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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

How long did you breastfeed for?

107 replies

Greengiraffe1 · 19/12/2020 18:46

My baby is almost 3 months. Myself and my partner saw my FIL outside today for a walk. He commented that I shouldn't breastfeed my baby when she is over 1. I want to feed her for as long as she wants it, or until I've decided I've had enough and want her to drink from a cup.

I'm wondering how long you breastfed for as a general "this is when I'll stop/she'll stop wanting to"

Also, if you could give me any benefits for feeding past the age of 1 so that when he talks about it again (highly likely) I have something to say back to him that tells him I won't just stop at age 1.

OP posts:
Original poster
Greengiraffe1 · 19/12/2020 18:48

Obviously she will drink from a cup before I stop feeding, but I mean like a bedtime feed, or a comfort feed..

OP posts:
icebubbles · 19/12/2020 18:50

Tell him it's none of his business. And that it's pretty weird to have that much interest in his DIL'd breasts...

Roselilly36 · 19/12/2020 18:52

I let my babies decide when to stop, DS1 stopped at a year old, DS2 stopped around 9 mths.

DonkeyMcFluff · 19/12/2020 18:52

I fed for 2.5 years. The baby benefits from nutrition from your milk as long as you feed, and is also protected by your antibodies - vital right now because medical care is hard to access. Also if the baby gets poorly it’s often the case that they won’t eat, but they will drink milk and that keeps them fed and avoids dehydration.

dinosforall · 19/12/2020 18:52

Or just tell him your actual reason. (Though I agree it has fuck all to do with him)

DramaAlpaca · 19/12/2020 18:53

You don't have to justify yourself to your FIL. At all. How long you choose to breastfeed for is none of his business. Carry on as long as you want to.

As for me, I stopped at 9 months with DC1 and 8 months with DC2 and that was right for me.

kowari · 19/12/2020 18:53

Just over 5 years

GlowingOrb · 19/12/2020 18:55

We stopped at 3. I think dd would have been happy with a bit more time, but i was ready to be done. Really, you just breastfeed as long as both you and your child want to.

JosephineDeBeauharnais · 19/12/2020 18:56

DS1 10 months, DS2 27 months 😳 - it just sort of happened

nomorespaghetti · 19/12/2020 18:56

It’s none of his business! But to answer your question I fed my DD till she was just over 2. I stopped because I was pregnant with DS and my milk dried up and I got a huge aversion to her dry feeding. I found feeding her over age 1 really helpful, as she had two operations and a few hospital stays before she was 2, and it was such a comfort to her. She was also a fussy eater (grew out of it eventually) so it was good to know she was still getting my milk. There are loads of benefits you can look up.

DS was 2 in September, he’s still feeding but only once every few days now. He was never as much of a milk lover as DD, I think we’ll fully stop fairly soon. It was brilliant last Xmas when he got norovirus and wouldn’t eat or drink from a cup, as I could keep him hydrated.

There are so many benefits to extended breastfeeding, but you really don’t need to justify how long you feed your baby to anyone!

thatscurvydogbeard · 19/12/2020 18:59

19 months with dd, 2.5 years with ds. It was a total battle of wills by the end, esp with ds, I was ready to lose my mind. Drove me completely mental

PussyMalanga · 19/12/2020 19:01

What the hell has it got to do with your FIL?? Feed for as long as you and your child want to Smile

sqirrelfriends · 19/12/2020 19:01

Lol, none of his business.

22 months here, I kind of wanted to go till two but constant contact with DS during the first lockdown resulted in a two second feed every 10 minutes (and tantrums if I said no) which I couldn't cope with so nipped it in the bud (pun intended).

taskmasterfan · 19/12/2020 19:02

Around about the 1 year mark with both. I was proud of my achievement. Extended breastfeeding was not for me-i just had a feeling of needing my body back and some freedom-to go to dinner with a girlfriend or to the theatre etc. It also coincided with my return to work and just generally seemed the end of that phase. DS wasn't concerned about stopping at all but had happily been flexible and taken the odd bottle expressed or formula. DD found it harder-but she'd never taken a bottle ever of anything!

But if i wanted to continue i would have done regardless of the opinion of others.

missmouse101 · 19/12/2020 19:02

I fed for 18mths and it just came to its natural end. I would have carried on but baby had lost interest! It's nothing to do with anyone else. You do what's right for you and your baby,

Kdubs1981 · 19/12/2020 19:03

We stopped at three years old.

abersinas · 19/12/2020 19:03

Just shy of 2 years

june2007 · 19/12/2020 19:03

ASk him what that his view on not feeding babies over one is based on when WHO recommend 2 years and beyond. When the world average is apparently 4. I bf to 4 years. Did,t necesserily pan it that way.

ButterflyBitch · 19/12/2020 19:04

2.5 months with ds and over 2 years with dd. Tell him to get to fuck. My mum from 6 months with dd kept up the “when are you gonna stop bullshit” and I just kept saying “when I’m ready/dd is ready.” End of.

BertieBotts · 19/12/2020 19:04

Just let him assume you have stopped or tell a white lie, they stop asking for it in the day at some point.

It's also none of his business :)

But DS1 was 4. DS2 is 2.4 and still going.

If you'd said this to me when my first was 3 months old though I would never have thought I'd carry on so long.

MozzarellaMonster · 19/12/2020 19:04

He's being a complete moron... with my first 10 months but only because I wanted it that way, second time around I'm planning to keep going for at least a year but probably longer, however she has just bit me and laughed when I said no so I might end up reconsidering that Grin
Either way you should stop when you feel ready regardless of when anyone else does.

TrainIsLeaving · 19/12/2020 19:05

19 months and still going.
I fall in and out of love with breastfeeding a lot! The plan from the beginning to definitely stop at 6 months, but when the time came neither of us wanted too. Then I was practically counting down the days until 12 months to stop, and neither of us wanted too. Now I can't imagine her giving it up anytime soon and I'm okay with it.

Megan2018 · 19/12/2020 19:05

We are still going strong at 15 months and aiming until 2 (subject to us both wanting to continue).
In these difficult times I want to continue the health benefits as long as I can.

Mylittlepony374 · 19/12/2020 19:06

18 months with my first. She just stopped. My son is nearly 2 5 and still going and I thank fuck we hadn't stopped as he got really really sick a couple of months ago and wouldn't take any food/fluids except breast milk. Kept him out of hospital.

1992serpent · 19/12/2020 19:06

Breastfed too long. 4.5 years

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