Breastfeeding

[Mamaaaaaa]

Just curious how long have other mums breastfeeded LO? Want to know so I can do best by DD but have no clue how many months to keep feeding her for

I fed mine exclusively for around 5.5 months then introduced solids. Then with solids until she was 15 months when she self weaned. Some will decide when they want to stop.

Whatever feels right for you. I've fed for anywhere between 13 months and over 3 years for different children. Only thing I ever had as a goal was 6 months because I couldn't be arsed to sort bottles once I had bf cracked. Then it became a year because I realised they still needed either breast milk or formula until a year old. After that it just carried on until one or other of us was ready to stop.

It really doesn't matter, you do what works for you and your family, just take things one day at a time. You are doing a wonderful job.

I fed my eldest for 5 weeks and I’m still feeding my youngest at 12.5 months. My goal with my youngest was 6 months, then 12. Now we’ve got to a year, I’ll keep going until one of us is ready to stop, although I don’t intend on feeding past 2 years.

I'm breastfeeding my 10 month old alongside solids. I am hoping to stop at around 12 months when I am back at work but I won't force the issue if it makes him unhappy (I will night wean though).

As long as you both want to.

I fed my oldest untjl just before his 3rd birthday when I was 16 weeks pregnant with his younger sibling. I will feed his sibling as long as required, but I would be sad if he weaned before 2, partly because bf is spectacularly useful for toddler illnesses and tantrums and partly because I've always remembered what a US Surgeon General once said on the topic: "A child who breastfeeds until 2 is, I feel, a lucky child".

I would always feed to a year as I am far too cheap and lazy to fuck about with formula, bottles, and other ways of getting a baby to sleep.

Fed my first until 14 months when I weaned her because she was allergic to so much food that my diet was seriously limited.

10 weeks in with my second and plan to carry on until at least a year old but longer if there are no allergy issues, preferably until he self-weans as he's probably my last baby and I know I'll miss the breastfeeding once I stop.

Just keep it up til it doesn’t work for one of you.
Every extra day is beneficial really, even at 2y+ But so is feeding them a good range of healthy foods, keeping them active etc. (Saying that I’m having a wobble about wanting to cut back with my 18m old but I fed her big sister til she was 3 so doesn’t seem fair to stop earlier! I’ll just have to get over myself ;) )

I'm still feeding my 21 month old. I'm pregnant though and desperate to stop. Problem is, it brings her so much comfort and she gets very distressed if I refuse.

Will LO get too attatched to breast feeding if done past 1 year old? I want to stop when shes 2 years old but worried she'll have comfort problems and wont soothe :/

I dunno. What are comfort problems? Toddlers can be comforted lots of ways, but Bf is an amazing comforter, why delete it from your arsenal?

I really missed it when DS stopped falling asleep on the boob, it was so useful, but he was already a great sleeper who put himself to sleep by that stage. Don't get obsessed with some idea of baby "not self soothing". They self soothe when they're ready, bf or no. If you're both happy now, why borrow trouble by worrying about something that will quite likely never happen?

Im hoping she wants to feed till 2 but good to know its needed till 1 she will hopefully build a strong immune system by then!

BergamotMouse was saying when trying to stop at 21 months it made LO distressed, im hoping when my DD is ready to stop I will stop breastfeeding

My dd bf until she was about 16 months old when she self weaned. I took her cues as to what she needed and it helped us both a lot as listening to others about what I should or shouldn't be doing was too stressful.

Toddlers can be upset when you want to wean before they do, yes, but if you don't have a pressing reason to do it quickly you can cut down naturally and gently, and they do get over it. And it would be a shame to deprive you both of months of the convenience, bonding and immunity benefits just in case you find it difficult to wean, IMO.

Thats very helpful to know I will just go with her cues and see how long we can keep feeding for till she self weaned and I understand what you mean by that

I don't regret feeding this long. It's a wonderful tool for an upset child. My reason to stop is being pregnant and very sick. Sometimes I'm sick in a bucket mid feed. If I wasn't pregnant I'd happily be carrying on. I just really want her to self wean happily now.

But I imagine it would be easier to have stopped at 1, but only because she wouldn't be able to be so expressive of her upset. The upset might have been the same though if that makes sense.

It's a tough one but with my next (and probably last) baby I'll plan on doing for as long as they need. Hope this helps.

Fifteen months with DS1
Still feeding 2 year old DD2 morning and night feeds only
EBF my five month old DS2

I fed first for 12 months, she self weaned as I was pregnant and she didn't like the change of taste. Currently feeding DD2, 3 months in and loving it! You feed for as long as you and baby are happy and comfortable

Still feeding my 3 year old. My original goal was 9 months when I returned to work but formula is a faff so we kept going.

I don't have any issues with it being a comfort. No one would disagree with a child having a teddy or blanket as a comforter so why is it an issue to feed for comfort?

The NHS and WHO recommend feeding to 2 years and beyond as it remains beneficial for both parties. I think the natural weaning age is between 2 and 7 years with the majority weaning between 3 and 4 years when there's no outside influences.

Its not a issue her having comfort feeds at all, im just thinking ahead when shes going to nursery if she will be ok without feeds but theres lots of time till then so will see how long she wants to feed for ive been told its recommended till 2 years old but mujority people stop before then as the baby doesnt need it anymore

The great thing when they get to around 2 is their language and understanding has developed too so while yes, they may get upset if you want to wean them (and there is nothing wrong either wanting to stop) you can also use language to explain it to them. You can start to build manners into it and expectations for example asking them to wait until you get home if they ask to nurse while out of the house and gradually cut down that way.

Of course if you get to 2 years it can see, pointless stopping depending on your child. One of mine would wake an hour after going to bed and scream and scream and scream unless she was fed. We tried everything including me going out and leaving dh to it but nothing worked apart from me throwing in the towel and telling her the milk was all gone. She and the mother of all tantrums for a night then accepted it and merrily toddled around saying it all gone. She still woke at night but would be cuddled by either me or dh. My next child by 2 years of age I could work night shifts, go away for the weekend etc and he would be fine without my boobs and just feed when I was there. They have completely different characters, the screamer is a very, very stubborn and determined child. The other is very laid back, easy going, take it as it comes.

Try not to worry about situations like nursery and returning to work. My daughter is absolutely fine without milk if I'm not there. Doesn't even cross her mind. She's always been happy with cows milk at nursery or grandparents or if I'm not in the house. You can always pump, mine didn't ever really want expressed, only direct from the source for her.

It just depends on how she is at 2 years old but thats great to know, will be able to communicate with her to slowly get her off breastfeeding when the time is right for her

I agree with other posters, as long as it feels right for you both. I had planned on breastfeeding for about 6 months which quickly changed to 1 year. In the end we stopped when my son turned 2. I spoke to him about it a few days before and told him he was gonna have new “special” milk which was warm milk with a little honey. After we stopped he asked a few times but there was no drama. I probably missed it more than him

I'm still feeding my 16 month old, my plan was a year but it's such a comfort to him a(and how he goes to sleep at night) I just can't see how I can stop, and I don't want to!
I think I'll feed until he self weans (if he it goes on past 3/4 I may encourage it myself tbh)