BF past a year?

cbrookegrow · November 2012

My goal for breastfeeding has always been to do it until E is a year old. My sisters all did it that long so I assumed I'd do the same. I never expected to love breastfeeding like I do and now I wonder if I may go farther than a year.

Any pros or cons from moms that have done extended breastfeeding?

terri_doula2010 · November 2012

I BF'd my son for 25 months until he self-weaned (due to pregnancy). It gets easier and easier, it is a wonderful way to bond, and when you do it day by day it isn't weird at all. You don't wake up one day and say, "Oh. My kid is <insert arbitrary age here> so it is now weird to breastfeed."

I kinda wish he had never stopped and that I was tandem nursing.

sapphiremom13 · November 2012

I never thought I'd go past a year but there was no way either of us were ready at a year. I bf'd DD until she was about 16 months. When I was a few months pregnant , she self weaned. I was going to wean her because I didn't want to tandem nurse and I didn't want to wean her too close to the baby being born because u was afraid of jealousy issues. It worked out perfectly for us.

cbrookegrow · November 2012

terri_doula2010:
I BF'd my son for 25 months until he selfweaned due to pregnancy. It gets easier and easier, it is a wonderful way to bond, and when you do it day by day it isn't weird at all. You don't wake up one day and say, "Oh. My kid is lt;insert arbitrary age heregt; so it is now weird to breastfeed."I kinda wish he had never stopped and that I was tandem nursing.nbsp;

We plan on trying for a second when he is a year, and that was one issue, so you can breastfeed while pregnant? It's funny, the only reason I'm afraid of getting pregnant before he is a year is because I don't want our breastfeeding experience cut short; that's how much I love it.

kegallagh · November 2012

terri_doula2010:
It gets easier and easier, it is a wonderful way to bond, and when you do it day by day it isn't weird at all. You don't wake up one day and say, "Oh. My kid is <insert arbitrary age here> so it is now weird to breastfeed.

I couldn't agree more with this statement.

I'm still nursing my 2.5 year old. When I started nursing him, I was up for extended BFing but wasn't sure how long exactly. I'm pretty sure I wasn't thinking at least 2.5 years! It has been a great for bonding and closeness before and after work, comfort when he's sick or tired, and now that I'm tandem nursing (again, did NOT think I'd ever do this...) it has really helped him to adjust to his little brother. He only nurses 1x/day now because I've set limits since DS2's birth, but it is still a really special time that I thoroughly enjoy.

Take it day by day and do what feels right for you and your LO.

kegallagh · November 2012

cbrookegrow:
We plan on trying for a second when he is a year, and that was one issue, so you can breastfeed while pregnant? It's funny, the only reason I'm afraid of getting pregnant before he is a year is because I don't want our breastfeeding experience cut short; that's how much I love it.

Yes, you can BF while pregnant. Some people experience decreased milk supply, but not everyone does. Some babies self-wean during pregnancy. Neither was true for me, and my DS nursed throughout my pregnancy and is still going strong.

I also wanted to add that BFing is a lifesaver during the loud, wild toddler days. It is the only guaranteed peaceful and quiet time in my day.

terri_doula2010 · November 2012

It is different for all kids and moms. TBH it became incredibly painful to me to nurse DS after I got pregnant and I was really glad that it slowed him down a lot once my milk started going away (it was a gradual process for us during the first half of pregnancy...He completely night-weaned in March (we have had lots of other issues that make night time hard for him and we were done when I was 25 weeks pregnant). For some it isn't at all painful...it just varies. Oh, and it was only very painful for me for a month or so.

But yeah, you can totally keep BFing if you want. It may be better to wait at least most of a year to conceive if you don't want to have to supplement with formula before you can move to cow (or other) milk since you can't know until it happens how quickly your milk will decrease, your LO's reaction, etc.

I've heard that for women who have had trouble staying pregnant in the past it can sometimes be a problem and they need progesterone supplementation, but for the most part if your body is already used to BFing then it shouldn't affect pregnancy (according to my doctor, not just my opinion).

kegallagh · November 2012

Sorry, I keep thinking of things to add.

It's also important to keep in mind that BFing a toddler is very different than BFing an infant, and I think this is where a lot of un/misinformed people think the idea is totally crazy. A 1-2 year old is not necessarily nursing every 2-3 hours all day. Or if they want to and try, you can distract them since you know they aren't depending on you for nutrition anymore. They also tend to nurse for just a few minutes and then pop off to go back to what they are doing since they are so curious/distractable/busy at that age. Of course this isn't true for everyone all the time, but it does become considerably less demanding as they grow older.

cbrookegrow · November 2012

I'm starting to realize that a lot of people go past a year; I've noticed some women in my Le Leche meetings do. I was actually breastfed until I was 3, but I always thought that was against the norm.

As they get older do they naturally cut out feedings on their own as they are eating more solids? I'm just curious about the logistics.

kegallagh · November 2012

Yeah, they might cut out feedings or just shorten them. I'd say my son started to really decrease the # of nursing sessions between 16 and 18 months. Between 12 and 16 months, he would ask (signing "milk") often, but if I was busy I could distract him with a snack or activity. But overall yes, they'll nurse less as they eat more solids.

White0rchid · November 2012

I nursed DD2 until she was 23 months. We only stopped at that point because she ended up with a really bad stomach virus and threw up every time she nursed for 2 days straight. My milk dried up by the time she recovered.

We kept going past a year because it felt right for us. There are definitely still nutritional benefits to going past a year. I think women are embarrassed to go past a year (or admit that they are still going once the child hits a year old), and it shouldn't be that way. I think you should wean when you and baby and comfortable with stopping.

TAGSL710 · November 2012

I hope to nurse for one year then night time nursing til 2.

dmfan897 · November 2012

TAGSL710:
I hope to nurse for one year then night time nursing til 2.

Ditto..i didn't think that i would like bfing but i love it! 1yr for sure and go from there

mystrana · November 2012

My goal is BFing one year with a stretch goal of two years, but I like the advice that it's not about an arbitrary age to stop. I've never done this before but I have so far enjoyed the experience and am glad to see others going the distance.

terri_doula2010 · November 2012

cbrookegrow:
As they get older do they naturally cut out feedings on their own as they are eating more solids? I'm just curious about the logistics.

For us there would be phases where he wanted to BF less and phased where he'd want more. I stopped wearing nursing bras when he was probably about 18 months because by then he was no longer nursing in public at all. If there were things to do he'd nurse less. If we were at home with less excitement he'd nurse more. If I didn't want him to nurse at that moment I'd redirect him/give him almond milk or a snack. In my experience BFing was a big deal until he turned a year. I had a hard time pumping and never had much (if any) milk in the freezer, so I was always worried that I'd want to leave him or need to leave him and he wouldn't have enough BM. After I started giving him almond milk at 11.5 mo and stopped pumping, the stress went way down. I SAH with him so that is why non pumping was so doable...and then when I did have a 1.5-2 month stint working away from home (he was ~16 months), I hand expressed enough to keep plugged ducts at bay while at work. After that year mark I didn't worry about whether he BF at a certain time or whatever...if he wanted it or if I was full, he nursed. Otherwise NBD.

I even went away for a week when he was 20 months and just hand expressed when I needed to. When I came back he went right back to it like I'd never left.

When he did start weaning (after pregnancy), the first feeding he cut out was actually the before-bed feeding. That was weird to me but we rolled with it.

White0rchid · November 2012

mystrana:
My goal is BFing one year with a stretch goal of two years, but I like the advice that it's not about an arbitrary age to stop. I've never done this before but I have so far enjoyed the experience and am glad to see others going the distance.

You've already made it past the hardest part! Yay! It is so much easier after the first two months, so you should be able to go as long as you want.

ktnicole · November 2012

Like Tags posted, I would like to BF for a year and then night feed past that. But from some of the things posted, will I be able to persuade LO to drop only the day time sessions?

mavs41 · November 2012

TAGSL710:
I hope to nurse for one year then night time nursing til 2.

I would love to be able to do this, but we're already having weight gain/supply issues and I am going back to work tomorrow. I'm just hoping I can pump enough for the next day.

ktnicole · November 2012

Mavs- Most days I am getting just enough, if I miss a session due I am supplementing w/ formula. Also just started fenugeek, good luck and keep going!

Holly_1007 · November 2012

my original goal was atleast 1 year, being open to going to 2 yrs. right now im still in so much pain when i nurse im taking it one feeding at a time. hopefully things take a turn for the better soon

cbrookegrow · November 2012

Thanks for the information and encouragement, ladies! I know it's only been two months, but they've gone by so fast I can't imagine stopping 10 months from now just because he turns a year.

terri_doula2010 · November 2012

ktnicole:
Like Tags posted, I would like to BF for a year and then night feed past that. But from some of the things posted, will I be able to persuade LO to drop only the day time sessions?

I wouldn't worry about it right now...just wait until you hit a year and see how you feel and what works for you and your LO then. If you are working away from LO and that is what you mean, then yeah I know people who have gotten to where they don't have to pump anymore and their kid eats table food/drinks milk during the day and then in the evenings/night they nurse.

bosha711 · November 2012

I started weaning at 12 months, but didn't stop completely till 15 months when I lost my supply b/c I was pg again.

It was bittersweet for me. There were times when I couldn't imagine ever stopping & then there were times when I was SO ready to be done!

You just have to take it week by week & gauge both yours & LO's readiness to wean.

mchupie · November 2012

I started getting touched out when DD was 17 months and she actually self-weaned at 18 months (I was 6 months pregnant and I think all my milk was gone). I wish we would have been able to go a little longer, but I'll take it. Hoping to make it at least 18 months this time around, too.

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