What is the optimum length of time to breast feed?

[ThomasTankEngine]

For babies and also for mothers.

lol....by my 3rd I was wanting my body (and my boobs)back

I reckon it has to be atleast 1 year.

My reasoning for this is that you are supposed to either ff or bf for a year, and whatever the pros and cons of ff v. bf, bf wins hands down on cost.

It is nice to get body and boobs back.
But quite like the bigger boobs bit!

BF is cheaper, good point.

Dd is 3.1 now and still b.feeding. At a toddeler group last week I was asked when I was going to
'stop her from doing that'

I kept my cool, even though I thought my head would explode with rage, and told this
lady that 'I had no intention of stopping her from having her milk'. To which she replied 'You know she can have milk from a cup or even in a bottle if she wants'

I very quietly said I thought my mobile was ringing and left said lady before I started to rant about health benefits, bonding, The W.H.O, breast cancer rates etc.

At least once a week some interfering old bat tells me I'm doing something wrong.
Doesn't go down well when I've 3 under age 4 and consider I'm doing well to be up dressed and out of the house.

ThomasTankEngine, my word 3 under the age
of 4, b.feeding your other 2 for such a great lenghth of time and now doing the same for number 3, you are doing FAB

I have a b.feeding friend who's still feeding her 2 yr old and if ever a bad comment comes her way she tells them to 'Piss Off'

I secretly admire her as it really is very rude to pass comment on something which is none of you business.

Message withdrawn

adorabelle - at feeding when out and about at that age!
at commenting woman.

emotive one for me today. day 4 of no milkies for dd1 (3.2). my choice really. but still a bit

Danae, good for you still feeding your LO
out and about at 10 mnths. My dd has always been really tall for her age and had a ponytail at a year old but I fed her while
we were out till she was 2.6.

Since then she has had one feed out and yes we did get a few looks but no-one said anything. She stopped wanting 'num-nums' while out so that's why I stopped, if wanted a feed now at 3.1 cos she was very upset/distressed i'd feed her wherever we happened to be.

What a poingnant story about your aunts. No-one will ever know if the b.feeding aunt really did have a better chance of survival, but I guess you only need to look at the medical evidence to support the fact that she did....

As you said the bond and the closeness brought about by b.feeding your child is totally unique. Never have I felt so much love for a person as I did when I held my dd in my arms for the first time and b.fed her.
We still have that bond and closeness now and long after she has stopped feeding we'll still have that bond. It'll be there forever

I haven't fed DS (2.5 now) out and about since he was 7 months -- he got very easily distractible and just wouldn't latch on and feed properly when there was anything interesting going on. And now he never asks when we're out anyway.

I do still feed him in front of my sister and two SILs, though, who are all younger and yet to have children, so I reckon I'm doing a reasonable amount to normalise it.

I still bf my 2.6 year old. I'd like her to wean when she's ready. Sometimes i feel i'd like to stop, days when she's ill and wanting to climb on me every five minutes, but usually i'm so glad i've done it this way. It's so lovely - she's a totally outgoing, confident, bright little girl - people are always surprised by her as she's so sociable and friendly for her age, and i think that a lot of her confidence comes from the security and bond that she's had through bf.

ProjectIcarus- sending you lots of warm snuggly hugs.
To have b.fed your LoO for over 3 years is a Huge achievment and you must be so proud of yourself

All good things must come to an end, a cheesy quote I know, but oh so true.

Just think of the great start you've given your LO, health wise and in terms of emotional needs. Go have a glass of wine or a big choccy bar to celebrate

Adorabelle, my last post must have been misleading. I am only feeding my baby, but BF the other two till 8 and 10 months. Apologies. Old biddies tell me off for sticking DS1 in the end of the shopping trolley, whilst DS2 is in the seat and DS3 in the papoose etc.
ProjectIcarus you deserve a bottle of finest chateau plonk. Well done you.

sorry missedsome words out. should say"old biddies tell me off for"
DH interfering!

I aimed for a minimum of 2 years (as per WHO) with DS & as he is still going strong at 10 days off 3 yrs I am very chuffed

I just wanted ds to self wean when he wanted, dh was uncomfortable after 1 year but agreed to tolerate it and we did 22 1/2 months then ds over night didn't want boobie anymore as he was all grown up!

Sorry TTEngine, it was me not expressing myself very well.

I did realise that you were only feeding your 3rd LO and not the other 2 as well. Bloody Hell, now that would be impressive wouldn't it feeding all 3 of em

No I meant well done you for feeding your other 2 children for such a good lenghth of time each. I think if you get past 6 months you're doing well.

Would the dear old biddies prefer your 2 kids running around Sainsburys knocking them on their arses and causing mayhem? Whatever you do with your children someone will tell you that you're doing it wrong. While b.feeding my dd in a cafe when she was 2 I had some old dear telling me 'that child will end up ruined' Meaning I was spoiling her by letting her b.feed

Some mums do BF all 3, incredibly. Ah well i am currently so sleep deprived....
Hurray for old biddies then. must think of a good one liner.