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Original poster

When should I stop breastfeeding

60 replies

Tiegs · 23/02/2025 10:22

Hi everyone
My baby has just turned 1 and I have been breastfeeding exclusively since he was a newborn . I'm not sure when is the appropriate time to stop breastfeeding.
I have people asking me questions like " don't you feel weird that he has lots of teeth and you're still breastfeeding " or don't you think he's too big to still be breastfeeding .

My answer is no why should I need to stop if it'd still good for him .

My question is when did you stop breastfeeding or when do you think is the perfect age to stop breastfeeding ?

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Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 14:14

Strawberrycheesecake7 · 23/02/2025 10:39

You should stop either when your son has had enough of breastfeeding or when you have. The world health organisation recommends breastfeeding until 2 years and beyond, but milk isn’t strictly needed past one year so you could stop now if you decided that was best. I exclusively breastfed my son for a year (alongside solid food after 6 months). He was still breastfeeding loads at a year old and was pretty glued to me as a result so I started giving him cows milk in a cup a couple of times a day. You don’t need to do this but I found it helped him to stop being so reliant on breastfeeding. He’s 20 months old now and still breastfeeds 2-3 times a day which is manageable for me.

Oh okay thank you . Yes he is very Clive and still has a couple feeds in the day but the thing is he still wakes up 5-10 times a night to feed . I know he doesn't need milk in the night now but he still wakes up wanting it which is a pain .

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Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 14:15

SnowSnow · 23/02/2025 10:40

I’m aiming for at least until 2 due to the WHO recommendation. If anyone asks when I’m going to stop I just say the WHO recommends at least two and then don’t really have a conversation about it as it kind of shuts down discussion.

Well done for feeding your baby this long. It’s totally up to you as to what feels right for both you and baby.

For me it’s the only way he settles for sleep so I will need to carry on for a while yet.

Yes same as my little one he only goes to sleep now whilst feeding but still wakes up little times a night to feed and I'm not sure how to stop him from doing this

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Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 14:17

Maxorias · 23/02/2025 11:38

Agree with everyone else, there is not ideal age to stop, it depends on your circumstances and what you want to do.

So long as both you and the baby are happy, that's what matters. Although there IS an age at which it'll become weird (I mean, no one expects a ten year old to BF...) but when exactly that age is, well, everyone's got their opinion on that. And no one's opinion matters but yours when it comes to your baby.

Yeah of course I will go up to 2 if that's what he still wants to do . It hurts when he bites down though and not sure how to stop him from doing this

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TinyMouseTheatre · 23/02/2025 14:18

At 12 months you can night wean if you want to @Tiegs. Just because you're BFing doesn't mean that you have to feed all night.

Both of mine slept more once we moved them to their own rooms but if you do want to try some night weaning, this method from Jay Gordon is very gentle Wink

Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 14:25

TinyMouseTheatre · 23/02/2025 14:18

At 12 months you can night wean if you want to @Tiegs. Just because you're BFing doesn't mean that you have to feed all night.

Both of mine slept more once we moved them to their own rooms but if you do want to try some night weaning, this method from Jay Gordon is very gentle Wink

Thank you I will definitely look into this . As he falls asleep on my boob and when he wakes in the night he wants milk to fall asleep very Rarely will he just go back to sleep by him self . This is the part I hate about bf is that he still wakes up sooo many times a night

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Nothanksiwillwalk · 23/02/2025 14:31

Aw, I remember those breastfeeding days. Dd1 was 15 months when I stopped. Dd2 I think was 2 1/2 (I was pregnant at the time and she stopped a couple of months after ds was born)
DS I think was around 3.

I wish I could have similar control over their nutrition now they are 18, 16 and 14. They love fast food and ultra processed crap 🙄

SnowSnow · 23/02/2025 14:33

Tiegs · 23/02/2025 14:15

Yes same as my little one he only goes to sleep now whilst feeding but still wakes up little times a night to feed and I'm not sure how to stop him from doing this

Show quote history

My little one is the same waking up loads. Lucy Webber Feeding Support and The Breastfeeding Mentor are both useful instagram pages and have info on feeding toddlers, night weaning and various other bits so they might be useful to take a look at.

The lack of sleep is super hard so solidarity there.

Perseimmion · 23/02/2025 14:36

My three all naturally lost interest at around 12 months. They started to prefer book time.

ALunchbox · 23/02/2025 14:40

I BF for 4.5 years. Would have carried on longer but stopped producing milk.

TinyMouseTheatre · 23/02/2025 14:43

Thank you I will definitely look into this . As he falls asleep on my boob and when he wakes in the night he wants milk to fall asleep very Rarely will he just go back to sleep by him self . This is the part I hate about bf is that he still wakes up sooo many times a night

Yeah if you're not enjoying the night feeds try the night weaning.

You might also want to get DH to try some of the night wakings.

Have a read of 12 alternatives for the all night nurserr*

And the No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolerss*.

Mielbee · 23/02/2025 14:49

When either you or he don't want to do it any more! Ignore everyone else. I'm still going at 2y8m and will see what happens. We're both happy so why stop? It's got such good health benefits for you as well as for him e.g. reduces risk of breast cancer by 4% for every year you breastfeed.

Mielbee · 23/02/2025 14:52

Tiegs · 23/02/2025 14:25

Thank you I will definitely look into this . As he falls asleep on my boob and when he wakes in the night he wants milk to fall asleep very Rarely will he just go back to sleep by him self . This is the part I hate about bf is that he still wakes up sooo many times a night

Show quote history

Just be aware that night weaning won't necessarily change the night wakes and you may be removing your best tool for getting him back to sleep. If it's the feeding at night specifically that you are fed up of then of course night weaning is an option - but if it's the night wakes, then it's quite likely that those will just continue.

BellaCiao23 · 23/02/2025 15:04

I stopped at 18 months because I had a general anaesthetic and it seemed like a good time to go cold turkey. It’s no one else’s business how long you BF.

GreyGoggles · 23/02/2025 15:06

Finish up when is right for both of you. On my first I finished up about 22 months as my period hadn't come back and I wanted to get pregnant again. It was a forced weaning and very tough on both of us, but needed to be done. I would have loved if I could have gone on longer. My second it was a little after three years and on a gentler schedule when we both agreed to stop (I have photos of our special day out to mark the end of feeding). Going back to work it was a lovely way to reconnect when we came home after nursery each day. Towards the end it was really only three feeds a day - morning, after work and bed time. Forget what others tell you you should be doing. Feeding as long as works for both of you is a beautiful gift for your child.

Autumn1990 · 23/02/2025 16:35

3 years with my first and 4 years with my second. When mine bit I put them down on the floor and stopped that feed. It worked well.
To reduce overnight wakings I gave my eldest an elllas meal pouch at 10pm then bf him to sleep and he slept through until 5 ish. My second just woke the once by 12 months but she is a good sleeper

HappyAsASandboy · 23/02/2025 17:02

Stop when you want to stop, or when the baby decides to stop.

For my four kids this was at 2yrs6mo, 2yrs9mo, 4yrs4mo and 3yrs.

There is no "perfect age" to stop. It is entirely up to you and your baby :)

FiveBananaDeathPunch · 23/02/2025 19:00

My eldest is almost six and still going.

Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 19:13

HappyAsASandboy · 23/02/2025 17:02

Stop when you want to stop, or when the baby decides to stop.

For my four kids this was at 2yrs6mo, 2yrs9mo, 4yrs4mo and 3yrs.

There is no "perfect age" to stop. It is entirely up to you and your baby :)

Thank you I will keep that in mind . How did you feel breastfeeding past the "normal" bf age
I feel like people love to tell me what age I should bf my baby for and how long

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Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 19:14

FiveBananaDeathPunch · 23/02/2025 19:00

My eldest is almost six and still going.

Oh wow that's amazing you still produce milk I always get scared my milk will dry up

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Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 19:15

Autumn1990 · 23/02/2025 16:35

3 years with my first and 4 years with my second. When mine bit I put them down on the floor and stopped that feed. It worked well.
To reduce overnight wakings I gave my eldest an elllas meal pouch at 10pm then bf him to sleep and he slept through until 5 ish. My second just woke the once by 12 months but she is a good sleeper

Oh really I find if I don't feed him when he wants it at night he will just wake up fully

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Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 19:16

GreyGoggles · 23/02/2025 15:06

Finish up when is right for both of you. On my first I finished up about 22 months as my period hadn't come back and I wanted to get pregnant again. It was a forced weaning and very tough on both of us, but needed to be done. I would have loved if I could have gone on longer. My second it was a little after three years and on a gentler schedule when we both agreed to stop (I have photos of our special day out to mark the end of feeding). Going back to work it was a lovely way to reconnect when we came home after nursery each day. Towards the end it was really only three feeds a day - morning, after work and bed time. Forget what others tell you you should be doing. Feeding as long as works for both of you is a beautiful gift for your child.

Thank you for you reply

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Ohisitjustme · 23/02/2025 19:17

I have just weaned my second child at 3 years
Older child fed until 3 and 9 months.

It's up to you. As they get older you'll find they will feed less out and about and people won't know you're still feeding.
Not that it's anyone's business!

Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 19:17

Do most babies / children just nautically wean themself or do you need to just asking for the future sorry first time mum

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Original poster
Tiegs · 23/02/2025 19:19

Tiegs · 23/02/2025 19:17

Do most babies / children just nautically wean themself or do you need to just asking for the future sorry first time mum

  • naturally
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Kennedyjack · 23/02/2025 19:21

I stopped breastfeeding my eldest at age 3.5, and I'm still breastfeeding the youngest and plan to stop around 3.5. I never had any issues with having pressure to stop, mainly because none of my friends were aware I continued, and most of my wider family weren't either. I mostly fed at home at morning/night after age 1, so people would only be aware if I told them, which I didn't.

Mine stopped breastfeeding through the night around a year old. I was firm about it and simply said no, because it wasn't necessary and it stopped me sleeping well.

The risk of breast cancer is reduced by 4.3% for every 12 months of breastfeeding, this is in addition to the 7.0% decrease in risk observed for each birth. That alone was a good enough reason to continue for me.