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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

When to stop breastfeeding

17 replies

mude · 28/12/2018 20:29

How and when did you decide to stop or did it just happen?
I feel like I'm ready to stop but can't commit

OP posts:

AirandMungBeans · 28/12/2018 20:36

It just happened naturally for us. DS was 3 and a half and one night just told me that he didn't want it any more and that was that. So many times I felt like just weaning him, but I'll admit, I was curious to see if he'd do it himself and I'm really glad he did as the wind down was so gradual that I had no engorgement or discomfort at all.

M0reGinPlease · 28/12/2018 20:39

It just tapered off naturally with us and when I suggested she said okay mum and that was that! I was expecting it to be much harder but she never asked again so had obviously come to its natural end. I suspect my milk had dried up too. She was 2.5 years when we stopped.

BobDobbs · 28/12/2018 20:41

Dc1 stopped by herself at 16 months
Dc2 was 2.5, he was only bf at night, wouldn't go to sleep without it, took ages to fall asleep wiggling around with my nipple in his mouth...in short, I had had enough. I let dp do bedtime for a week, and by the end of the week ds had forgotten all about it.

YerAuntFanny · 28/12/2018 20:42

I decided to give up when my daughter was 16 months as she was up every hour through the night suckling without actually taking anything.

I was tired and frustrated which meant I wasn't very nice to be around through the day!

I gradually dropped feeds, taking her off as soon as she stopped drinking and so the feeds got shorter then just seemed to stop within a week. I think DD was ready though as she really wasn't fussed, I'm not sure I could've held up if she was getting upset.

RicStar · 28/12/2018 20:45

I finished bf mine between 10 and 12 months. I was back at work - so only doing morning and night and i felt ready. It was no issue for them.

IdaBWells · 28/12/2018 20:50

I breastfed all mine a long time but it is completely up to you and what you are comfortable with. If you don't stop BFing your child is likely to continue for a long time so it's whether you are comfortable with that or have a preference for stopping.

Personally I found if I wasn't completely committed to stopping the baby/child would sense it and make clear they wanted to breastfeed and so I would continue. When I was absolutely sure I wanted to stop or for example stop feeding at night I told them that my boobs were sleeping at night just like everyone else, the sun, the dog, the birds etc. and then refuse the boob and they would accept it quickly. Somehow they always know if your heart is not in it though so YOU must be convinced so you don't buckle! And you will if that sweet face begs you piteously. When you are ready you can withstand that and I have found they adjust quickly.

Breastfeeding is a special experience and relationship and you have to be ready to move on and change the nature of your relationship.

Happilyacceptingcookies · 28/12/2018 20:55

I stopped at 12 months because cow milk could be given the. Reduced one feed every week for a month and stopped without any problems.

Stop when you aren't enjoying it anymore. No judgements on yourself or from anyone else.

lorisparkle · 28/12/2018 20:55

I decided at 15 months- he was only feeding morning and bedtime and I was pregnant with ds2. I decided that I did not want ds1 to link stopping bf with the arrival of ds2 so stopped when I was about 3 months pregnant. It was a little sad but very straightforward (which actually made it even more sad!)

Tabbytwitchet · 28/12/2018 22:59

My first self weaned at 2 and a half as I was heavily pregnant, and I don't think there was any milk left. She was only feeding for naps anyway, and just said "no thank you" one day when I went to feed her for a nap, and she stopped napping from that day, so she stopped nursing. It still makes me sad that so can't remember her last feed! I'm still feeding dd2 at 21 months, and no idea how I'll ever get her to stop. she's OBSESSED and would nurse all day if I let her. dd1 only fed for sleep by this age, but dd2 actually shouts "Boobie time!" from her cot when she wakes up, and then we spend the rest of the morning with me trying to distract her into not asking to nurse every single minute 😬😂. I don't want to have to get pregnant again just to stop her... haha!!

Tabbytwitchet · 28/12/2018 23:03

and sorry, to actually answer your question... I don't think there's a "right time" I guess it's just what works best for you and your child, or when you've personally had enough. I will try to let my dd2 self wean, but I don't particularly want to feed her past 3, and I know that's on the lower end for natural term weaning, so she might need some persuading with it if she's still as enthusiastic in a year's time. It's such a personal desicion, and whatever you choose to do will be in the best interests of your family and that's all that matters. x

username5555 · 29/12/2018 15:37

I'm beginning to feel like you also OP DD is 20 months. I don't think I'm ready to stop just yet but think I'm getting there. I do feel very sad about it though. My issue is she is milk obsessed like your DC @Tabbytwitchet. Because of this I don't know how I will actually stop as I'm not willing to upset her.

abcriskringle · 29/12/2018 15:42

I followed DS' cues. He was an absolute boob monster until I went back to work at 12 months. He then gradually cut down until a 5 minute feed at bedtime. He's now dropped that too a few weeks ago - he is 18mo.

NerrSnerr · 29/12/2018 16:45

I stopped with my eldest at 2, I was pregnant again and had HG so agreed with the GP I should stop as was dehydrated. My youngest is 20 months and wants milk all of the time. I'm hoping to wean him at 2 but will see how it goes.

WisdomOfCrowds · 29/12/2018 16:48

I feel the same as you op. My son is just over 2 and I'm tandem nursing him and his new sister. Id love him to wean but cant quite bring myself to initiate it. Id love him to self wean soon but he's still pretty milk crazy so I don't see it happening...

Like others have said, there's no right time to stop, only what's right for you.

Bigpizzalover · 29/12/2018 16:51

DC1 stopped at about 7 months when I went back to work, he had been both bottle and breast fed, as my mum was putting him to bed a couple of nights a week while I worked he got more used to having the bottle and refused the boob.

DC2 is 22 months and is still boob mad, would quite happily sit on me feeding all day when I’m around and not working if I’d let her. Won’t go to sleep without it if I am in the house - is fine with juice sleeping at her grandparents (doesn’t like cows milk) I’ve recently become a lone parent so I have no idea how I will wean her off, and cope with no sleep/full time job/ 2 kids under 5.

Aozora13 · 29/12/2018 16:55

We stopped at 14 months. I think my DD would have carried on longer but once I was back at work full time honestly I’d just had enough! By that time she was only feeding for 5 mins before bed and one night I just didn’t offer and she didn’t ask. She did ask a few times after that but didn’t object when I gently refused.

Original poster

mude · 29/12/2018 19:43

My DS is only 10 months and has been having 2 feeds a day since I returned to work recently. I gave him a little feed this morning but he had a bottle before bed tonight. I think I won't feed him again now but I do feel sad about it 😩

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