When did you stop breastfeeding?

Question

Im interested in what age peoples kids where when they stopped feeding them
Does anyone else think its OK to feed on - or is it just me

I fed on with all my kids
so its good to see that others do
1st - 2yrs 8 months
2nd - about 3yrs
3rd - OMG about 4 and a half yrs
4th - just under 2.5 yrs
5th - on going - she nearly 4 now and I know I should l stop but she doesnt want to its only at night and first thing in the morning Ive still plenty of milk and have decided that I am going to have a 6th child
I should stop now really but I have never made any of the others stop they just did or there wasnt room

well just to claify I am having my 6th child - little line was blue

Answer 1

I nursed my first for 2.5 years and am currently nursing my 4 month old. I'll nurse him for at least 2 years as well. My first weaned himself, no tears, no drama, just gradually stopped.

The rest of the world nurses for at least 2 years (only in the US do they stop before hand.)

Breast milk grows more nutritionally dense after one year

Breastfed toddlers are sick less, are not obese, have higher IQs and are more independent.

YOUR risk of breast and ovarian cancers decreases the longer you nurse.

It's always cracked me up that people think that for 365 days breast milk is perfect and then, magically, at the stroke of midnight on day 366, it turns sour and rotten--it doesn't stand up to logic, haha.

There are so many benefits to nursing as long as possible, it's almost impossible to list them all here. Most of all, I looked at my babies and knew that they weren't ready to stop.

Edit: OK, I just read your update--you're my hero!! More women than people realize nurse their babies into childhood. I didn't know it when I was nursing my first, but it turns out that my two neighbors also nursed their children until at least 2 or 3. I wish we would talk about it more so that people knew it wasn't as rare as perceived. I would cross the next bridge when you come to it--many older nurslings will wean themselves when mama gets pregnant. If not, you can always try tandem nursing. I'm linking a board where I spend some time, it's a place for mom's who nurse past a year,

Answer 2

My daughter didn't want to nurse after her teeth came in. She switched over to bottle and never looked back at 6 months old.

My son on the other hand was a year old (drinking from a sippy cup during the day of soy milk ) and still getting up at 5 am to nurse. Then he just stopped getting up and started sleeping straight through.
He weaned himself. Boys are different than girls and some moms have a lot of trouble getting past the fact that the milk comes from breasts. I knew a woman who actually said she could nurse at all because her breasts were such a sexual thing for her. My question to her was, "How are you going to birth your baby out of your belly button?"

Here's an article from this months' Baby talk magazine. Available free in the mail, or online all the time.

Whether it's a baby who has trouble latching on, a work schedule that doesn't allow time for pumping, or a lack of support at home, the forces that conspire against women who want to breastfeed are far-reaching in their scope. And despite the medical establishment's wholehearted endorsement of breastfeeding, the general public hasn't gotten the message. A full 57% of Americans disapproves of public breastfeeding (according to a recent survey by the American Dietietic Association). Breastfeeding moms are stared at, get rude comments, and are even asked to leave restaurants and stores. For many women, the public disapproval is the last straw when they're having other breastfeeding difficulties....so they give up.

Many moms who plan to nurse are caught off-guard by the challenges breastfeeding can present. In fact, according to a nationally representative Babytalk survey, 46 percent of moms said that breastfeeding required more time than they'd expected and 56 percent wished that they had been able to nurse longer than they did.

Answer 3

Around 2 to 2 1/2 years old - but closer to 2 1/2.

For weaning - We talk to them about it first, for a few months ahead of time. Then on the day when they are ready to quit, we take them to Build-A-Bear and they can pick out a new friend. We make a huge thing of it, tell them they are so big now, etc. and they do great! Very age-appropriate because they understand that they are getting bigger and don't need momma's milk any more.

Also, I was sooooo glad to nurse past one year old because that seems like that's when the babies always are getting sick, ear infections and such. Sometimes nursing was the only thing to comfort them, the only thing they could keep down when they had the stomache flu.

Answer 4

I stopped feeding her breast during the day at 1yr but mainly because i had to go back to worl but i continued to feed her through the night untill she was 16mnths.
I struggled with her constantly being in our bed feeding/useing me as a dummy all night but now she is 3 & so affectionate & loving I don't regret it so much.

Answer 5

My daughter was nearly two when I stopped breastfeeding.By then she had a well established diet of solids and never took a bottle.

She is now 11 years old and rarely gets sick. Plus, we both got the benefit of a super bond between mother and daughter.

I'm not sure what the benefits are of longer term breastfeeding -- well over 2 years. I know a girl who said she was still breastfed in Kindegarten. Personally, I think that's kinda weird.

Answer 6

Most of my girl friends did 1 year. My son just turns 5 months old and I am planning to breastfeed until he is 1 year old.

Answer 7

congratulations!! i'm currently at 6 months and intend to go onas long as i can...... i think if it suits both of you then i's great you continue... i am dreading it if my lo decides to give up before i want her to............ i would draw the line though if anyone saw that documentary about women who feed on, some of those kids were nearly into their teens,, that would be a step too far!!

Answer 8

My daughter is almost 11 months old and we are still breastfeeding at first my plan was to continue as long as she wanted to but now I am very undecided.

Answer 9

I stopped when my daughter was 13 months. If she had wanted to continue before bedtime I would have for a few more months, but she wasn't interested.

Answer 10

Still breastfeeding my almost 17month old, and 4 months pregnant.

It is always better to breastfeed than not. Breastmilk always provides high levels of nutrients and immune support.