Maintaining milk after weaning

[milkmaid]

I think you have your priorities back to front. Most people ween because they themselves are over breastfeeding. That can't be the case or you wouldn't be feeding your husband.

So how are my priorities back to front? You already stated most people wean because they have had enough of breastfeeding their child, in my example this is not the case and if you read my posts this should have been obvious. I would be delighted to continue breastfeeding my girl if it were not for her showing signs that she is loosing interest. Sharing my breasts with hubby has absolutely nothing to do with weaning my daughter, the two are totally unrelated in every possible way.

You may well be correct that this topic does not belong in this section of the forum and for this I apologise (although when nursing my husband it is more emotional and spiritual for both of us rather than a sexual fetish), but I suspect the motivation for your post has more to do with you judging the situation rather than having any real genuine interest in the well being of my little girl.

[Shades]

I think the confusion has come about because on one hand you are saying you're happy to continue feeding your daughter as long as she wants, but on the other hand you're talking about making a decision to drop the number of feeds she has - if you're honestly going to feed her as long as *she* wants then shouldn't *she* be the one deciding when to drop that feed? If she is indeed losing interest then she'll stop that feed of her own accord - no intervention required from you.

[Miss E]

I've been following this thread with interest... I want to start by saying I have no judgements about you wanting to continue breastfeeding your hubby - I see it like anything else in life, whatever turns you on (excuse the pun).

So how are my priorities back to front? You already stated most people wean because they have had enough of breastfeeding their child, in my example this is not the case and if you read my posts this should have been obvious. I would be delighted to continue breastfeeding my girl if it were not for her showing signs that she is loosing interest. Sharing my breasts with hubby has absolutely nothing to do with weaning my daughter, the two are totally unrelated in every possible way.

But I have to wonder why you aren't planning on continuing to breastfeed your daughter if you would be 'delighted' to, as you say. Ok so she may be showing signs of loosing interest (a lot of little ones do at that time)... But does that mean you need to force weaning upon her? Surely if you were delighted to continue breastfeeding her you would give her the time and space she needs to self wean. Whether that be a matter of weeks, months or years...

Reading between the lines, I can't help but wonder if your breastfeeding relationship with your daughter has been damaged by you establishing one with your husband. It seems that the breastfeeding relationship with your husband now takes priority over the one with your daughter. So much so that if one of them needs to go without you feel that it is most appropriate that it is your daughter who misses out.

Yes many mothers wean at around the 12 month mark. There's nothing wrong with that, it's a great effort. But in most cases they choose to wean because of work commitments, they're sick of feeding, don't have time, whatever. Based on what you've written it seems that you're also choosing to wean because you are sick of feeding your daughter (nothing wrong with that, especially after 14 months)... I can understand that to some degree, but I do feel that the reason you've come to this conclusion is because you now prioritise breastfeeding in an adult relationship over that of the mother baby relationship, and to me that is sexualising it. Not saying there's anything wrong with it... but I guess the point I'm trying to make is why not just come out and admit it?

And I guess the other question I have to ask is - if you found out that by weaning your daughter your milk supply would drop dramatically and eventually dry up (meaning you could no longer feed your husband) would you continue breast feeding your daughter?