what's the longest you've breastfed for?

[weightstrugglinmum]

Hi all.

I'm just wondering what the longest times you have breastfed for? A friend has mentioned today that she still breastfeeds her 4 year old every night before bed, just got me thinking thats all, and out of curiosity I thought I'd put it out here, to hear about people's experiences!

4yrs 3months (ish) with one child but I was pregnant &/or breastfeeding continuously for 12 years

The expectation that you'll BF for a short period of time is so ingrained I had to get the Health Visitor to change two red books as they recorded as no longer breastfeeding even though they hadn't asked & we were!

I fed my son until he was 2 and my daughter until 3 (Covid hit and I wanted to give her better immunity so fed longer). Both were sad when I stopped but got over it within a month. I'm glad I did it although never set out to feed for so long. Neither really remember it (son mortified at the thought, daughter would happily try again for milk). For me three felt old and it was only really given in the morning and evening. Only family knew I was still feeding.

Almost 16 months so far, had been aiming to 2 but I’d say when I get to that I’ll let her decide.

DD1 self weaned at 2y3mo when my milk changed in pregnancy. DD2 I pushed it along at almost 4 by telling her the milk was gone. By then she was only feeding once or twice a week and I was ready to stop. She was a bit sad but ok quickly. I did get some judgement from family and didn’t do it in front of any of them beyond about 2.

4.5 years for ds. 3.5 years for dd2, 15 months for dd1. All self-weaned.

Currently on 3.5 years, 2 children. Ds 1 weaned at 22 months due to pregnancy drying up supply and 4 days later Ds2 arrived 6 weeks early and he'd still feeding at 18 months 🙂 I think he'll still be feeding a while yet which I'm fine with, he's my last so in no rush to stop and he settles happily for DH/Nursery/other family members if I'm not around

I've been bf continuously for 7y and 7m. Two children, about 9m of tandem feeding. Elder stopped around her 5th birthday. Younger is 4y 3m and says he'd like to keep on having mummy milk at bedtime till he's 5 "just like my sister did". I'm very lucky as bf mostly was easy for me and both the children, and I've had up to 10 day s apart from them and my supply has remained during the breaks.

3 years 8 months.

Fed DS1 until he was 4 years old, and by which to DS2 was 6 months old, and carried on until he self-weaned at 3 years and 10 months. So almost 7 years non stop.

I can't remember now if DD2 stopped just before or just after her 5th birthday, but it was round about that age anyway and she had started school. DD1 was about 3 and a half, and I was tandem feeding (just over 2 years between them) with a fair amount of nursing aversion towards the end. I think she would have carried on longer if I hadn't been trying to wind things up.

I breastfed DS1 for nine months. That was plenty long enough for me. I was already pregnant with DS2 and very happy to wean DS1.

4 years 8 months with my last baby. The other 4, 18 months - 3.5years.

Stopped with DD2 at age 4. She's grown up now and can actually remember breastfeeding!

22 months. We had to stop suddenly as I was told it could be compromising the safety of my pregnancy. I told them that night would be the last time they had Mummy's milk. I cried lots. They asked once the next day and that was it. Currently breastfeeding a newborn and aiming for 2 years.
We stopped feeding in front of others at about 18 months but that was mainly because it was only first thing, nap and bed by that stage. I was quite open with people that I still breastfed and that all the recommendations are until 2 years minimum which stopped their rude comments.

Only the one weaned so far at 23 months. I was aiming for 2 years, but fell pregnant with DC2. Milk was already at a trickle, and all but dried up by the middle of the first trimester. I developed a serious aversion to the whole damn thing at the same time to boot. Fortunately DC1 was very understanding, and she only asked a couple of times after that.

DC2 (15 months) is down to once or twice a day to sleep, as well as if he's poorly.

I’ve been feeding for ten and a half years, over three children. Youngest is still going at nearly three. The other two only stopped because I was pregnant and the milk dried up, but there are to be no more babies, so goodness knows how long this one will go on.

I remember feeling a bit self conscious with my first about feeding her in public once she was a toddler. Now of course I couldn’t give a fuck what anyone thinks about it. I happily feed my youngest in public and I hope my doing so might be encouraging for other women who may be feeling wobbly about doing it themselves. I’ve benefited from being surrounded by people who are all completely supportive and accepting of my breastfeeding. I’ve never had a single negative comment. A bit disappointing really, given the long list of witty and cutting remarks I have prepared in case of someone telling me I should stop.

Thank you all. I've really enjoyed hearing about all your experiences. It really saddens and angers me to read that some of you have experienced negatively or outdated perceptions from others, around breastfeeding a child/infant that is perceived by some to be too old. I absolutely agree that making it more known that older infants are still breastfed is really important, plus also the benefits to mum and child, are so significant. I had no idea about the cancer link stats.

DD1 BF until 15 months. She stopped when I was 7 months pregnant with DD2 and my milk dried up.
I had a 2 month gap and then BF DD2 for 17 months.
So 30 months of near continuous breastfeeding!

1 year each for 2 kids and 10 months for my biter.

Still feeding my DS (2.10) and prior to him, my two daughters 8&6 with no gaps! So I've now been feeding a baby's for more than 8 years consistently! A proud accomplishment it has left it's toll on the ladies 😂

Amazing! We'll done, such a gift to your babies x

7 years, 6 years and youngest still going at 4.5- no idea when she will stop. A friend still feeds her almost 8 year old to sleep. We are both normal boring people, not sure quite why they all continued so long. I've always gone with a don't refuse but don't offer policy after about age 2 and yet it went on a while. I wondered with the older two if its because they had younger siblings, but the youngest it still going strong. Only at night though.

My eldest will be 10 in a few months so like a PP I will have breastfed continuously for 10 years soon.

Would never judge anyone who did it differently, we just do what works for us.

1 year and 1 day. Exactly the same for each of my four kids. The current advise was that you should breastfeed for one year and I thought it mean to stop on their birthdays so one year and one day it was. I was only doing one quick bedtime feed and a quick wake up feed but that point anyway.

Breastfed my ds until he was nearly three and my daughter until she was four. Ended up breastfeeding consistently for six and a half years.

Until dd was 3yo.