i'm still breastfeeding at 2yrs :)

[Wilson28]

yep, im still bf, some of you may roll your eyes and call me a mad women, but i wanted to share with you all that its been an amazing journey and anyone with bf doubts should hang on in
My lo hasn't mad that transition to want to stop feeding yet and i am in no rush for him to stop if he i'snt ready.

When did you stop or intend to stop all you bf mommas

xx

 

[willow76]

Good for you, my LO is only 11 months but no plans to stop yet x

 

[kanga86]

With my first I bf for 11.5 months and my son decided to stop and I'm currently bf'ing my 2nd, he is only 15wks though and plan to go until he is a year old xx

 

[Dotty_woman]

6 months for me but It was because I was going back to work. No way could I express enough up cover all feeds. Don't think I'd have gone past 1 year though if I had been able to carry on. x

 

[Jajis]

Still going at almost 2.5 years here, although mostly just before he goes to bed and when he wakes up in the morning these days. No plans to stop, will be letting him decide when he's done.

Feeling particularly annoyed today by the idiots who've all come out after the bit on 'This Morning', commenting that feeding past a year etc. is 'child abuse'... no, it very clearly isn't

 

[mellie_88]

The average age to breastfeed a child in the rest of the world is 4 1/2! So I imagine 1 to them is considered strange. Surprising how many people don't seem to know and understand the benefits of breast milk.

My baby is only 7 weeks old but I'm hoping to be able to keep going until he's at least 1, any longer will have to depend on work. Hopefully I'll make it until he's one, ideally I'd like to never have to buy any formula.

 

[BunnyN]

Well done for keeping it up!

My younger sister was 4 when she stopped so I grew up with it being normal. I thought I'd still be BFing LO until at least 3 but because of being pregnant again I lost my supply and she has slowly weaned. She hasn't had a feed in a couple of weeks now though there is a small chance she will start up again when my milk comes in again after the baby is born. I'm willing to give tandem nursing a go but admit it would be easier in some ways if she stays weaned.

 

[Maud]

That's great! I'd love to feed that long, but I do hope to get pregnant again before then which might make it difficult. We'll just see how things go though.

 

[Pregnot1]

I stopped fully at 10 months
When he started getting teeth and I went back to work. I liked it and feel proud I fed him however I don't really see the benefit to bf past a year myself.

A few of my mummy friends still feed their 2-3 year olds I certainly wouldn't call it child abuse but I personally don't see any better benefit to bf at that age. sometimes I feel like it's the mum who doesn't want to give up not the baby especially with a couple of my friends which I don't agree with.

It all personal preference isn't it I suppose if mum is happy and baby then why not

 

[BunnyN]

I stopped fully at 10 months
When he started getting teeth and I went back to work. I liked it and feel proud I fed him however I don't really see the benefit to bf past a year myself.

A few of my mummy friends still feed their 2-3 year olds I certainly wouldn't call it child abuse but I personally don't see any better benefit to bf at that age. sometimes I feel like it's the mum who doesn't want to give up not the baby especially with a couple of my friends which I don't agree with.

It all personal preference isn't it I suppose if mum is happy and baby then why not

Of course its a personal choice and I don't have a problem with mums who stop ofter a year but I do believe the evidence is overwhelming that there are benifits to BFing longer than a year for those who do. The World Health Organization reccomends at least 2 years.

 

[Jajis]

I stopped fully at 10 months
When he started getting teeth and I went back to work. I liked it and feel proud I fed him however I don't really see the benefit to bf past a year myself.

A few of my mummy friends still feed their 2-3 year olds I certainly wouldn't call it child abuse but I personally don't see any better benefit to bf at that age. sometimes I feel like it's the mum who doesn't want to give up not the baby especially with a couple of my friends which I don't agree with.

It all personal preference isn't it I suppose if mum is happy and baby then why not

10 months of breastfeeding is hard work, you should definitely feel proud

However, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that there are still benefits to breastfeed past a year, which is why it is recommended by the WHO to breastfeed until at least two years of age.

The picture below shows some of the nutritional benefits a breastfed child between 12 and 23 months gets, but even after 23 months the nutritional benefits don't just disappear overnight, but might give smaller percentages of the things the toddler needs. It also continues to offer support to their immune system, and is a source of comfort to them (and calms them down nicely before bed!).

Trust me, if my son didn't want to nurse still he wouldn't. He absolutely still wants to do it. There are medical benefits for the mother as well, such as lower risk of certain diseases, but I can't imagine any mother continuing to breastfeed if their child didn't want to (there are disadvantages too, they are just ones I'm happy to live with in order to accommodate my child).

 

[JJ Mum]

Huge well done to you - that's amazing!
I gave up at 12 months with both my bf babies but only as that was my target to get too.

 

[inky]

That's brilliant! My son stopped when I was 6 months pregnant, he had just turned 2. My daughter was 2 last week and is showing no signs of wanting to wean whatsoever, so it's anyone's guess how long I'll be bfing this time! Regardless of nutritional benefits, she still finds it a great comfort, and is bf'd to sleep, so I'm happy to continue for as long as she wants

 

[BunnyN]

I must say we struggle so much more with putting LO to sleep since she stopped BFing, it made it so easy.

 

[Pregnot1]

That's good there are still some benefits after 12 months but for us personally we were ready to stop when I went back tI work ... Again I am doubtful of the benefits to the immune system I know they tell us this but having bf my son he still picks up the common colds all the other kids do infact Id like to see him without a runny nose haha apart from if they have a serious illness how can you tell your lo's immune system is any better than the next childs?
I don't know I'm sure there at studies to support it but I am sceptical of some of the 'benefits'

 

[Pumpkin9]

That's good there are still some benefits after 12 months but for us personally we were ready to stop when I went back tI work ... Again I am doubtful of the benefits to the immune system I know they tell us this but having bf my son he still picks up the common colds all the other kids do infact Id like to see him without a runny nose haha apart from if they have a serious illness how can you tell your lo's immune system is any better than the next childs?
I don't know I'm sure there at studies to support it but I am sceptical of some of the 'benefits'

Agreed

I also think that this is often used as a weapon by the professionals to pressure mothers into breastfeeding and make them feel guilty when for whatever reason they choose to or have to stop.

Don't get me wrong I think bfing is great but I also think there are too many militant breast feeding advocates out there that don't take into account the whole picture

 

[Pregnot1]

Agreed

I also think that this is often used as a weapon by the professionals to pressure mothers into breastfeeding and make them feel guilty when for whatever reason they choose to or have to stop.

Don't get me wrong I think bfing is great but I also think there are too many militant breast feeding advocates out there that don't take into account the whole picture[/QUOTE]

Yea your definately right even at stopping at 10 months I had people saying I needn't stop just because I was going back to work - the first time I gave my son a bottle I felt like I was a failure and that formula was the work of the devil hahah
I don't think any feeding choice is easy with bf your guilted if you do it and want to stop and your guilted if you don't.


I can honestly say I was open to trying it and Max took to it well and I religiously went to bf support group on a Monday to keep me at it but it was easy for us , no mess, no tidying etc etc that's what appealed to me not really the health benefits because as I say im sceptical anyway
The breastfeeding activists do my nut in when they do staged feedings against stores etc gives people who just want to feed there baby a bad name and totally defeats to whole point that women can feed privately without causing a fuss in my opinion anyway

 

[BunnyN]

It works both ways though and honestly I think for every person who has been encouraging about BFing until 2 years or more you will meet 10 that aren't. Sometimes that pushes people to be over the top in the other direction because they feel they have to fight for their corner. When it comes down to it its a personal choice but someone who chooses to and is able to carry on until two or longer should be congratulated, not be made to feel like they are weird or selfish.

 

[Lyllian]

I don't think any mother should he particularly congratulated on feeding their child no matter how they do it. Babies/children need fed, feed them, a bf mum doesn't deserve to be congratulated any more than a bottle feeding mum. It's your baby you feed it yes, no congrats needed it's your child of.course you should feed it!

I just read this as at two years I'm still feeding my child. Good!

 

[BunnyN]

I don't think any mother should he particularly congratulated on feeding their child no matter how they do it. Babies/children need fed, feed them, a bf mum doesn't deserve to be congratulated any more than a bottle feeding mum. It's your baby you feed it yes, no congrats needed it's your child of.course you should feed it!

I just read this as at two years I'm still feeding my child. Good!

It may not be possible for everyone to do it and it doesnt mean that someone who doesnt should be put down but breastfeeding is an accomplishment. Anyone who does it has to overcome challanges and negative comments. For some women its one of the hardest things they have done in their life. I dont see what is wrong with feeling proud to have managed it or saying "well done" some one who does? It doesnt have to be a battle between breastfeeders and formula feeders.