A question for breastfeeding mums

[Hope54321]

Breastfeeding mums, did you or do you feed your LO on demand at 12 months and above?

Yes though I’m really over it at 4 months shy of 3 years. Send help.

I stopped feeding DS2 just before he turned three and it was almost always on demand (and he was demanding)

Yes, I fed all four of mine on demand for around 2 years

Yes, mostly me I tried to drop a few feeds as we introduced solids - but neither of my DC took to solids well at all until they were about 18 months old. I remember seeing my friend’s DS clearing plates of cottage pie etc but mine would lick a tomato and hurl it away, or chew toast but not eat it.

I fed them both until they were 2.5. The eldest in particular (now 7) is a brilliant eater but my youngest (4) is a fussy pants.

No not on demand any more at 12 months. Occasionally she'll grab my top but mostly morning, after lunch and bedtime.

@nutellamagnet

I stopped feeding DS2 just before he turned three and it was almost always on demand (and he was demanding)

Ah I was thinking the feeds reduce significantly by this stage.

No, I stopped on demand feeding at about 9/10 months for both children, in preparation for my return to work. Both were in a reasonably solid feeding routine anyway, so dropped 1 feed a day until we were down to a schedule that complemented my hours - basically fed on waking, waking from naps on weekend days and to sleep and overnight wakings (all 57 of them!!)

Yes sort of. If we were somewhere I was happy feeding then I would. But also told them to wait until later/nap time/bedtime if I didn’t want to feed at a particular moment.

Yes. She’s nearly 2.5. If I’m doing something or just need a break I can distract her for a bit or say we’ll do it after snack, book, lunch, not till nap time etc. But no schedule.

Do whatever works for you

Yes

Sorry, meant to add that I stopped feeding dd1 at 17 months.

Dd2 is 20 months and have recently stopped feeding at waking and to sleep, and only feed for overnight wakes. Planning to stop all feeds by the end of September

Yes, but I can say give me 5 minutes and he generally does at 2.5.

21 months & fed on demand - well unless I'm at work or not with him but equally he doesn't ask at these times

To an extent…out and about no. Except maybe to help them nap.

A quiet day at home - yes I would be a bit more able to feed on demand. But if I had things to do, then not necessarily as soon as they ask, unless it was nap time.

Nope. I reduced daytime feeding in months before returning to work so they were used to it and I didn't explode! Fed on waking, bedtime and sometimes before Naptime if I was there at 12m then dropped to just bedtime feed.

I didn’t set rules until about age 2.5 when I needed it to be more structured and limited. Then I gradually cut down sessions until she was 3.

I found as they got older, they went through phases where they weren’t fussed, and others where they wanted BF a LOT more!!

Ah this is making me miss it a bit

@QueenHofScotland

To an extent…out and about no. Except maybe to help them nap.

A quiet day at home - yes I would be a bit more able to feed on demand. But if I had things to do, then not necessarily as soon as they ask, unless it was nap time.

This was similar to me. I fed my eldest pretty much on demand until she was 2, my youngest until just before he turned 4. With my youngest I didn't feed him out and about after he was about 2 and at home it depended on what was doing at the time. After age 3 it was almost always at night unless he was really upset in the day.

Yes kind of. Out and about we don’t unless little one really needs it. At home though he pesters all the time. Pulls at my top, grabs me. We were trying to cut down on feeds during the day (he’s 14 months) and were doing ok with distraction etc but he just won’t drink enough water / cows milk and his nappies were not wet enough often enough for my liking so I always end up giving in as I worry he’ll get dehydrated!! No idea how to sort it out. Have started offering him water in an open cup as he seems to take more then but still not loads

I do still feed on demand (at 20m) but she’s in quite a set routine so she only tends to ask for milk first thing or when she’s tired and wants to go to sleep. Most days I do 7am and bedtime, sometimes before her nap too but this one appears to be slipping now. She hardly ever asks for more than that, unless she is unwell when she seems to want lots of small feeds and cuddles.

No by 12 months we were on 4 feeds a day (at set times) and that gradually reduced over the course of over 4 months.

My DC have both gone to nursery at 10 months but I feed on demand once they're back with me, which means every 2 hours at night until they're 2. Although my dc2 is showing no signs of dropping any of his night feeds! I'm used to it now though and wake every 2 hours even if I'm not with them.

Usually not. Once mealtimes were established we settled into feeding before naps and before bed (and I usually try to distract her if it's not the 'right time', but not always). That's what works for us.

I usually limited it to morning and after nursery at 12 month, but we often did more than that when she was tired/ grumpy/ teething/ any other toddler chaos.

She's now 20 months, and feeds about once a week. Mostly her choice, but I had to cut down the demand feeds when she suddenly went crazy for it at about 16 months and it started hurting horribly.

Yes kind of. But as they get older they can generally be distracted or take teeny snack feeds. Often called contact feeds as they happen to reassure wee ones in difficult (to them) situations like when hurt or scared or tired or overwhelmed or bored etc.
It’s not really about food for many breastfed infants- especially as the get older. It’s like a relationship. For many. Not all.