, BF's from about 7.3o-8.30, then wakes at about 9-DH settles her, then up again every half hour or so till about midnight. I must be a total sucker because I spend all night up and down the stairs till my nipple feels like it's gonna fall off, whilst my friend gets her evenings to herself. When is it reasonable to stop demand feeding DD?

Sez I am sorry you had to stop because of biting

There are techniques you can use to deal with biting, but some babies are more insistent about it than others I was lucky and never had a bad bite but it makes me wince to imagine how painful it must be

As they get older it is rarer to have a bite, although as certain teeth come through it can be a bit tender / uncomfortable

welll, she started using them as teehting rings. vv painful. any hints and tips for possible next one?

Mine bites me on the shoulder, leg, foot... but never on the norks. He knows where his bread is buttered (so to speak!)

I have been told you can either use your little finger to release the suction and just take them off the nipple and lay them down for a bit

the idea is that they soon realise it is a crap idea and give it up

or alternatively just pull them in closer so they have to release suction themselves to breathe

again it works as a kind of behaviour modification technique, quite crude but effective

the key is not to shout or frighten them (easier said than done I know when they are sinking their teeth in) as this can put them off permanently

Other people may have more effective methods?

Oh if teething problems you could use some teething powder or gel or whatever before a feed

I know some people prefer not to use them

I would think between that and giving up breastfeeding it would be worth giving it a try

i just had to give up, so fought for two days for DD to take bottles, but she mow happy with them (15mo)