Self Weaning breastfeeding question?

Question

My baby will not be self weaning, but I'm curious at what age do you stop allowing your child to breastfeed if they refuse to self wean?

Answer 1

I don't believe in self weaning either. I think they should quit being fed like babies when they are no longer babies.

Around the age of 12 months is when you should wean them.

Doctors recommend breastfeeding/formula feeding until at least a year and then after that it's optional.

At a year, they are able to eat and drink (for the most part) everything we eat. I don't know about you, but I don't drink breastmilk!

Answer 2

I don't think it's neccesarily a matter of "what age do you stop..." but more a matter of when you are both ready.
No 2 babies are alike so anyone elses reccomendation on a specific age to wean is invalid.

I suggest not watching a time clock, just let you two "be". It will happen when the time is right, and you'll just know.

In my experience, some children have what I refer to as "open windows" to weaning. Some children have many througout there baby/chilhood. This does not neccesarily mean that they are ready, but if "you" are then it might be a good opportunity to try. These open windows usually happen after 12mo, around 18mo then by about 2. However, don't expect weaning to come easily if "you're" the one initiating it. Children thrive much better on there own terms, not ours.

My 1st weaned herself at 15mo, then my second at 3.5 and my 3rd is still going strong at 19mo.

Answer 3

A child doesn't "refuse to self wean," because all children wean at some point. :-) How do you refuse to do something that you're supposed to be able to decide to do when you're ready? If children are truly allowed to self-wean in their own time, most will do so somewhere between the 2nd and 4th year. Obviously, some will wean before this time and some will wean after this time, too.

Instead, it sounds like you're asking about mom setting a deadline or deciding she is done before baby and taking away the opportunity to self wean. "I'll let the child self-wean, if he does it by 18 months. Otherwise, I'll wean him myself." That's not what self-weaning is about. Some people have to do that though, in order to keep the relationship positive. Don't confuse that with self-weaning though, which is about following the child's lead.

It's different for all nursing couples. Everyone has a different comfort level. Some moms won't nurse even one day. Some will only nurse for the first few weeks, say until they go back to work. Others will wean around the middle of the first year, when solids are introduced. A lot of moms wean around 12 months, which is the minimum time the AAP suggests nursing. Some moms hold out until the child hits 2 years old, the minimum suggested by the WHO. Others may go until the child is older.

The age to stop is when the relationship isn't working for the two of you anymore.

You do have to take into account that it's a two way street.....a relationship between two people.....and respect the needs of the other person. Sometimes that means striking a compromise. Maybe a partial weaning to only nursing at night or only during the day, for example, if mom is needing a break but nursing is still very important to the child. Or putting limits on how long you'll nurse, such as, "OK, we'll nurse until I finish singing this song" and mom can control the length of the nursing session.

Mine have all been allowed to self wean.
Oldest weaned at 3 years 5 mos.
Middle weaned at 22 months.
Youngest is still nursing at 3 yrs 10 mos.

Does that help?

Answer 4

Babies don't refuse to self-wean. A lucky toddler is one who receives breastmilk. However, our society frowns on extended breastfeeding. So wean your child when you're comfortable with it. I don't have an age in mind as to when breastfeeding should stop.

I'm pumping, and I'll probably stop pumping around 15 months I'd say.

The majority of women in the world breastfeed well past 1 year. Congrats on breastfeeding!

Answer 5

I believe in self-weaning. My daughter self-weaned at 2 1/2. I was in the process of gently trying to encourage her to cut down at the time but I didn't imagine she would stop. I don't know when I would have stopped breastfeeding her if she didn't stop. I would not be one of those moms nursing a five-year-old (no offense to those who do). I use gentle, gradual encouragement, though, rather than just setting a specific age at which I say "no more".

Answer 6

the world wide average for weaning is 3years the US weaning average 6 month! how sad

I allowed m y son to self wean at 27 months. I myself self weaned at 37 months

Answer 7

Self weaning doesn't occur until about 2 to 2 and a half. So if your baby is much younger and you want to stop, you will have to stop it yourself

Answer 8

I do plan on letting my son wean himself. The AAP, WHO, and other organizations say you should breastfeed at least a year, preferably 2.

If I decided to stop breastfeeding my son when he cut his firts tooth, it would have been at 5 months. WAY too early! He has only bit me a couple of times, it just takes patience and redirecting him to other teething appropriate stuff.

I believe that when a child is old enough they will want different ways of eating. I do think that there is a time when I might try to redirect, or talk about when or where I am comfortable nursing... but then again, I really believe it it a mother and childs right to be comfortable eating wherever they want, so i have no problem at all with seeing a 3 year old bursing.

When a child still nurses at 3 years old, it really isn't their main nutrient, anyhow. They do eat solids, etc. still! They nurse for comfort, taste, and it is still good for their little growing bodies. Why not? You see toddlers carrying around bottles all the time. A bottle is just an artificial breast. Why is it ok for a toddler to carry a bottle of cows milk around, but not ok for a toddler to decide they want to nurse a bit?

Answer 9

My daughter began to self-wean herself at approximately 3 a million/2- 4 months. She prefers the bottle over breast. I in lots of circumstances get a million-2 stable nursings in in the process the day nonetheless. in lots of circumstances the 1st 2 she takes the terrific, and the others I in lots of circumstances could pump and provide her a bottle.

Answer 10

I breastfed my baby until he was 2 and a half. Some of my friends breastfed until their children were 3 or over. It is all up to you and what you are comfortable with.