Anyone here....

[houseelf]

Anyone here breastfeed for longer than a year. DD is 9 months old and I'm considering BF after her first birthday. This isn't always received well so I feel like I'm going to have to go "underground". I stopped cold turkey with DS at 11 months. I'd like to do more of a slow taper with DD.

Thoughts, suggestions, criticisms?

Kelly

[Cumberland]

I nursed til 14.5 months. I definitely felt like I had to go underground at around 10 months or so.

[HeartRN]

I would have gone past one year, but SOMEBODY thought nursing was just a funny play time to bite , so that's where it ended! Even around 9 months, a friend said to me "Once your baby starts eating table food, there's no reason to keep breastfeeding" I didn't even bother to go there! Do what you think is the best for both of you! I'm of the belief that letting the baby take the lead is best.....just my $.02

[houseelf]

I should come clean here and admit that my daughter is very, very small for her age, 0% for weight and 15% for height. Here we go again--DS was/is the same way. I think my kids have a jacked up metabolism. I have an above average one, and I think that they burn it off quickly. Anyway, I have been suplementing with formula and BF makes me feel like I'm malnourishing her. She eats table food like a champ, however.
Part of me just feels like because she is so skinny I should just give up BF and give her formula until her heart's content. But I know that BF is so good for her.... Wax and wane, wax and wane.

Issues, issues anyone? Not me.

Kelly

I went past a year. You definitely have to go underground. If it works for you, keep on going; if not, stop.

[Sheherezade]

I did between one and two years with each of my kids on the slow taper. I think the last 6 mos with each was an every other day comfort nursing at naptime; it certainly wasn't their primary food source. I didn't feel I had to be "underground" about it in our community. My son got very sick at 16 mos. and I was strongly encouraged by hospital staff to increase his nursing to get his fluids up both during and after his illness. Maybe that is why I don't remember negative pressure. My daughter quit on her own around 19 mos. after a taper. If your family is on board, I'd say go for it. When you are tapering off your nursing schedule, you are only likely to be nursing in private and at home. (It can really go on forever though and become harder to wean at later ages so figure that into your calculations as well.)

re: the "underground" comment. I wouldn't say, feel like nursing her at a park or something partly because some people think it's weird and I don't feel like dealing with that. Pediatricians have been fine with it; if they weren't and that was our only disagreement, it wouldn't be much of an issue.

I just get sick of the "you should do it just like me" attitude of parenting re: L&D, breast vs. bottle, cry it out vs. bed-sharing, and on and on and on.....hence the underground comment.

[Sheherezade]

I understand the "underground" thing. i would do the same in a different community. When I was breastfeeding I was lucky to be surrounded by women who were way more granola than me --one nursed her child till 2.5 at the park! So, I was lucky that my own feelings on the topics were solidly in the middle ground. I wouldn't want to deal with stares and questions either. What a world we live in, huh? Everyone's an expert!

[PrincessFiona]

I nursed Andrew and Amanda for under a year and then made up for it when I was that granola mom at the park. :> I nursed Alex until...*gulp* he turned...*gulp* 3.

I'm still nursing Aidan, but I'm not into it anymore and am working hard on the weaning.

:!

kris

I nursed Tim until a couple weeks past his first birthday, and just weaned Henry a few days ago, at almost 15 months.

A number of women I know nursed until their babies were 18 months to 2 years.

[mommax3]

I nursed my second until 22 months, but the last four months of that was after his afternoon nap only. I never felt judged or anything since it was always when we were at home. I think you should do what seems right for you.

Sally

[twinsmom]

I was fully prepared to nurse the twins until at least 2 years, but they both weaned themselves at about 14-16 months - I was actually kind of sad about it. I must have been out of it as far as the outside pressure, because I just nursed them anywhere, anytime they needed it (I guess it helped that I lived in Guatemala for a while before getting married, where all of the women would just whip it out anytime, anywhere for even their 4 year olds with no one batting an eye).

With Benjamin (3 months now), I am suddenly feeling a little self conscious in public, I don't know why. I will sometimes even excuse myself to go to another room (something I never did with the twins). Part of it could be that he hates the blanket covering, so it's a constant battle to keep is over him while he is nursing... oh the joys!! But I do plan on nursing him until he is ready to be done, hoping between 1-2 years.

Well, that's my .02... I have a funny cartoon about this that I will try to post (If I can get my scanner to work...).

Jen B.

[Phoebe]

I didn't do the year thing, but I think you should do what works for you and DD.

Jennifer