What Does BFing Look Like After A Year?

jkuhmann · September 2013

I had always planned on stopping BFing after a year. Of course, that would be before I knew how much I enjoyed it and how hard I would have to fight to continue (yeesh - and not even as hard as some of you rockstars!). Now, I am considering continuing past a year. But I wonder what that looks like. Is it still feeding every three hours? Is it just whenever the baby wants? Do I set a schedule with it?

And, of course, now that the other cheer coach I work with is due next month, it's looking like I would be the responsible chaperone if our team was to go to Nationals again this year, which is in Anaheim (I'm in SF Bay Area) at the end of March. After the experience following cheer camp, I want to nip that in the bud sooner rather than later if it going to affect my supply if I'm still BFing. My mom has a new job so it is unlikely she would be able to go with me, although I might be able to convince DH to go. But I am not leaving my baby if I am still BFing again. No way Jose. If that means the team can't go, well...that's a hard choice I am willing to make. (We didn't even make it past semis last year so I am not all that concerned. Does that sound mean/jaded?)

So, BFing STMs - what should I expect after that year mark?

wifeofadam · September 2013

I'm trying to remember and not have that mommy selective anmesia we were talking about yesterday

If I remember correctly, by a year, or shortly after, my kids were eating solids for three meals a day and having some snacks. Milk was more like a beverage they got when they were thirsty. I think 16-20 ounces of milk a day is the norm for a one-year-old transitioning to cow's milk. If you think of that in terms of breastfeeding, it's probably 3-4, maybe 5 at the most, full nursing sessions through the day. The problem with one year olds is that they are busy busy busy, so they rarely want to sit through an entire nursing session unless it's at the end of the day or first thing in the morning. The rest of the day they seem to want to snack on demand, which is totally fine. I think my kids probably still nursed every 3-4 hours at that age, but it could be for like three minutes to pop on and get a snack and then go back to playing. My babies usually aren't sleeping through the night right away at a year old, so they nurse through the night to get a lot of the milk they need.

Another part of nursing a toddler is the nursing for comfort. A lot of the time they will want to nurse, but not for nutrition, just because they like it. There is nothing wrong with that! Some kids have a lovey or a paci, BF babies get comfort from the act of nursing. When your child is sick, they may want to nurse all day long, even when they are a toddler. If they get hurt, you can pop them on a boob to stop the meltdown or tantrum. Boobs are such a wonderful behavior modifier and pacifier

I would say just stick with feeding on demand for as long as you can. You toddler will settle on the schedule that's right for her. There is no right or wrong way to nurse a toddler. Enjoy it, I love nursing my toddlers and enjoy the snuggles in the middle of the day! It's priceless.

ericalee27 · September 2013

I went to 14 months with DS1. Once we hit a year, I just nursed once in the morning and once at night.

tiffanyp · September 2013

expatmama said:

My first was a big comfort nurser, but if I remember correctly there was pretty much morning and night nursing, with the occasional midday snack depending on where we were (I'm fine with NIP, but if LO was distracted or with friends, he was less inclined to ask). If he was sick we went right back to around the clock nursing, mostly for comfort.

I weaned during a business trip when LO was about 17 months. I just went away one day and that was it. He never asked for it again, and we did business as usual until I left.

Wow, you are so lucky. Mine didn't even self wean after I got pregnant! Every single nursing session was a struggle to drop.

OP - I think it really depends on the child. Mine wasn't a big eater, so she still got most of her nutrition from breast milk at that point. I kept trying to put her on a schedule, but she was still nursing at random times.

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