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August 2011 Moms
MrsCase1
member
Weaning Question (not judge-y just curious)
MrsCase1
member
I do not intend this post to be snarky, as my question is genuine and sincere. Just felt I had to preface that since it is hard to convey tone over the internet.
I'm curious as to why so many people are eager to wean at the age of one? Clearly there will not be a one-size-fits-all answer for all women, I am simply looking for a common denominator.
Of the women I know IRL, not a single, solitary one has nursed passed the age of one.
There are many factors for why I am curious about this. The aformentioned friends IRL are one reason. Another is that based upon gestation period alone, humans nurse the shortest in relation to how long we are pregnant, for any mammal. I have also read in many places that in addition to the obvious bonding benefits, nursing helps with behavior issues through the toddler years. Our pedi said he would be pleased if we nursed till 6 months and seems surprised each time we see him and I remind him Lincoln refuses formula and still nurses.
Don't worry, ladies, I have no intention of nursing Lincoln till he's 7! Ha! In fact, he will be 14 months on the 26th and he is weaning himself. He's too busy to be bothered most times so there is no concern for me that I will have to be the one to cut him off. More like sadness for me that he is over it. I would've happily nursed till he was 2 before considering weaning but I am confident he will not allow that, LOL! Although, as evidenced by my last post, I am ready to wear pretty clothes and bras again!
One friend did share with me that she nursed for one year and felt that was a "long enough scarifice" and she was ready to reclaim her body. So does anyone care to share what is so "special" about age one?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Weaning Question (not judge-y just curious)
For us, we weaned because my supply was completely gone and DD weaned herself. I probably would have continued the morning and night nursing a few more months.
However, I did orginally plan on weaning around the age of one. Although it is a poor reason, I just kind of thought that is what you do. Obviously, I KNEW that wasn't a for sure stopping point.
I have to say that nursing had begun to get a little frustrating for me, with DD getting distracted, wiggling, talking, biting, etc.
I think it has to do with lo's being able to have wcm at one and mainly our cultures views/opinions on breastfeeding. I remember the week dd started walking 3 different women told me it as time to stop breastfeeding bc she was now to old - she just turned 11 months old. If she took a bottle I wouldn't take away her bottle just bc she could now walk, breastfeeding is her bottle.
Like amywalt, I have always had the perception that weaning at a year is the thing to do, provided that you are still nursing. It wasn't until I became active on TB that I realized so many people BF beyond one year. IRL, I have had a ton of people remark or comment (not negatively, just in surprise) that I am still BFing.
Why do I want to wean? I'll start with the selfish reasons
For one, DD has never taken a bottle. Since she started walking at 8 months, she has been a little terror about running up to me, lifting my shirt, clawing at me, and trying to BF all day every day. I mean, she will try to get at my boobs on an hourly basis if I would let her! I would like to be able to go out in public without her climbing up under my shirt 
All joking aside, though, DD has seemed cranky and unsatisfied for for about 2-3 months now. I thought it was teething, but low and behold, I introduced WCM three weeks before her birthday, and she is so much happier. So I truly feel like my supply is so low that she was left unsatisfied after nursing sessions, even though we were still nursing multiple times a day (and once overnight). Since introducing WCM, she is taking longer naps and now STTN.
Because my supply is low, nursing sessions have been frustrating for both of us. She will latch, unlatch, move from breast to breast repeatedly, and express a lot of frustration. Then she will get up, run around the room, and come back to start the whole thing over again. I have loved the experience of nursing her, but bedtime has become a challenge. Now that she is not so starving at sessions, things are much more relaxed and for both of us. I am happy with nursing at night and in the a.m. for as long as she wants to continue, now that we are supplementing nursing with WCM.
Because I was impatient to see the return to fertility, my supply was tanking and dd was becoming hysterical when the milk ran out (which very much upset me) and I was tired of getting bitten. Contrary to my expectations, my generally non snuggle child has become much more cuddly since weaning, so that's been a nice extra perk. I felt no societal pressure to wean and even dh seemed a little saddened by my weaning. It was not easy for me at the time, but now I think it was the right thing for me.
She still nurses before bed.
We nurse while together and he gets WCM when I am away. I still feel like DS is a baby so I don't want to fully wean. He still really, really likes his boobies but I'm glad he'll take a sippy now.
In my circle of close-knit friends one weaned her babies at 15 months, the other weaned her son at 2 1/2 (he has the best comments when he sees me nurse DS), and the other is weaning her two year old this week. I don't know any mom who weaned at one just because. Maybe it's just cultural around here. It's nice to be able to be out with friends and no one bats an eye at nursing past a year. We're both just not ready to be done yet.
My ILs don't understand why I'm still nursing, but I told them the pediatrician told me to keep nursing past a year since my LO is still on the small side and BM has more nutrients than WCM. They kindof looked at me cross-eyed but they can't argue with what the doctor said.
I had to wean because my supply tanked once I got pregnant. Up until a few weeks ago we were still nursing for comfort. Even now he'll sometimes try to nurse and I just let him. My intention was to BF for as long as he wanted it, but that changed once we decided to get pregnant again.
Truth be told I feel kind of guilty that I ended things for him but that the next baby will be able to nurse for much longer.
I was of the same mentality once DD turned a year we would be done. However, that hasn't been how it has gone at all. Although DD gets sippy cups throughout the day of whole milk at daycare, in the morning and at night I nurse. She was getting breast milk up until she turned one but then my frozen supply was depleated so at 1 year one week she started getting whole milk.
I thought for certain I would stop breast feeding at one but she still wants to nurse in the morning and at night so that's what we do. I feel like she will tell me when she is ready and the benefit to her is so high. I never really enjoyed breast feeding and still do not which I think was why I thought I would definitely stop at one. But, it's best for her and I'll continue to do it for as long as she wants to. I have a feeling though in the next few months she will wean herself. Her nighttime nursing has already gotten progressively shorter and shorter.
I will say though, that I have shared with very few of my friends that I'm still BFing. I know they would look at me funny and question why we are still continuing.