How long did you breastfeed your children for?

[WildOnce]

I’m interested because I breastfed my first till nearly 3 (boob monster) but with DS2 I am keen to wean by 1. He is 6 months now and a bottle refuser otherwise I might try earlier. I get no child free time and am v tired by the nights but feel guilty about breastfeeding my first for so much longer.

Dd stopped wanting to bf at just over 2 years. First few months were hell and ended up expressing for a couple of months. Got easier after 6 months and then didn't want to stop after going through all that.

8 months with 1st, not at all with 2nd

Just under a year, just over a year and 2.5 years.

Last baba was the best BF experience all round.

2.5 and 3.5

Eldest daughter 6 months, middle daughter 3 years and currently breastfeeding my son who is 17 weeks.. I hope to stop breastfeeding before 1 year old

DD1 5 weeks then pumped and combo fed until 3 months.
DD2 14 months, she self weaned.

Breastfed both of mine for 2 years each

1 yr for both

Eldest 2.5 and youngest 4.5 such wonderful years

I decided on 17 months with Ds1 as I was pregnant with ds2 and it seemed a good time to stop. I then stopped at 17months with ds2 and 3.

One day.

I once knew a woman who's bfed her first-born and second-born at the same time. In a playground, in front of everyone. DC1 was 5, DC2 was 3y.
Each to their own.
Mine were 1.5y and 5months.

Well done on getting this far OP.

Everyone is different and I respect women’s individual choices about when they stop feeding. However, I would personally work on getting better sleep before I stopped breastfeeding. I am pro- gentle sleep training and natural term weaning. You can have a good breastfeeding relationship and a full night’s sleep. The two shouldn’t be mutually exclusive (in my opinion!). I fully respect your decision if sleep training/habit stacking isn’t your parenting style, but thought I would mention in case you’re knackered and blaming bf (understandable).

To answer the question, still feeding #1 at 22 mo and 35 weeks pregnant with #2. He feeds twice a day, on waking up and before going to sleep at night. Even with the hideous pregnancy sensitivity, it’s bearable and works for us.
Best of luck to you!

DD1 11 months
DS 4 years

I thought breastfeeding made it more difficult to conceive until I seen how many women on this thread who are breastfeeding while pregnant

I'm still bf ds 7months and want to keep going until he's 1.5-2
but to those who bf 3. 4, 8(!! @zurala) how do you do it? Baby is growing longer and I'm struggling with comfortable positions already. Nursing chair is just for rocking now

@twoandcooplease

I thought breastfeeding made it more difficult to conceive until I seen how many women on this thread who are breastfeeding while pregnant

I'm still bf ds 7months and want to keep going until he's 1.5-2
but to those who bf 3. 4, 8(!! @zurala) how do you do it? Baby is growing longer and I'm struggling with comfortable positions already. Nursing chair is just for rocking now

I conceived my twins while bf my 3rd. I stopped when I was about 12 weeks as I found it painful and developed aversion. I think it may reduce your chance of conceiving when you are feeding exclusively but once you wean onto solids it lessens that effect. Only reduces though...doesn't mean you can't get pregnant and would never be considered as a form of contraception! Xx

@twoandcooplease they find different positions as they get bigger, only their head needs to be in the right position, the body can be anywhere! Toddlers tend to engage in gymnursetics anyway, with legs in the air, then as they get older it's just a quick few sucks and off, it's very different to feeding a baby.

Women can get pregnant if they are ovulating, regardless of whether they are breastfeeding.

EBF usually delays periods returning after childbirth, but not always, and it's not possible to predict for how long.

With both of my babies, my periods returned in the first six months while I was EBF (and they were nowhere near sleeping through!)

2 years with my first but am planning on stopping at about a year with my 2nd. I'm keen to have my body back to myself against with my first I was the only one who could do bed times or wake ups in the night as she needed to bf to sleep and I don't want so be in that situation again.