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!

2 years 3 months for 1 child (my 5th). 5 years 10 months in total plus 5 months exclusively pumping for dc4.

Me about 20m, my mum almost 5 years!

DC1 - 1 year
DC2 - 1 year
DC3 - only a few weeks in at the moment, but plan to do a year too. I feel like when it gets to the year mark I've done my time, and it's nice to finally fully get my body back.

First child 3 months, second child 8 weeks - I hated bf

12 months with DD1 and DS1. 11 months with DD2. Breastfeeding DD2 was a struggle from the start. I had bruises all across my chest where she would pinch me whilst feeding. She didn't thrive on breast milk, and dropped down the percentiles but pointblamk refused to take a bottle. At 11 months, at her bedtime feed, she looked at me, locked eyes and pushed my breast away with her little hand, and that was it, the end of our breastfeeding journey, I kept offering the breast for another week or so but she’d made her mind up. Felt a mixture of relief and sadness. DD2 is 11 now and still very much knows her own mind!

3 years 8 months

There's an excellent Facebook group called Breastfeeding Older Babies and Beyond- I found it a great source of tips, advice and support when I was BFing.

3 and a half years.

3 months EBF with each DC then tapered to formula by 6 months.

I had low supply which meant DD would just scream and scream with frustration. DS would BF happily and I thought I’d cracked it until it turned out his weight was dangerously low, I continued and did everything to boost supply but it came to a point where I was worried the cons of undernourishment were outweighing the pros of breast milk.

I’m still sad about it, not because of anyone making me feel bad but I’d have loved to have been able to fully nourish my kids myself. I do consider myself very lucky to live in the time I do though as I think 100 years ago it would have been a potentially very different outcome.

DD2 till nine/ten months. She just seemed kind if over it at that point. She was ebf till six months.

DD1 wouldn't breastfeed directly but I exclusively pumped for her for four months.

8? 😳 I'm sorry but that's a bit much. Even 6 is.

Just because you wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean you need to be rude about it.
It’s actually thought that around 7 ish is when most children would naturally feed until as it’s related to when adult teeth come through and that’s typically when kids lose the ability to latch.
This is why first teeth are called “milk teeth”
In some cultures it’s a normal thing to feed children that age directly and even adults would drink expressed milk.

Just finished breastfeeding my 2.5 year old last week. Bittersweet but I was definitely ready to reclaim my body!

My current Dd is 2y 9m and we're still going but she doesn't feed daily now

I stopped at around 7 months with both my children. By that point they were eating solids and I felt I'd given them a good start.

Dc1 7 days
Dc2 7 days
Dc3 3 years, 4 months

DD is 3.5 and still has a quick "nuzzly" at bedtime (if I'm not there and someone else is doing her bedtime she's fine though)

3.5 years, his teeth seemed to change and he couldn't do it anymore. Interestingly the minute he couldn't get milk he stopped, he certainly wasn't just doing it for the "dummy" effect.

2 years

3 years, the last 3-6 months was very sporadic and DD announced the night before her 3rd birthday she was too old, patted my boob, said "bye bye booby" and pulled my top back into place and that was it.

Interesting, I breastfed for 8 years altogether, with 2 1/2 years of that tandem breastfeeding. Both breastfed until about age 6, although after about age 2 it was only at home and after about age 4 just once at night before bed.

Dd1 self weaned at 2y, actually it was when I realised I was pg with DD2. I think pregnancy must affect the taste of the milk. Then DD2 bf until she was nearly 4.

Annoyingly though, although I breastfed for nearly 6 years altogether, I still got breast cancer.

Around 2 years.

Actually, miscalculation and error, it was a long time ago, thay are now 16 and 19! DS1 breastfed till 8 and DS2 till 6, DS2 stopped about 9 months after DS1 despite a 2 3/4 year age difference. So I must have breastfed for 8 3/4 years with nearly 6 years of tandem feeding.

1st daughter- 6 months
2nd daughter- 3 years
3rd son- 18 months

Currently pregnant with 4th but not going to breast feed