Hi girls, DD2 is now 16 mths so I'm into our second time around of child-led weaning. DD1 fed until just before her 4th birthday. She was down to 2 feeds from 2 years, then 1 feed from about 3 1/2. I gently encouraged her to stop after she missed a few days before she turned 4. Mostly just a suggestion on my part that since she hadn't had any for a little while, maybe she didn't need it anymore. She only asked once and then not again.

DD2 has been a more avid bfer overnight, but I got my first night without waking last night! She's bfing about 6 times a day, but with her missing last night she only had 4. Can't say I minded the full night's sleep! Bbs weren't even that full this morning, so I suspect the 1-2 she's been having overnight were quick thirst quenchers anyway.

I'm intending to bf her for as long as she wants. She doesn't comfort suck as much as DD1, but who knows how it will develop as she gets older. Toddlers seem to get something different out of bfing to babies, in that the reconnection with Mummy is important to them.

As for other experiences, my Mum bf me for 15 mths, which was considered a long time! Both of my sisters were bf for about 12. I was weaned so she could TTC. I originally intended to bf for about the same amount of time, then came across the ABA, BB and the WHO recommendations. I think the clincher for me was one BB member who bf her child for 4 years, which helped me to see it as normal, and then looking at DD1 the day after she turned one and thinking, 'so what's different about her today that would make me treat her differently to yesterday?'

I haven't ever had negative comments about full term bfing, in fact, I know of at least two friends (and possibly now my two sisters, who are talking about bfing until two) who bf their toddlers after talking about it with me and realising their situations would allow them to. For me also, DD1 never had a single dr's visit until six mths after weaning (her first and only ear infection), despite going to preschool from 2. For us, bfing clearly gave her an immune advantage she wouldn't have otherwise had. She's the poster-child for child-led weaning, ticks every box of the benefits and certainly showed none of the supposed negative behaviour critics expect.

Nice to have a place to chat with you all!