when to stop breastfeeding?

Question

when is the ideal time to stop breastfeeding???

Answer 1

When the baby is done eating!

Seriously: when it ceases to be an island of calm in the midst of the storm. When it is causing you more grief to nurse than it would to stop nursing. When the child decides he likes sippy-cups better because boobs aren't so portable. When you decide sippy-cups are better because damn it, your boobs should belong to you again, by now!

Whenever y'all are good and ready, I mean.

Answer 2

I stopped with my daughter at 14 and a half months-I only stopped as i was half way through my second pregnancy and also she wasn't even feeding for long during the night so i thought i would stop so theres less fuss once the baby comes My second is now 17 months and im still breastfeeding him and we both love it. I really don't want to stop but it but he will be eventually turning 2 soon so i plan on stopping by around that time and then ill try to express and give him some in the bottle or whatever.

Answer 3

There is no "ideal" time. The AAP recommends nursing for at least a year and then "as long as mutually desirable for both mother and child". The WHO (world health organization) recommends nursing for 2 years.

Some people feel comfortable nursing for 6 months and others 3 years. There is no "right" answer. The right time to stop is when it is no longer mutually beneficial to both mother and baby.

Answer 4

every child is different, go as long as you can (for at least the first year) because that's when you're passing all those great antibodies to your baby. they get many more nutrients from your milk than from food or formula. the average american woman breastfeed their baby for only the first 3 months!! that's insanely sad. my baby is almost 8 months now and still breastfeeding. i feed him solids once in awhile, mainly for introductions to what foods are and for fun. i'll be stopping before he's 2 or when i'm feeding my next baby, whichever comes sooner :)

Answer 5

The ideal time? When the child is ready to stop.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/t026400.asp
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/index.html
http://llli.org/FAQ/bflength.html

Edit: Just commenting on some of the other answers -

1. The nutritional benefits of breast milk do not stop at 10-12 months! The composition of breast milk actually changes to meet the nutritional needs of growing toddlers, and the benefits are dose-related, meaning that the longer the child receives breast milk, the better.

2. Babies do not nurse with their teeth. In fact, if the baby or child is latched on properly and actively nursing, his/her own tongue is in the way. Babies do occasionally bite down when latching on or coming off the nipple, but it is usually a brief phase, and it is not difficult to teach a baby to nurse nicely.

Answer 6

It really depends on what you mean by "ideal". If you mean what's the minimum you should do to give the baby the most benefit, I've heard it's around 6 months. Otherwise, just as long as you're comfortable with it! =)

Answer 7

Well to begin on the lower side of the spectrum, At least 3-6 months would be the minimal time if at all possible to ensure that the child gets the mothers immunity from illness and so that he or she gets a good, strong healthy start in life.

The other end of the spectrum is a whole different story.Some mothers feel comfortable with breast feeding up until the age of five or six years. I feel that this is a little excessive since the child's nutritional needs by that time, should be met by a balanced diet of solid foods. I often wonder, when I talk to a mother that has been breast feeding for that long, whether they continue to meet the nutritional and security needs of the child or is it the mother who is unwilling to let go of that special bond with her baby. Afterall, you are the most important person in your childs life and he depends on you for every need. Weaning a child from the breast can be viewed by some as giving up that role and truly cutting the umbilical cord.

I breast fed my child exclusively for about 7 months and at that time I introduced cerial and beginer baby foods. I continued to nurse him 3-5 times a day and by the time he was close to 18 months, we were down to nursing at night and occasionally one other time during the day if he felt bad or if he needed that extra security. By his 2nd birthday he weaned me.

I guess what I am trying to say is every child is different they let us know what their needs are. You should take your cues from your child. Monitor his or her eating habits and encourage a variaty of healthy foods. Keep up with his growth charts and his social development. It is not healthy to have a child that is so attatched to you that he is unable to interact with others because you are all that he needs.

It is always a little heartbreaking to have your child pull away from you and start start deveolping a need and a desire for independence. The first big step to that independence is breaking away from Mommy for his nutrional needs. as well as having the need to interact more with others. But, if you have done your job of parenting well, he will develop a healthy appitite for solid foods as well as healthy relationships with other children and adults. He or she is not rejecting the closness that you have, he is just growing into a healthy, happy well rounded individual.

By the way, as long as the child is capable of using a sippy cup, it is better to make the transition from the breast to the cup rather than to a bottle. This especially true at night when putting a child to sleep with a bottle causes severe damage to their teeth. Let him dring his milk, then brush their teeth before going to be. Might as well get them started on good habits as early as you can. If he or she still needs that special TLC before bed, then snuggle up and read a story before putting him to sleep.

Enjoy the special times that you have with your baby because they grow up so quickly. Good Luck.

Answer 8

When it is no longer comfortable for mom and child and after 1 yr.
OH and nutritional and medical benefits DO NOT suddenly stop when your baby reaches a certain age. They do continue on as long as you continue on.

Answer 9

there is no set time. it's a preference for you. when you want to. there are some mothers that do it for 6 months to 2 years. It depends on your comfort and abiltiy to continue with breast feeding. when you feel like you want to stop then it's your time to stop.

Answer 10

It all depends on you. I have a friend that pumped and sent breastmilk in a sippy cup to daycare. I thought it was a bit wierd, but her daughter has never been sick a day in her life (she is 9 now).