Moms of Nursing Toddlers

Emcat1980@yahoo.com

I don't know a lot of extended BF-ers in real life so I need ya'll to chime in and tell me about your experiences.

DS is 17 months old and still loves the breast hard-core. He would nurse for half the day if I let him. I kind of have mixed feelings...I want to have another baby soon and would like to have my body be my own for a while. He also asks to nurse in public a lot, and when I refuse it causes MAJOR meltdowns (usually b/c he's tired and/or hungry, which is why he's asking to nurse in the first place).  He nurses multiple times a day, for snacks, comfort and to sleep. He still nurses at night some, which is getting a little old. But I love the cuddles and the closeness, and I just feel like he is so dependent on it (emotionally) we're just not yet ready to wean.

Tell me about your nursing toddler!

MissyOlivePants

I'm starting to get a little tired of it, but DD is still all for it, so I try not to refuse. We're down to 3 sessions - morning, nap & nighttime.  it's just a part of her routine, which of course at her age is a hard habit to break.

Angela814

Annalise nursed until 3y2m. At 17 months I had just stopped nursing her at daycare. She was nursing morning, after work, before bed, and 1-2x a night. I still did nip at that point, stopped around 18 months. We were more scheduled just because we needed to be with her in daycare. On weekends she usually nursed morning, before and after nap during the day, before bed, and at night.

sunnyday016

DD nurses first thing in the morning and before bed, and I'm very happy with where we're at. It took us a few months to cut out the 2-3 other daytime sessions, but now that it's done she doesn't ever ask for it during the day. Cutting out those sessions was hard though-I did have to say no many times and then try to distract her with playing with toys or a sippy of cow milk. It was a process for sure.

I wanted to nurse until she's 2, but DH and I are going on a little 4-5 day trip in November and I might wean her completely before then. I'm still deciding on that one, but really I don't think DD would care too much or notice.

tlynnus

I wanted to wean for the same reasons that you mentioned.  I was nursing/pumping every three hours (even at night) for the first year.  I have slowly weaned over the past four months to just two sessions/day. The first thing that I did was stop pumping when I was at work (I work part-time so this was only about 6x week).  I also stopped offering and just nursed when DS asked for it (by pulling at my shirt). To be honest, this didn't really cut down on the nursing sessions.  He was still nursing at least 8x day.  The next thing that I did was to give him solids for his mid morning snack instead of nursing.  He didn't seem to notice.  So, the next session to go was his afternoon snack.  Again, he didn't seem to care.  After that he pretty much stopped asking to nurse during the day all on his own.  By the beginning of this month, he was down to nursing to sleep for his nap & bedtime.  If he ever does pull at my shirt during the daytime, I either offer him something to eat or drink or give him extra snuggles.  Once he is offered those choices, he is fine without the nursing. I'm not sure how to stop the nursing to sleep though!

futrkingsley

My 26 month old still nurses 6-8 times a day when we are together. He asks for booboo milk when he wakes, and if i'm home, before nap. He asks for it when he falls down, or if he needs some mama snuggles.  If I'm at work, it's what he asks for as soon as I walk in the door.  We nurse before bed (though after a cup of milk these days as I don't make as much as I did before), and then a few times at night usually.  He wants to nurse first thing in the morning usually.

I haven't made a concerted effort to wean him.  I have no need to.  We aren't looking to have another child, and it's a treasured part of our day.  I can feel him slowly putting boundries on it for himself and that is fine.  He'll be done when he's done. 

ncbelle

Most days kiddo nurses 3-5 times but if I'm not home at naptime, he may only nurse before bed and when he wakes up.  I feel like daytime nursing has become less important to him over the last few months.  He doesn't often ask to nurse when we are out and about - mostly just if he's tired.  Usually a snack and water will tide him over if it's not a good time to nurse. 

I'm curious to see how the next few months will go - not sure how my supply will hold out being pregnant.  I'd like for him to be done at 2 but he's still pretty attached to the sessions he does have - so we'll see!

aspade

We're still nursing constantly, which I don't mind, but when we're out and about, I find it easier to offer DD a snack instead, which usually works.

Felena

Its the cheapest milk out there and if you still have it, why not? My mother nursed my sister till she was 3 or 4 and I until I was 2. I am sure that i was only nursed till 2 because thats when my sister was born. But hearing and reading all the benefits of breastfeeding...why not...