3rd Trimester

When will you stop *nursing*?

I plan to breastfeed for the first year if possible. But I always found nursing older babies a little weird. I remember a friend of mine was still nursing her son, who was around 9-10 months old, and he would play for a while then randomly go up to mom and lift up her shirt and start sucking away.

Since then I've always said once LO can start 'controlling' the nursing sessions, then they will be strictly bottle fed. I know I may change my mind, but that's what I'm planning for now.

What are your thoughts on this?

ETA: I'm asking how long will you let the babe drink from the boob? Even if I stop that early, I hope to pump until at least one year.

imageimage

Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

Lilypie First Birthday tickers

Re: When will you stop *nursing*?

  • I would like to nurse LO as long as they want to be nursed. I have lots of long-term breastfeeders for friends and its not unusual for me to see a 2+ yr old breastfeeding, its natural and good for them.
  • Loading the player...
  • I'm thinking at least the first six months. Then he will be starting solids and I will feel better about putting him on formula. But I might go up to a year, no longer.
  • I'd like to hit the 1 year mark this time but we'll see.  I nursed DD for 8 1/2 months.  At that point she was walking and could say a few words. It was a bit weird for me because she didn't seem like a baby anymore.

    The final straw was when she got in her top teeth.  She would grind her teeth together as she was trying to nurse.  She didn't mean to hurt me but it was horrible. 

    Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers
    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
  • Since I'm a first time mom I can't say for sure, but I would like to BF until somewhere around the 9-12 month mark. 
    Photobucket Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker image
  • With DS, I planned to nurse for a year, but I just stopped producing around 6 months.  That ended that :)  I'm hoping to be able to go longer this time around, but I'll probably actually nurse for 9 months and then pump as long as I can after that.  That's the plan anyway :)
  • I honestly have no clue. I don't know how I will feel about it later so I am gonna keep my options open and not set a time line for him or myself.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • My original goal before having DD1 was to nurse for six months. I ended up nursing for 18 months and hope to do the same with DD2.

    Emily 11.29.2007 | Kate 4.3.2010 | James 8.22.2013
  • I plan on 9 months to 1 year.  I did 9.5 months with DS. It was not weird at all.  They are still babies then.  I don't have the energy to keep it up longer, but I think 18 months would be cut off if I thought I could make it that long. That is just a personal choice though. 
    image
    Baby Birthday Ticker TickerBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker

  • I'm hoping to do for at least 6months maybe 1 year not sure, is how it goes!
    Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
  • I nursed both of my boys until 18 months and plan to do the same for this little guy.  Wait until you experience the nursing relationship with your baby.  I doubt you'll find it "weird" when it is your own child.  It is the most natural and wonderful thing you can do for your baby.
    image
    Ryan 5/2010, Kyle 1/2007, Eric 3/2005
  • I had to stop at 6 months with my daughter. I'm hoping I can go that long this time since I'm working full time. It just all depends on LO and whether my boobs decide to cooperate this time.
  • I nursed my DD for 16 months.  I would have gone to 2 if she'd wanted to, but it was pretty much a mutual decision to stop (I went out of town for a few days and she didn't ask when I got back).  In hindsight, it was a good time to be finished.  I hope to do the same for DS.
    imageimage Ashley Sawtelle Photography
  • I plan on stopping actual nursing at 6 months.  I will still pump if possible.  I would rather wean earlier than have problems weaning and end up breastfeeding a toddler.  I know breastmilk is beneficial, even for toddlers, but I don't think I will be comfortable doing it that long.  I am also going to try to take away the pacifier at 6 months, so my baby might hate me around that time.  And of course, things don't always go as planned--so I may be breastfeeding longer.
  • While I can't say for sure, I hope to BF until the 6 month mark.  I guess I'll just play it by ear. 
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • before i had my first child I felt exactly the way you do.  no way was I going to let a kid come up to my and lift my shirt...however, we ended up nrusing for 11 months and never once did he do that to me.  It wasn't weird nursing an "older baby" once I actually became a mother of an "older baby" (if that makes sense).  It felt totally normal and natural.  This time around I plan to nurse for 11-12 months again.

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I nursed DD for 14 months. We started using sign language first before she was able to verbally communicate. By 10 month she was able to verbally communicate when she wanted to nurse. I certainly wasn't going to stop just because she could talk! You have to teach them to ask for the breast, same as they would need to ask for other things. I never allowed her to just walk up to me a lift my shirt. But I should also add that I rarely denied her a nursing.  And FYI  we totally skipped over bottles. She went from the breast to a cup.
  • 12-18 months.  I nursed ds for 18 months and it was great. 
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • imageParadisemoon:
    I nursed DD for 14 months. We started using sign language first before she was able to verbally communicate. By 10 month she was able to verbally communicate when she wanted to nurse. I certainly wasn't going to stop just because she could talk! You have to teach them to ask for the breast, same as they would need to ask for other things. I never allowed her to just walk up to me a lift my shirt. But I should also add that I rarely denied her a nursing.  And FYI  we totally skipped over bottles. She went from the breast to a cup.

    We want to teach our baby sign language as well.  What kind of resources did you use? 

  • My goal was 6 months with the understanding that I'd reassess at that point.  I ended up nursing her until 13 month.  It's totally a personal choice with no right or wrong answer but based on my first experience I know it seems now like it will be strange to nurse an almost toddler (and it definitely has it's funny moments) but it will be so second nature to you by then that it probably won't seem like a big deal...not to mention that the change from baby to almost toddler is so gradual.
  • I nursed DS for 9 - 10 months. . . I hope to do the same this time around.  Just do what feels right for you.
  • I'm aiming for 12 + months.
    We'll see what I can actually pull off between pumping at work and BF at home.


    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
  • I am going for as long as I can.  It's supposed to keep my MS in remission and it's so good for my little girl!  Hopefully until I get pg with #2 and then start all over!
  • I nursed DD1 for 10.5 mo, she would sign "milk" and lift my shirt.

    I nursed DD2 until she was 14 mo.

    I will nurse this one at least a year, probably more like 18 mo.

  • I have no idea. I know it's good to at least get to 6 months, so I will aim for that, but if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I'm just gonna go with the flow! I really don't suspect I'll make it past a year though.
    Logan Jack- 6.1.10 and Emmett Weston- 9.29.12 

    image

    image

    image
  • I nursed #1 until 13 months, she self-weaned which was my first clue I was pregnant again.

    IMO it's not "weird" for them to start asking when it's your kid that you've nursed since birth, but do whatever you are comfortable with. 

    image Ready to rumble.
  • I'm hoping to go 6 months but since I only went 1 month with my first, maybe 3 months is a more realistic goal.  I realize that 9-12 month olds look "older" but I have a 6 year old and believe me, I look back at pics and she was still such a baby at 12 mos old.  Meaning - you may not think the same when your little one is 8-9 months old.
  • imagechantellio:

    imageParadisemoon:
    I nursed DD for 14 months. We started using sign language first before she was able to verbally communicate. By 10 month she was able to verbally communicate when she wanted to nurse. I certainly wasn't going to stop just because she could talk! You have to teach them to ask for the breast, same as they would need to ask for other things. I never allowed her to just walk up to me a lift my shirt. But I should also add that I rarely denied her a nursing.  And FYI  we totally skipped over bottles. She went from the breast to a cup.

    We want to teach our baby sign language as well.  What kind of resources did you use? 

    We used various books that I got from our library. 

    My First Signs by Annie Kubler

     A first Guide to Baby Signing by Katie Mayne

    There are many good resources including books, movies and flash cards. You just have to browse and find what works for you.

  • I nursed DD#1 for 61/2 months.  I was also working full time and even though I wanted to go longer, it was really hard keeping up with her demand and finding time to pump during the day.  I had to keep extra shirts with me incase my breast pads leaked... 

    This time around I will be a SAHM and I plan on BF'ing until LO is a year old.  We'll see how it goes.

  • imageanabell0920:
    I honestly have no clue. I don't know how I will feel about it later so I am gonna keep my options open and not set a time line for him or myself.

     

    This is what I plan to do.I stopped at one year with my son,but he was biting my nipples.

  • I plan on breastfeeding for at least 9 months then transferring him to the bottle with breastmilk (only) till he's about 1 1/2 yrs old and then to sippy cup till he's 2. After that we'll make the transition to regular milk. I have high hopes for this working but we'll see. lol.
  • I will start pumping at 4 weeks (since I will be back at work at 6 weeks), but I plan to nurse till 6 months. At that point, I will pump at work/home and do bottles.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • If I make it 3-4 months, I'll be happy.
    imageBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker Lilypie First Birthday tickers
  • I'm going to try to make it 6 months on the boob, and then pump for several months after that.
  • Not sure if I should even reply here, but DD nursed until she was 3.  It was only before bed at that point.  She nursed pretty heavily until 18 months or so (that's when I stopped pumping at work) and then it was before sleeping, if she got hurt or when I had been away for a long stretch during the day.  

    BF is a very personal decision and what works for one family may not work for another.  Also, once you are doing it, your ideas about it may change. 

This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"