how long did you breastfeed your kid?

Elsabie - posted on 08/04/2010

My daughter is 2.5 and shows no sign of wanting to stop. If she could she would probably nurse all day!! I feed her before bed and in the mornings when she wakes up. She comes into bed with up and says ''Yummy Yummy Mummy's boobies in my tummy'' lol. Makes me laugh every time. I do let her nurse during the day when she's poorly though.

Laura Zoey - posted on 08/04/2010

Dhem, your son is truely lucky to have been breastfed 3 years. Congrats!

Dhem - posted on 08/03/2010

My son is 4 years old now and for 3 years, i breastfed him.. I feel so lucky to have had breastfed him for that long..

Lisa - posted on 08/01/2010

my daughter is 20 months old and i still nurse. im actually having a hard time weaning. we are down to am and pm. so suggestions on that would be awesome too. =)

Danica - posted on 08/01/2010

My son selfed weened at around 18 month. He wouldn't sit/lay still long enough and wanted to play and be a big kid. By that stage i was only bf before bed.
To get my son to drink milk I had to water it down. To get him to drink water I had to put breast milk in the water.

Just keep offering milk she will eventually take it. Also if you want to ween, drop the bf between the main meals and offer water. Start offering food before bf, which i am sure you are already doing.

Tracy - posted on 07/31/2010

Nurse her is that's what she wants. I wanted to keep nursing my daughter, but once she got the feel for a bottle around 8 months she didn't want to nurse any longer.

Alicia - posted on 07/30/2010

My daughter is 13 months old and still nurses 2 to 3 times a day morning, night and middle of the night....she wont drink whole milk either. Have you tried giving it to her warm? just a thought I can get mine to take a few sips then....but what I have found to work best is the gerber dairy drink (should be with the baby food and baby juices) it comes in 3 flavors and my little girl LOVES them. I just give her 1 a day and yogurt and cheeses to help with calcuim intake.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do :)

Heather - posted on 07/30/2010

wish i could gave u the answer,but my won't take the formla. good luck

Tiffany - posted on 07/30/2010

I let my children tell me when they were ready... None of them even ate enough food to sustan life until after age 2. My oldest tw were both over 3 years old when they weaned, and the "baby" is still nursing at 2 years 5 mos.



There's no need to rush it... It's such a short time, in the grand scheme of things!



Even the non-breastfeeding-friendly American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends at least two years of nursing.

Aneliese - posted on 07/30/2010

It's up to you! I BFd my first for 15 months, he self weaned when I was 5 months pregnant with #2, #2 was BFd for 19 months and again, self weaned because I was 7 months pregnant, #3 is 17 months and still Bfing

Jessica - posted on 07/30/2010

My daughter was about 2 years. I plan on doing at least the same amount with my 4 month old son.

Kendra - posted on 07/29/2010

my son is 14 months and nurses 3-4x a day. i don't have a time limit on when we will stop, but i would like to cut out the 2 daytime feedings because he is just so wiggly and it can be painful and occasionally frustrating. i'd like to keep nursing once in the morning and once before bedtime for as long as its working for us. kind of playing it by ear.. as far as cows milk, he won't drink it either unless i mix it with vanilla soy milk or any flavor Naked fruit smoothy. if you have any leftover baby food purees you could always try mixing a spoonful or two of one of the fruits into the milk for a little flavor.. finding the right sippy cup is major! my son wouldn't so much as consider anything but nursing til he tried the sippy cup he has now (the 4th one we tried).. also if you're at the table with her in the highchair you could always try pouring yourself a glass of milk and she might want a sip of "whats momma got?"..

Belinda - posted on 07/29/2010

it really is a personal call.. I guess if your happy to keep going well go for it... My eldest (now 7yrs) stopped at around 2yrs (due to my milk chaning due to being pregnant again), next (now 5yrs) stopped at around 19mths (due to milk changing again due to pregnancy) and our "baby" is now 2.5yrs and is still having a feed for bedtime and a couple over night (which will probably stop soon as I have just found out I'm pregnant again so guess my milk will change soon)...

good on you for feeding for as long as you have... there is no hard and fast rule as to when to stop... its really when u feel that you've had enough... if she doesn't like milk she can get dairy requirements elsewhere and drink water... so don't worry about that side of things... good luck..

Amanda - posted on 07/29/2010

My son is 14 months and I am still nursing. I was planning on weaning him when he turned a year but he still wanted to nurse and I wasn't ready to give up on our special time :) He doesn't nurse quite as often as he used to but I have decided to let him decide when it's time to give it up.

Kela - posted on 07/29/2010

I hear this repeatedly where people think there child is weaning when they are just going on a nursing strike. This usually occurs in conjunction with teething, some illness that blocks breathing through the nose, or some startling event that occurred while nursing. Often it just takes continuing to attempt nursing through the difficulty and it will continue again normally after a very short time. I am not saying that this was the case with you but it is very often the case when a child seemingly weans themselves before 1 year and sometimes even after 1 year.

Shannon - posted on 07/29/2010

I absolutely hated stopping but my daughter self weaned at 10.5 months. I wasn't ready to stop but what can you do when all she does is go stiff and start screaming?! lol! I had enough frozen milk that she had breastmilk with supplements of soy milk until she was a year then it was off to cow's milk!

Patricia - posted on 07/29/2010

It doesn't sound as if you really want to stop. Neither does your daughter. Keep going until either she wants to stop or you are totally sure you want to stop. Once you stop you can't start again.

I nursed the first for 26.5 months and the second for 31 months.

Erin - posted on 07/29/2010

My daughter did not really become interested in cows milk or other solid food until I weaned her.
If you decide to start weaning make sure you first break your child of nursing to sleep, if you haven't already.
Then you could try cutting back the length of time that you actually nurse or cut out one meal at a time.
I used to nurse my daughter in bed for the first meal of the day. I then changed my location and gave up hope of her going back to sleep in the morning.
Then one morning I had a sippy cup of milk and some blueberries. She loves blueberries. She asked to nurse but I didn't let her. It was heart breaking! But she was quite distracted with the blueberries.
I loved to nurse and I will do it with the next one but I am happy to have a break now, wearing normal bras and clothes that aren't so easy access.

Kelley - posted on 07/29/2010

I weaned my daughter off of "booby juice" around 2 years of age. She was drinking whole milk in a cup but still wanted the comfort food just before bed.

Kela - posted on 07/28/2010

I am at 30 months and counting. My son drinks milk and still nurses. He also eats a wide variety of other foods and still nurses. There is no magic time or set of circumstances that will tell you it is time to stop nursing except when your child no longer wants to nurse or the breastfeeding relationship is no longer mutually beneficial. Hope this helps

Christie - posted on 07/27/2010

My daughter self weaned at 15months old when I was pregnant with her brother. We skipped formula and bottles altogether (thank christ!) and just went to full fat cows milk with meals. Feed as long as you are both happy :)

Sammie - posted on 07/27/2010

"be cautious that you are nursing for babe's sake, not mommy's, if it is more for you, then it is time to wean"


Seriously?? You can NOT make a child nurse, so if a child is nursing, its because he/she wants to. Not because mom is forcing him/her to.
I have heard people say this before, that a mom nursing an older child does so for her self. Not true! If it does happen, i guarantee you its very rare.
My daughter nursed until she was almost 5yrs old, and i didnt allow her to nurse that long because i wanted her to. I was SOOO ready to be done, but i allowed her to continue because she needed to, it was very comforting to her and caused no harm.
My son is 3.5yrs old and still nursing, and believe me, i am READY for him to be done, but i will allow him to continue for the same reasons my daughter was allowed.
See, a mother who allows a child to self wean or allowed to nurse for an extended amount of time is putting her child first.
Allowing a child to nurse is such a selfless act.

Marie - posted on 07/27/2010

keep going as long as you're both happy doing it..i'm still breast feeding my 17 month old son, and have no signs of stopping anytime soon!

Charity - posted on 07/27/2010

Keep up with what you feel is best for your babe, I am nursing my 6 month old and plan to until he is btwn 1 and 2 years. I'm not sure I agree with the World Health Organization, they work most in countries where good nutritious food is harder to come by than in those where it is easy to find. I live on a farm and make my own baby food from my garden or local farmers market when possible. Frozen foods are also good bc they are frozen very soon after harvest. Make sure you keep trying the milk for your babe, and use only whole milk, you loose alot of good nutrition when you take out the fat (whole milk is only 3.5% fat anyway, thats 96.5% fat free), there are important Fatty acids in milk that help with much nutrition. (I drink mine raw) You should definatly make your own choice about when to wean, be cautious that you are nursing for babe's sake, not mommy's, if it is more for you, then it is time to wean.

Taushua - posted on 07/27/2010

It's up to you! YOU YOU YOU. I get a lot of negative feedback from my family about nursing. I nursed all seven of my babies. When I nursed them I waited til we were both ready to stop. With my first set of twins, they nursed for 16 months they were premaure by about 12 weeks or so. I wanted to nurse them until they were officially 1 year old. I am still nursing my 8 month old twins and will continue til their birthday at least before we wean. And my 2 year olds just started drinking milk about a month ago... go figure!

Heather - posted on 07/27/2010

I am at 17 months and though I'm ready, he's not. I'm doing the don't offer don't refuse method and he still asks for it 3 times a day. My girls both stopped at 3 months and I only went 4 months with my first.

My girls don't like milk still (3 and 6). I have tried flavoring it and they won't touch it. My ped told me that as long as they are getting plenty of other foods that have calcium (ie: yogurt and cheese, which they love) they are fine.

Ivy - posted on 07/27/2010

I am still nursing my 16 almost 17 month old except for the last 3 days she's refused to drink due to her teeth. My plan was to do it a year, then I changed to 2 years. Although we all know some plans never go the way we went. I am not sure if she will return to breastfeeding once she is done teething these last 4 teeth or if she is done completely. At the moment, I'm not ready to stop, but if she is, I am not going to force her.

I hope this helps you.

Maria - posted on 07/27/2010

6 and a half....lol no im just kidding....the longest i went was 15 months...good luck and great job with keeping up with breastfeeding!

Sammie - posted on 07/26/2010

Nope nursing a 4 or 5yr old is not creepy. Been there done that.
Its very rare that an older child will still nurse in public, so i dont think you have to worry too much about seeing one on a boobie.
But if you do run across an older child nursing, you can turn your head, you dont have to look.
Believe it or not, nursing any child, young or old, is not a sexual thing. So why do you find it creepy?

Marcy - posted on 07/26/2010

My son is turning 4 this Wednesday and still nurses a few times per day. We have both decided that on his birthday he will just drink "Big Boy Milk". Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. What a great way to raise a child.......

Laura Zoey - posted on 07/26/2010

why did a few of you comment about your kids not being gay?? Im confused about why that was brought up in your posts??

Laura Zoey - posted on 07/26/2010

I hope Eric nurses at least 3 years. I plan to tandem nurse him when i have another baby. I would not want to risk his health by weaning before 2 years as following the best recommendations. I know that cows milk is NOT that good for humans and I wont give Eric much cows milk for a few years. It is made for cows and I know it isnt that beneficial for him to have it. The longer you breastfeed the better off your child will be. It is pretty simple that way, there is no psycological harm to nursing into preschooler age and the healthiest choice will always be human milk straight from mom. Their immune systems are not mature until age 8 so as long as you can boost their immunity the better off she will be. The world average weanign age is 4yr 9 months so It is technically unusual that americans wean so early. I encourage you to change the idea of cows milk being "milk" and human milk being "breastmilk" shouldnt we refer to our own species milk as just milk? And cows milk and goats milk and horses milk etc as such? Our human milk is the best for us humans and I hope one day we can stop thinking as cows milk as the standerd "milk" for our babies.
Suggestion, keep nursing! You will never regret nursing, you may regret weaning before she is ready.

Racheal - posted on 07/26/2010

the WHO recomends nursing until age 2! keep going mama!!! your doing great

Bernadette - posted on 07/26/2010

My daughter is 15 months and still breast feeding. I had thought we'd have stopped by now, and I have been trying to wean her for a while, but we are having a little bit of trouble. I did put up a post a month or two ago, asking for advice on this but only got one reply and that was to keep going until my baby wants to stop. That reply didn't really suit me, as I am ready to stop and at the time we were trying for another baby so I really wanted her weaned before that. We were going quite well, and had dropped back to only two feeds a day, but unfortunately she keeps getting sick, and when she gets sick she wants it more and more (she even calls it "more"). She screams and pulls at my shirt and will not stop until I give in (which I have been trying not to do, but sometimes I just have to). She has been wanting it soo many times a day - at times we haven't fed for months on end. We had cut out daytime feeds altogether quite some time ago, but now we are back doing them again and it's really frustrating me. And now, I have found out that our latest attempt to get pregnant was actually successful, and now she's wanting to feed more than ever, right when I really want to wean her off altogether. I did read somewhere during my first pregnancy, however, that the taste of breast milk changes once you reach a certain point in pregnancy (I can't remember what point that is) so that any older children still feeding will be put off and decide that they are going to wean themselves off. So hopefully that will happen, and my little girl will come off it on her own, naturally.

Lisbeth - posted on 07/25/2010

my little girl is 21 months and still going strong, it is up to you and your baby. Good luck and congrats for bf so long.

Jackie - posted on 07/24/2010

i nursed for 19 months and would have kept going but i got pregnant again and now i am nursing my 5 month old

Kristin - posted on 07/24/2010

I love the nursing relationship. My son is a year old, and I'll continue for a good long while yet. Cow's milk isn't ideal for humans anyway. It's produced for the cow's offspring, and has different properties than human milk. My son isn't getting any cow's milk at all. You can check out http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/m... Really, it's whatever works for you. If you enjoy nursing, by all means continue. If it's becoming drudgery, it's time to change!

Caightlyn - posted on 07/24/2010

i made it to 6 weeksthen dried up :(

Lyndsey - posted on 07/24/2010

A year

Alysha - posted on 07/24/2010

I breastfed my daughter for 2 months and that was a struggle. I always tell people that if they have the milk, to go and keep breastfeeding. I mean not for an extreamly long time. But, until you the mom is ready to say enough.

La'Jai - posted on 07/24/2010

That's great to still be breastfeeding her.Most women do not last as long as, because it hurts or they just have giving up. I think you should continue breastfeeding her, but try to wing her off easily. And it's ok that she doesn't like the other milk, jus try her on some water, because its the next step to a healthy nutrition for our little ones. But Congradulations and be proud that you made it to 13 months. My son is 9months and I'm taking that extra step to breastfeed him until he is almost two years old. Not because i want to but because its healthy for their brain development and proper nutrition

Keri - posted on 07/24/2010

I breastfed my first 2 babies until they weaned themselves at 13 months... I was so sad, but they were done! My current baby is almost 5 months and still nursing...

Jaqueline - posted on 07/24/2010

I breastfed my son and daughter and they were both different, my son came off the breast himself when he was about 14 months old, my daughter took a bit longer she was nearer two, I don't think it matters how long you feel for, as long as you are both comfortable doing it is what really matters! Do you give your daughter a cup, my girl loved it and gradually used it more and more until she was only feeding at night, then not at all, I would encourage her with a cup even if it's not milk. a cup of juice might do, or even water as my girl did, Good Luck!!!

Sanity - posted on 07/24/2010

27 months for my first (he weaned himself) and 7 full time months for my second. (He was allergic to the foods I ate.)
There is nothing wrong with letting them nurse. That is what "they" are made for. :) I think that you are doing a great job! The longer they nurse, the better IMO. My older son has a GREAT immune system. My younger, pretty strong immune system, however the lack of proper nutrition later may have had something to do with his "wiring".
Either or, do what is in your heart to do. Even pumping it out for day time and night time nursing is doable. AND it is a great stress release for your own self. :)

Melissa - posted on 07/24/2010

my son is 13 months old also and i am still nursing him. he drinks milk from a sippy cup by himself during the day and in the evenings (and if i am home for his afternoon nap) i breastfeed. i feel he is actually beginning to wean himself on his own. i have no set plan on when to stop, i think he will eventually wean himself all together (hoping) :) that is my story, hope it helps :o)

Autumn - posted on 07/24/2010

I nursed my son until he was 3 and a half. He made it clear that he still needed it at least once or twice a day until he was three and then it gradually ended. He's now a confident, intelligent 4 year old, and I think extended breastfeeding helped shape him.

Karen - posted on 07/24/2010

I breast fed both my children until they were 3 and 3.5 years old.

Diony - posted on 07/24/2010

i stopped nursing at 5 months. the quantity of milk wasn' t enough anymore for my littel girl and i started to feel like a cow, she was always asking, alsways drinking and i was tired, tired, ... empty really.
working and nursing, it didn't work ;0) and because of her demanding and me not able to give, i was happy to change one meal into "plastic milk" (as i call it lol). i saw she was feeling quite comfi with it so i decided to slowly stop the nursing.
a full time job, with irregular time tables and nursing was too much for my health. and, as working pays the bills....the decision was easily taken, certainly as i'm a single mum!

Angela - posted on 07/23/2010

breast feeding ur child dose not mean they wont grow up to be gay

Angela - posted on 07/23/2010

WELL DONE i have 8 kids and breast fed all some longer than other longest 14 mts yes you could start weaning her now start during the day as you need to slowly redeuce ur milk so u dont get sore get family on board to help when express some milk in to cup and then go out for a while start offer reg milk at every other feed sure she will play up and you prop want to just give in and feed her but when she see that all she getting is what in cup/bottle you will have a few hard days but stick to it