Breastfeeding toddlers - when did you know

[Leomoon]

... it was time to wean?

I’m feeding my 15 month old. I’m planning to keep going until the recommended 2 yrs minimum but we will see how that goes. The general advice seems to be when either of you is ready to stop.

My 22 MO self weaned. He just wasn't interested one day!

I didn’t know, but my daughter did! Quite out of the blue 2 weeks ago my 16-month-old stopped and hasn’t come back to it. Prior to that when I’d vaguely thought about what would happen a friend of mine told me I would know when the time was right. I couldn’t have predicted this (my daughter was still feeding 3/4 times in 24 hours) but I have had to go with the flow. I think only you and your toddler can know what’s best in your situation.

My 2 1/2Ur old ds isn’t stopping any time soon! Following with interest.

Dc1 just stopped one day himself at 18 months.
With dt it was my choice I was exhausted with 3 children /work etc and my health was affected so I weaned them at 13 months.

I just did the 'don't offer, don't refuse' and she weaned herself.

I dropped down to two feeds a day at 12 months and one a day at 2 years. At 3.5 she would accept my husband putting her to bed even if I was home so the remaining bedtime feed became infrequent then soon stopped. She has since asked several times to feed again (she's 5.5) but I've said no!

Thanks for the replies, really interesting to know. 15 month old has dropped his morning feed but still feeds before naps and bed. But always sleeps better when dad puts him to bed with a bottle so wondering if it was time to start nudging him off the boob 🤔

@itsawonkydonkey

I just did the 'don't offer, don't refuse' and she weaned herself.

Same, but sometimes did refuse when it wasn't a good time. DS started skipping a day at 3, down to about once a week when he weaned at just turned 5.

I gently force weaned my first when he was 2.5 years old because we were struggling to conceive.

I then gently force weaned my second when he was just under 3 years old because by then I’d 100% totally had enough

We were down to one feed a day at bedtime at 20m. We dropped that feed when I found out I was pregnant so I could have some time before feeding the next one. My OH just did bedtime for a week or so and then when I started doing it again DS had forgotten and didn't ask again. It was really painless.

At 12 months he was biting my nipple and laughing, that’s when it was time !!!

I didn't. I let them all self wean which varied between 3.5 and 5 and a bit years. I don't recall any of the last feeds as it was always so gradual. The only deliberate thing I did was night wean DC2 when I was pregnant with DC3. I had hyperemesis and was struggling quite a bit so decided to encourage night weaning in the hope that I'd feel a bit better if I was getting more sleep. Otherwise I left them to decide themselves.

I chose to let DS1 self wean. It did eventually happen! He was 4.

I would quite like to wean DS2 (2.2) so I can go on some medication but I don't know if I have the heart - he is so attached to it at the moment. We also have absolutely no other options for getting him to sleep D:

15 month old started biting my nipple whilst grinning at me occasionally. Then one day they bit hard and pulled their head back, causing my nipple to tear about 1/4 the way off.

And that's how I stopped breastfeeding.

I should have stopped when they were casually biting.

My DD self weaned gradually, stopping completely at 17 months.

@NationalShiteYear - I winced reading your post! 🤭

Dear god @NationalShiteYear, that is the stuff of nightmares. I trust it's reattached?

DD is 19 months. She has one big morning feed and one or two comfort feeds in the evening. Normally when she gets back from nursery and after her bath. They aren't proper feeds in the evening though, unless she's teething. I suspect we'll stop at 2 if she's still going. Probably.

@ChaosMoon yes it did thankfully, although it needed a decent course of antibiotics!

His 3rd birthday, told him I was tired and he never asked again.

Think I was lucky, fed 4 of them and never got bitten. I think I'd have weaned sharpish.

Can I ask at what point people's periods came back? My boy feeds first thing and last thing and maybe one other feed in the day. He's 14 months. I am awaiting periods to restart to try and conceive again.
Also, if I decided to skip the morning milk and just go straight for brekkie is that ok? HV said they need 400mls of milk at 14 months and he doesnt really drink much cow's mik :/

I stopped at about 28m because I was sick of being fat and breastfeeding was preventing me losing weight. It was a personal decision because I was fed up, nothing to do with DC.

@TigerBrite I thought bf was supposed to make you thin?!

[quote Horehound]@TigerBrite I thought bf was supposed to make you thin?![/quote]

I kept on almost a stone whilst BF.

Lost it really quickly when I stopped.

Everyone is different and depends on your starting position I think.