Breastfeeding a toddler

mostein

Hi! I'm just wondering if there are any other moms out there that have and/or are breastfeeding their child/ren past the age of 2? My daughter is about to turn 3 and still has night time feedings. I would like her to ween soon but I don't want to rush her and I'm not too sure how to approach it. I'm tired of feeling like a freak because I didn't stop breastfeeding at 6 months like so many people around me did. Is there anyone else like me out there?

karenjoy

I stopped at a year. Not ever met anyone who went beyond that myself.

taldie01

Im sure one of my good friends still breastfeeds her 2 yearold, dont feel like a freak. Ide definately think about weaning her soon.

suzycreamcheese

i think its about what you want. If youre not bothered by night feedings, then dont worry, but at 3, you must be desperate for a full nights sleep if shes still waking to feed. Id be inclined to try and stop it and offer water, or try and cut down to a feed before bed and then tell her no more till tommorow night, cos chances are shes waking for comfort, and she'll get more beneft from learning how to sleep through, than she will be from your milk at this age.
Maybe tell her that when shes 3, then no more, and have some ceremony to celebrate becoming a big girl?
then stick to it

frugalmomsrock

I'm an avid breastfeeder. I am currently nursing my one year old and three year old. My [now] five year old weaned when I was pregnant with the youngest, but I tandem nursed during the first six or seven months of my pregnancy.

My three year old is still nursing in the AM, at night, and occasionally a couple times in the day-it really depends on if he gets hurt, how busy he stays, etc.

I practice child-led weaning, and so far I've nursed two to the age of four.

The WHO recommends nursing to at LEAST age 2 and then as long as mom and babe are comfy with it. I'm glad my girls weaned at four, because I'm not sure about how my comfort level would be much longer than that-though there are others who nurse longer. I guess I won't know unless it happens.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I stopped at 15 months. Advice like this would be better sought at babycenter.com, they have boards specific to this type of question.

ChantalGG

my son was breastfed til almost 2 and i had to just cut him off and give him a sippy cup of milk and offer him cuddles instead it was only at night time during the end. It is all on you.

RachelT14

I stopped nursing my 1st when i was 18 weeks pregnant with my second, he was about 20 months. My second i stopped nursing at 2 years and 4 months. There was only 1 feed at that age, a bed time one and she just gradually weaned herself as she got more interested in a bedtime story. The only problem i now need to solve is that at 3 1/2 she still co-sleeps :laugh:

I have quite a number of friends who have nursed past the 2 year mark. Hope that helps

KayaSamantha

Hi there! I'm a breastfeeding educator in BC and can definitely say you are not alone in breastfeeding still! Some great resources for you would be le leche league for meeting other moms with breastfeeding toddlers and weaning advice. Also if you have facebook check out " the leaky b@@b" group for even more support and advice. You are doing the best thing you can for your little one! Congratulations on making it so long!

BecksgotBack

is it more a comfort thing to get her back to sleep??? will she go to sleep without actually nursing? I know lots of people who nurse toddlers...you're not a freak. you do whatever it is that works. i personally stopped nursing as soon as the little bugger learned to bite...13 months.

NewVonnie

I'm an avid breastfeeder. I am currently nursing my one year old and three year old. My [now] five year old weaned when I was pregnant with the youngest, but I tandem nursed during the first six or seven months of my pregnancy.

My three year old is still nursing in the AM, at night, and occasionally a couple times in the day-it really depends on if he gets hurt, how busy he stays, etc.

I practice child-led weaning, and so far I've nursed two to the age of four.

The WHO recommends nursing to at LEAST age 2 and then as long as mom and babe are comfy with it. I'm glad my girls weaned at four, because I'm not sure about how my comfort level would be much longer than that-though there are others who nurse longer. I guess I won't know unless it happens.

Can I just say "kudos to you" on answering this question. I was nervous to because I'm still working on not caring what the heck others think of me..and didnt want to hear any negativity..so I sent her a PM..LOL..I'm a chicken..:)

DrBorkBork

Props to you for being a rockstar mommy! I think at this age, it's mainly a comfort thing. I have a 3yo and she only BF for maybe 2 months. I don't know what happened, but she would try to latch on & then just scream. Within a week her weight loss was noticeable, and I had to put her on formula. I was envious and secretly bitter toward every mom who got to nurse their babies past 6 months! I felt inadequate. So I bow to your nursing prowess!
There's no shame in breast feeding. Michael Jordan was BF past age 3.

Now on to weaning. Can I beg a favor of you? As you wean your baby (whenever YOU decide to), donate your remaining supply to local chapter of Eats on Feets. I would have loved to have known about them before when I was unable to BF my babe.

Jennyisbusy

I made it to 1 1/2ish years with both my kids. Then I let them have a crazy bedtime snack like rice krispy treats while I rocked them in a chair. My son never looked back, I think he was really ready too. My daughter would ask and I would just say something vague - like maybe in a little bit, and give her lots of hugs and snuggles, sometimes we would read extra books or watch tv to get in the same amount of time.

Weaning in our house was a natural and peaceful process - not nearly the big deal that some people have. I hope you find it the same

LisaCFSF

Personally, I weaned my older son at 1 yr. and my "baby" (now 20-lol) at between 14-15 months due to an ear infection during initial attempts at weaning at ~12-13 months and on the advice of his pediatrician who felt that nursing would be beneficial for his Eustachian tube function until the ear infection resolved.

I know of a very few people and have one friend who nursed their child at the age of 3-4. I, however, think if they are old enough to ask for it; they are too old to get it! Lol! My personal opinion for me only. Humans are the only creatures that even drink milk (cow, goat, etc.) past the physically necessary age to wean to solid foods.

Talk to your pediatrician or dentist for advice regarding possible negative physical effects. It seems to me (again, my opinion only) that nursing a toddler+ is more of an emotional attachment for both mother and child than one to meet the physical needs of the child. Perhaps another bonding routine could be substituted to continue the closeness and still allow the child to advance to a different stage of development if you're ready to wean and feel uneasy about continuing.

sarah829522

I stopped at 15 months. Advice like this would be better sought at babycenter.com, they have boards specific to this type of question.

I stopped right about then with both my kids as well (actually they stopped the oldest one stopped earlier). I would also try kellymom.com and llli.org (la leche league resources/forums) boards for support with weaning.

KeriA

Before I had my children they thought that the benefits for the mother of breastfeeding was only for younger mothers and for the child only for 6 months. Now they have found a relationship between the number of total years breastfeeding and lower incidences of breast cancer. Even though they didn't know that then I was big on breastfeeding. My kids slowed down by one and yes they were weaned by about 2 but I really found some benefits to continuing. There were many times my daughter would get sick and the only liquid she could keep down was breastmilk. I introduce milk late in their diets because I wanted to reduce the likelihood of food allergies. They are half asian descent so I wasn't sure how they would do with it and they might have a better chance if I held off. They both are fine with milk. The only reason my daughter was weaned when she was is that my mother was in a bad accident and I had to go to care for her. It just ended in being the best chance. So I have never regretted and in fact was thankful that I did nurse late. I heard other Mom's make statements about not continuing past 6 months since they thought the mothers immunities would have no benefits after that. I felt my kids were much healthier continuing with it longer. And like you it was only pre-nap and pre-bedtime and then just the pre-bedtime. I know I am not answering your question but have run into others who don't see the benefits that I did for my family. I was always supportive of friends who wanted to wean but not always the other way around. I am not sure how long my daughter would have continued otherwise. Anyway for me starting the weaning process before one but completing it sometime in the next year worked. HOpe you get some good information.

mostein

I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with me! I read a book that said most children will wean themselves by age 4. It is mostly for comfort and I do also enjoy the time together with her. I can't say that she really drinks much milk as I think my supply is pretty low and she only ever took to 1 breast for some reason. Thankfully the supply has gone down so that I am no longer lopsided! Again, thank you everyone

kensky

My first nursed for 3.3 years and my second nursed until a solid 3 and a half. I am so glad that we had this time (and also so glad that it's now over!) I was always frightened--even the second time when I shoulda known better--that weaning would change things for the negative but of course that's not the case.

fsteingrimsson

I never made it past the second birthday, but I wanted to. When I got pregnant with my second, the BF relationship got strained and by the time my daughter was born, it was impossible. Way to go on the extending BF! I wouldn't worry about weaning, my favorite saying is "It's not like he'll/she'll go to college still doing it." If you are both still happy with the relationship, keep it going. I wish you both well.

veganbaum

It's wonderful to see so many mothers who breasfed at least until age 2. I was breasfed until 3, it used to be a lot more normal. There is nothing wrong with extended breastfeeding. As someone mentioned, the WHO recommends at least age two. Three is no big deal, five - well, I think that's kind of pushing it.

klyvers512

My daughter is 26 months old...still nursing. I don't feel like a freak....I know it's good for her. We plan on letting her self-wean, but aren't in any big hurry since she has a cow milk protein allergy. I am all for breastfeeding...even working on becoming a peer counselor and eventually a Lactation Consultant.