When did you stop breastfeeding?

[Jummynbean]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, got a little one on the way and was curious to find out when you all decided to stop breast feeding and also why? Most places online recommend anywhere between 6 months and upwards of 2 years which is pretty vague. If you can also add some pros, cons and whether you think you should have done it differently, keen to learn from your experiences.

23 months. On HVs advice.

12 months with both, was still feeding dd1 when pregnant with dd2, felt like the right time, esp with dd2 who never took a bottle

Three months when I went back to work and didn't get on with expressing.

16 months.

My daughter was/is painfully shy (diagnosed with selective mutism at 3yo) to the point that I couldn't even leave her with DH without her screaming for me and she was still waking every 1-2 hours through the night so I was mentally and physically exhausted.

I was at the stage where I was beginning to resent every feed and getting snappy with DD and the rest of my family.

As for doing things differently, I would mix feed from the start should there be a #3. #1 was bottle fed and I honestly don't think it was any more hassle, just more costly.

Ds1 nearly 2, ds3 at 18 months when I fell pregnant and bfing made me feel ill, ds2 mixed fed from week 2 and stopped bfing around 3 months as he had other medical issues that made feeding complex. Still feeding ds4 at 8 months.

Once you get past the first really hard weeks, and assuming there are no other issues, bfing has been easy and great for me. I've gone back to work between 10-12 months each time and kept night and morning feeds, I find it really bonding after being away all day, it's a lovely calm time and good for their immune system too when they are starting at nursery and get sick so often.
I night wean soon between 10-16 months though as I find it helps sleep.

But in the end, do what feels right for you and your baby!

Just over 2 years old but we were only on one feed before bed by that point.
I enjoyed feeding until that long but I did want my body to wholly become my own again at that point. I was happy I succeeded that long.
Pros - Boob fixes all ills, pain, sleep and problems - it is a comfort in itself and I was happy in that
Con - Dd is five and still technically thinks boobs are great - compromise is cuddling my stomach

Also I wish someone had said first few weeks can be tricky. You really have to learn how to feed plus your baby is learning to. So be patient with yourself and them. Try to feed them or even practice correct latches before they're screaming hungry to, that way you both wont be stressed.
Definitely look up the Mumsnet thread 'things I wish I knew before I breastfed' its helped a few of my friends immensely.

At two and a half with first baby, as I was nearing the end of my second pregnancy, and at five and a half with my second.

With dd1 I stopped at 1yo and put her straight onto cows milk. Still feeding DD2 at 10m, will probably put her onto cows milk 2 weeks before she turns one as thats when I'm going back to work

Pros- I've never had to spend money on formula. Night feeds are a doddle, no standing around the kitchen. We live a farm and it's handy to be able to feed her wherever I am without needing to pop into the house

Cons- currently public feeding is a little embarrassing as she's so interested in everything that's going on.

About 19 months. I really hated breastfeeding at first, as it was so painful, but once I was in the swing of it we just carried on well after I said I would wean him. He slept through the night after weaning which is great.

Still feeding DD at 10 months. She will accept a bottle of formula which I sometimes do now as I can never express much (plus she has food now obviously so I don’t see it as any different!).

I plan to keep going for as long as she needs it as long as we’re both happy. I think I’ll really miss it when she stops.

13 months, would have happily gone longer but my lo gave me up soon after having his 1 year injections. I loved breastfeeding, i found it super convenient and very bonding. It was also a great way of getting lo back off to sleep if he woke or wasn't well. I really struggled when I went back to work though because I found expressing really tough and time-consuming. It also affected my supply which I'm sure contributed to my lo giving me up.

Dd1...two years including throughout pregnancy and seven months of tandem feeding. Wouldn't change it though as helped their bond beautifully and she was only 9m when I got pregnant so needed to as we don't do bottles. Can't be bothered with expressing etc and they always refer stright from source.
Ds1.. Two years. Stopped at 8 weeks pregnant as didn't want to tandem again.
Ds2... 17 days and planning at least two years 😊

It's basically how I parent for the first two years, I'm a SAHM so it's convenient and just how me and dh want to do things.

Six months, when I went back to work and he almost instantly developed a massive bottle preference. In hindsight I probably could have tried harder to make breastfeeding continue to work for longer, but I'm completely torn on whether or not that would have been best. I would have liked him to get breast milk for longer but I don't think I realised the toll it was taking on me and my body until I stopped.

Statistically stopping at six months is very common but no one on MN ever seems to have done the same, which is why I thought I'd post!

Wouldn't have done anyhing differently tbh other than seek help sooner with Dd1 maybe. Struggled for a month before seeing LLL. But it would never have stopped me bfing. Other than that I'm incredibly happy with the whole breastfeeding experience. Feeding through pregnancy and tandem feeding was hard and overwhelming at times but I've no regrets.

2y4m, although he'd been having only a morning and bedtime feed from about 20 months.
Pros - DS almost never gets ill (but that could be coincidence/genetics because I'm never ill either). It was more convenient, cheaper, easier than formula. It was a really lovely way to bond and to calm him down. For about a year it was the only way to get him to sleep.
Cons - I didn't manage to get an evening out until he was almost 2yo, because he wouldn't settle for anyone but me at bedtime. I have always done every single night waking (and he's almost 3yo now and hasn't slept through the night yet) so I'm chronically sleep-deprived. He went through a 3 week phase of biting when his molars were coming through, so I had strips torn off my nipples - that wasn't fun.
Overall I loved it though, and I'm hoping I can breastfeed my second when he/she arrives in the Autumn.

DC1 - 12m, when I wanted to start TTC and didn't fancy being pregnant and breastfeeding at the same time

DC2- 11m - she weaned herself off

DC3 - 8m in a desperate attempt to improve his sleeping (it didn't)

14 months! He gradually stopped himself when I went back to work!

2 yrs and 4 months here, still breastfeeding sporadically. It's getting more and more infrequent and it's up to her to ask. Most days we don't do it at all. It's a lovely way to stop, at her pace.

But everyone is different and you'll know when the time is right. Best of luck.

Lols, you might find it's not quite so much about you deciding to stop as your baby finally letting you off the leash!

BF DD until she was about 22 months. I'd been trying to tail off for a while by then, restricted it to only after breakfast and dinner, then only after dinner, then finally stopped when I got pregnant (your body sometimes gives you a clear signal it doesn't like something, made me shudder all of a sudden).

I'd think about the early weeks/months more than the long run if I were you - know where to look for help (local groups, Kellymom, HV, lactation consultant maybe). It looks like you just stick a boob in the baby's direction but can be much, much harder than you think. Worth persevering though, unless it totally does your head in, in which case it's probably not...

Pros
Easy way to keep em quiet
More convenient
Health benefits for both of you
Cheaper
Gives you a fuzzy feeling

Cons
Can be hard to start with
Extended feeding can make you feel a bit overtouched/resentful
Got to get boobs out all over the place
Depending when/if you go back to work, can be hard if baby doesn't take to formula or solids
Restricts the clothing you can wear a bit

13 and 26 months.
After a terrible time getting going with dc1 (breast thrush, mostly), once I got the hang of it I was damn well keeping going to 6 months. Then after 4-5 months it got so easy I kept going. By a year it was just morning and night, and soon after, just bedtime. Dc1 quit, dc2 might have carried on but I'd had enough of her waking in the night for it.

I think the WHO recommends 2 years.

Stopped with #1 at 17 months (she weaned herself, I was 5 months pregnant)
Weaned herself 4 days before her second birthday.

Re. 6 months and 2 years - WHO recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months and then continuing with food and water for at least 2 years so that is where those two time frames come from.

For me, I BF DD until 2yrs 3mo, including 6mo tandem feeding with DS. DS is now 2yr 3mo and only feeds in the morning if he asks and naptime if we're at home. I would probably stop for myself but he's in full time childcare so it's probably the mum guilt that keeps me going for now. We'll stop soon though.

When he was 3.5. Although we were down to just 1 feed a day for the last year or so.

My plan was to go for 6 months then switch to formula. But the boy had other ideas, and after reading around I discovered natural weaning age was anything from 2 years upwards.

It wasn't always enjoyable and I was worried at times he wouldn't stop, but if I had my time again I wouldn't change anything.