Breastfeeding beyond a year - tips, advice?

[almama]

New on this site, and wish I had joined it earlier! Such a great resource. I'm sure this topic has been covered before - but a quick search didn't bring anything up, so here goes:

My dd will be 1y this week. (I can't believe it!). I am still breastfeeding her and enjoying it, with no intention of stopping anytime soon. (I'm amazed, as I remember week 8 thinking I wouldn't last another day - colic+no sleep.)

She still feeds 1st thing in the morning, probably the longest, most significant feed, and right before bed as part of our "going to sleep now" ritual. I also feed her at 1-3 times during the day, either when she is looking for it, or when I need to distract her or calm her. She never took a bottle, despite desperate attempts by my dh to give her one when she wasn't sleeping and I needed a break. (She never took a dummy either - the girl is a purist!) She does drink water from a beaker cup throughout the day.

A couple of questions for others who have/are breastfeeding past 1y:

When did you introduce cow's milk? Why? And how often/how much?
I'm thinking of gradually reducing feeds to the morning only - but no idea how to phase out the going-to-bed feed - any suggestions?
What have your experiences been regarding your dcs' interest in feeding as they get older?
When did you finally stop? Why?

Any tips or advice is so very appreciated! My HV is not a big supporter past a year, and I don't know very many mums who have continued. Thanks!!

Hi! I've just weaned ds (14 mths) over the last couple of weeks- mainly because he was getting less and less interested in bf, and I wanted to get back on the pill (mini-pill REALLY doesn't suit me, and I def don't want a no.4!!)

He was really not interested in cows milk, although would take ebm in a bottle. In the end, I mixed ebm and cm in decreasing proportions, and he now takes cm no bother. HTH

ponygirl17 - I've spent ages deliberating my decision to quit breastfeeding ... it;s only been a few days, so still time to change my mind.

almama - another comment I want to add is that since weaning my DD onto cow's milk, I've noticed her appetite (for solids) has waned ... though it could be a coincidence. I've always felt that breastfeeding allows your LO to regulate their intake according to what they need because you don;t know and therefore don;t interfere with them IYSWIM

hi, dd is 16 months and has just weaned herself. only bf at bedtime for last couple of months and she was no longer falling asleep at breast as always and less interested, as well as biting! so now she has warm cm in her tipee cup while we read a bedtime story and then to sleep, sometimes she drinks a lot other times not.
she has cm on her breakfast and a half cup to swig with it and sometimes another cup mid morning or after early lunch if she fancies it before nap. i try not to offer cm too often as i think of it like food and will fill her tummy

Hi, I fed DS2 until a couple of months ago - he'll be 2 in a couple of weeks. Started introducing cow's milk after a year, as a drink and gradually cut down bf until he was feeding to sleep only - nap time (once a day), bedtime and then if he woke in the night usually.

He more or less self-weaned, and I was so glad I resisted the pressure I had from a few people to stop sooner. It just felt like the time was right for both of us, completely natural ending and not at all traumatic. I was really worried that he'd have a very strong feed to sleep association, but it didn't cause any problems in the end, because I think he was ready to stop too. Really a wonderful experience (and I was just like you at 8 weeks, and had failed to bf ds1 beyond 10 weeks).

Between this and the other thread I'm very encouraged! Some great, practical advice. Thanks for sharing your stories, (midnightexpress !!)

I'd love to get to the point where she self weans, tbh I don't know how I would be able to stand withholding it from her... although I guess at some point that feeling changes (2-3yrs?) It's helpful to hear other experiences.

On the other thread I read that some mums are not feeding in public anymore, but I'm still doing that and didn't even think about it as an issue. Now I'll have to look around when I'm doing it and see if anyone is giving me funny stares.

hi again, wanted just to add i gradually stopped feeding 'in public' after 12/13months, more to get dd used to only feeding at certain times and didn't want her to start lunging for my boobs and whining at inconvenient moments as i'd seen my friend's kid!

Dd is 2 year old and still BF. no sign of it stopping, and while will take cow milk in cereal, won't take a bottle and has never even accepted a dummy.

When did you introduce cow's milk? Why? And how often/how much?

With both Dcs, I've only really offered given cows milk on cereal. I offered it as a drink from 1 and DD1 drank the odd glass but now at 4 never really drinks it.

I'm thinking of gradually reducing feeds to the morning only - but no idea how to phase out the going-to-bed feed - any suggestions?

Can DD be settled by your DH at night? If you can get him to settle her without her night feed, you'll be on your way to dropping that feed. Maybe try with naps first. My DH takes DD2 out in buggy and transfers her when she's asleep.

What have your experiences been regarding your dcs' interest in feeding as they get older?

DD1 has always been a boob monster (morning night and whenever her sibling has a feed) and shows no signs of wanting to stop although if she's away for the weekend with grandparents she can go with out it, she always asks for it the moment she's back through the door.

When did you finally stop? Why?

4yr old still going. I want her to self-wean but she loves it so much, I think in the end I'll have to force the issue which I don't want to do. We've had a lovely experience and I would like to end it on a good note.