I think it depends on what you and your little one wants. I did not breastfeed my oldest which I regret, but I was only 16 and I never saw someone nurse a baby before. My son who is 5 now weaned himself at age 11 because he was to busy running around with his older sister to want to nurse. He has been a ball of nonstop energy ever since he could walk at 10 months.
I plan to nurse this one until he want to stop or around 2-3.
MOMMAKIMMY84
Posts: 2
1/12/11 11:35 A
I weaned my oldest daughter at 1 month due to issues with her latch - she REFUSED to latch without a nipple shield and that made breastfeeding very painful for me. I regret not going to a lactation consultant for help. I thought I was going to have the same problem with my youngest, but was smart enough to get help the second time, and we're still nursing 8 months down the road, until she chooses. :)
GUERILLA
Posts: 2798
1/11/11 10:28 P
Nonsequitur, I love your attitude!
I have been thinking about it and I might just let my LO decide on his own, too. As long as he's weaned by the time he goes to school...LOL
Jana
--
Tandem breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cloth diapering, baby wearing momma. :)
MRSAMELLINC3
Posts: 11
1/5/11 8:44 A
How long you BF is between you and your baby. I, for the most part let my children choose. I became pregnant when my second child was 17 months old and still breastfeeding. He weaned at 24 months because my milk was "yucky." Three months later when our daughter was born, he started nursing again~more for attention I think. I let him when he wanted to which was sometimes daily and sometimes several times a week. Now that he is three, he still sometimes asks but I now tell him we have to save it for the baby and he is fine with that. (Mostly I don't want to because his latch hurts me now)
OBLIVIOUS
Posts: 2797
12/29/10 9:08 P
with me when they begin to talk or demand it it's time for me to stop, my oldest son got accidentally weaned at 13 months if that makes sense on a trip where i was afraid to nurse in public and he got a cold that made it near impossible for him to nurse when we got back he wouldn't nurse anymore despite my trying :( my second son i wasn't afraid anymore and would nurse wherever i was. he's always been a very protective child and got to the point where he would not let anyone else touch me or sit near me and when he wanted to niurse would grab his pillow and blanket put them on my lap and try to grab out my breast. i would not put up with that little attitude ofhis and subsequently weaned him at around 18 19 months if it wasn't for that i may have done it longer but once they start talking i'm done. but i do support the women who do it longer than that especially in developing countries where good water isn't always available to them they need to do it that long to make sure their kid can make it through childhood alive..
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CATHY_T
Posts: 10339
12/29/10 11:53 A
I nused my first until he was three. At that point we were only nursing at bedtime, but I had my second baby and the logistics were getting a bit much for me, so I weaned him. He's now 4 and a half (wow! how did THAT happen?!) and sometimes still asks, although I don't think he'd remember how to latch - it's more that he wants the attention and to "be a baby".
Kudos to you for going until 20 months. I'm currently working on weaning my 23 month old - he wants none of it but I'm pregnant again and having a hard time, so *I* need to wean! Otherwise I'd probably still be nursing him a few times a day, until he was 3 or thereabouts.
One good reply if people still ask "are you STILL breastfeeding?" is to say "we're in the process of weaning" - No need to say you're taking your time and it could take months!
Best of luck, however long you decide to nurse for!
MARY23
Posts: 3563
12/28/10 4:20 P
Somewhere around 3 or 4 seems old enough?
I too weaned my kids at 1 year because of social pressure.
Mary
It's a GIRL!
Marie Addison born September 21st
LONG_SMILES
Posts: 182
12/27/10 7:27 P
Im currently still nursing my 27 month old and I'm 12 weeks pregnant. He has cut back alot but doesnt seem interested in quitting. I'm just taking it day by day. Dont worry about other peoples thoughts. I honestly believe unless you are there in the situation you have no clue what you would really do. I never would of told you I would nurse my child this long. I just did it because i know its good for him and it didn't seem weird when it was my child. Be proud of yourself! You are giving your child a wonderful gift!
CAITLINK
Posts: 514
12/10/10 12:21 P
I weaned DS #1 at 15 months, and forever I regret it!! It really was my inability to deal with peoples judgement about nursing a child over 1. This time I'll not make that mistake. Oliver and me will keep nursing until he's ready to stop, but I don't think I'll nurse past 3. Do whatever feels right for you!
GUERILLA
Posts: 2798
12/4/10 6:05 P
At the moment I've set my upper age at 3 years, when I plan to start working towards weaning.
Jana
--
Tandem breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cloth diapering, baby wearing momma. :)
MODERMOM09
Posts: 623
12/3/10 10:01 A
The upper age is whenever you feel it's time to stop and/or your child decides he's done breastfeeding and that's different for different people. If you aren't uncomfortable and you can deflect people's judgements then go for it. Our society really sucks about breastfeeding in general and if a child is older than 1 people really get their panties in a knot.
As for a plan to go to your husband with - go to the La Leche website as they will probably have plenty of information about nursing through the toddler years and such.
TZGREY
Posts: 6371
12/1/10 2:51 P
I wouldn't worry about the support for nursing past 2. Nurse until you and/or your baby feel is most comfortable for you.
There are many moms on babyfit who not only nursed their 26 month old (2+) but who even tandem nursed two toddlers.
I think it's wonderful that you're still nursing. I pushed my first to wean around 19 months (I was pregnant and very uncomfortable). My second weaned by 14 months against my wishes!! Oh how I wish I hadn't encouraged the first one to wean so early. :(
There is no upper age for breastfeeding. And the worldwide weaning average is around age 4. :)
Edited by: TZGREY at: 12/1/2010 (14:52)
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