How and when did you cut down on breastfeeding

[bananalady59427]

I bf my first DD until just after her 2nd birthday and literally until a few weeks before she naturally weaned she fed multiple times a day. (I was pregnant with DS so I think it caused her to wean).

I got myself really worked up when I went back to work after having DD as she still bf so often. However this time this isn't my worry as DD was fine without all day. I suppose it's an out of sight out of mind thing.

DS is currently 10 months and like DD still bf a lot during the day. At the moment I don't mind. However once he is one I don't necessarily want to wean him but I don't want to feel how I did with DD. Many of my other bf mother friends said by 12 months their DC only fed once or twice a day. I never really understood how they got their DC down to this. I just allow my DC to bf on demand. DS has three meals a day now and snacks although how much he eats of them can be abit hit and miss. I don't want to refuse him feeds but does anyone have any tips on how to get them to eventually cut down?

I think my biggest issue is feeding in public after they turn one. I know I shouldn't feel like this but I had a couple of bad instances with DD. One girl screamed OMG when I was feeding my DD in a quiet area of an airport. I remember last time with DD many people said their DC didn't bf out as their DC were too distracted. Not the case for my DD who demanded a feed in Peppa Pig world.

Anyone any tips? TIA

I have 4 children, did it approximately the same with all of them, gradually phased it out when I had had enough. I think that is the key - when you feel you're done. Very personal choice, really.

For me, it went roughly like this:

On demand until 1 year (but all night feeds stopped by 10 months). Then after 12 months, only first thing in the morning, after nap time and before bedtime.

Dropped the after nap feed at around 14 -18months. Then the early morning feed not long after.

Dropped bedtime feed around 18-20 months.

I did pretty much the same as @LaTomatina. From 1 I gradually wound down to being a feed on waking and before bed. Something you can do now to help prep is to separate feeding and sleep, it makes an enormous difference.

For my younger 2 I actually held the bedtime feed until nearly 2.5 as I liked the wind down after work and practically found it a good way to manage 2/3 DCs at bedtime, so one could read to me while I fed etc. They all got the hang of it, dc1 self-weaned, dc2 I stopped when had to travel for work and dc3 is still going at 2, but unlikely to self wean as he's my most boob-obsessed...

I went back to work when my son was five months so he just switched to a bottle. My daughter self weaned - she was down to one feed just before bed then the night before she turned one she looked at my breast, turned her head away and stuck her thumb in her mouth. She was done.
I think it was that she was getting three meals a day and plenty of fluids and so why would she need to breastfeed? I only carried on as long as I did because she never a accepted a bottle, but by a year she was well used to a sippy cup. I was relieved when she stopped.

Only dropped it altogether with DS4 about a month ago (he will be 2 at the end of January). I thought he would be the one I went on feeding longest because he's definitely my last. But in fact, I couldn't wait to stop. Really began to feel like it was detrimental to my relationship with him because he always yanked my hair, scratched and slapped my face while feeding and I just couldn't stand it! If he'd been a calm, cuddly one like DS2 it would have been much harder!

I’m still feeding DS1 (he’ll be 2 end of Jan) and i’m wondering how to stop as well. I don’t really mind it but since his molars came in it’s getting a little uncomfortable! He feeds morning, before bed and before nap if we’re both home for it. He’s fine if i’m not around but if i’m there, he wants to feed. I can’t work out how to reduce the feeds at bedtime or overnight (which is just comfort) without having to make my DP do bedtime/all wake ups for a while.