Toddler nursing

Hey there , new to this thread. I have a 15 month old and I still nurse. Now I've had to supplement him and my daughter (12 years ago) because I never had enough milk. I did the lactation specialist, rented a pump, vitamins, nursed every minute of the day.When I pumped I only got a couple ounces total if I was lucky.  I didn't give up and just had to give a few ounces after every feeding. Both my kids never slept through the nigt either, with or without formula.I wanted to give u a background.  Anyway, I was just wondering if there were any nursing moms
of older kids and how often they do it.  I mostly nurse when he wakes up on the am, b4 bed and maybe once else b4 a nap sometimes. JuSt curious. Not sure when I was going to stop but I like hearing from others

[zazou]

My daughter will be 2 in June and I'm still nursing on demand, I found that was better for my supply as she BF several times a day. My daughter had a minor phase of sleeping through the night, but not anymore, she gets thirsty and wants to drink water.

I want to stop soon and wean her off at around 2, which is a MAJOR challenge, she is such a breast child. So I will be contacting my lactation specialist within the next week.

[AnnieBrooke]

The schedule you have described is about where mine was at 18 months.  Maybe once more in the daytime.  I would also nurse if he woke up in the night, which was easy because he slept in an Arms Reach bassinet.  

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

my daughter is 2 1/4 and we still bf.  Mainly before bed, early morning, then befroe I go to work.  Sometimes she'll drink if I'm home at lunchtime.  I practice the don't offer don't refuse priciple now and intend to BF her as long as she wants  (but presuming she will stop sometime in the next year).

[Eebb26]

Thanks for the input. I had to stop bf my daughter at around 14 months old due to a medicine i had to go on :-(  I usually nurse 3 times a day and also in mid of night if needed. If I'm home all day, it might be 4 times. It def puts him to sleep, just doesn't stay asleep! When my daughter was little we thought the problem was that she fell asleep at the breast and never built up my milk. This time around I kept him up and did everything right and still didn't have enough. And I have big babies so they were not happy unless they were eating. I hated having to suppliment ad it's so hard when all the lactation ppl tell u don't give them formula and don't give them a bottle. It made me feel so bad and took months to be ok with it. I just have to accept I don't make ALot of milk. I also never have or at least feel a letdown. That's so odd but true. Anyway thanks for the input ladies. G nite

[ketona31479]

I wish I was like you, I feel EVERY TIME I let down, It HURTS theres been times its brought tears to my eyes. I have a TON of let downs a day but I'm extreamly lucky if i get 5 ounces in a 24 hour period both breasts combined.

[kbMama]

My daughter is 16 months old and I just started weaning her off the ***. I'm 5 months pregnant so my milk supply dried up since my daughter was only nursing twice a day. It was also extremely painful to nurse while pregnant. The hardest part about weaning my toddler was getting her to go to sleep without nursing. It took about 4 days of rocking her and singing lullabies to her before she finally realized that mommy's milk was all gone. Once my son is born if my daughter wants to start nursing again I have no problem tandem nursing.

[allmymarbles]

What you are doing sounds about right. I don't understand the pumping though. The baby is the best pump I can think of. As to when to stop breastfeeding, that is up to you. The earliest months are the most important. And there is not much point in going past age two. But as you say, all your baby's are not breast milk so he is already being weaned. That is just fine. As for yourself, stop whenever you want to. Your baby is well on the way to good health.

[Eebb26]

Thanks again. I don't even want to stop yer and still nurse sometimes on demand but at least twice a day. Usually 3 x. When is it time to stop? I mean he's only  16 mos but I dony want to do it till 4 yeRz old

[Super_sally888]

Time to stop is when you and he both want to.

For babies/toddlers that are allowed to self wean this will usually happen sometime between 2 and 3 years.  However every kid is different and some will go longer and some shorter.

From anthropological studies of traditional societies, weaning has been seen to typically happen somewhere between 2 and 5 years of age.  So it's very broad.

With my 2 1/4 yo, we generally practice the don't offer, don't refuse.  However, when she is really tired or upset the breast is just the best way to calm her / get her to sleep.  I call it "Mummy Magic". :)  I try not to feed her in "public" (or even in front of friends) these days as she is quite big and I don't want the stares and comments.

I don't think I have that much milk these days, but she seems to get what she wants.  I enjoy the closeness.  

[Eebb26]

Sally
Thanks. I know what you mean. My 'little' guy is quite big so even at 16 months he's the size of a two year old. I hate judgementsl ppl but whatever.... Thanks again