Too long to be feeding?

[Mummato2]

So when I had DD, my best friend also had a baby one week prior.

We set a goal together to be BF'ing til 3 months - that has come and we have both acheived our goal. Next mark is 6 months.

We were talking about it yesterday and the comment came from my best friend "I definitely will stop after 6 months because I think they are just getting too old for boob past then"

Now I have a confession, I always thought extended breastfeeding was out of the norm - until I joined BB and now I'd love to go for as long as DD will let me (years if that's the case)......her comment made me a bit angry - 6 months is just a tiny bub - but got me thinking. How much grief will I get for extended feeding? How old is too old?

[Mummato2]

I just saw lilima's post - wow - so it seems I'm not the only one LOL

[onthefly]

Yeah, I used to think 6 months too for some reason. They still need milk though so it's a bit illogical really. Perhaps she'll feel differently with time
Personally I think 'extended' breastfeeding is like 2+ years now

[Miss H]

I never wanted to go past 12 months but I am still feeding at 17 months. I think it depends on the person but most people who have not had babies or have not BF will think anything over 6 months is abnormal. Once they hit 12 months you will only really feed in the morning and at night as they have alot of other things during the day so you will not have to feed when you are out and about. Unless you want to of course!

[HotI]

I reckon it's wierd to choose to stop breastfeeding only to replace it with formula. As kids aren't supposed to have cows milk until 12 months, then that seems like a good minimum to aim for.

[Mummato2]

I agree with you girls. I'd like to think 12 months and maybe afterwards for morning and night drinks. I am LOVING feeding - I never thought I would, in fact after 2 weeks with my DS I put him on formula but I figure kids need milk and if I'm still making it - why wouldn't it make sense for them to get it from me?

[Snacks]

She may very well think differently when her bub is 6 months old.
If she has an issue with feeding beyond 6 months that's her issue, not yours.

[Lily Dust]

I agree, before my DD arrived I was definately 3 months, then at 3 months it was like 'oh, shes so tiny still' so I decided 6 months but then at 6 months 'oh, shes such a bubba still' and now we are at 8 months and I have given up caring when we feed till. I still have BFing issues but she's happy and IMO thats the important thing. Although the raised eyebrows and the constant 'are you STILL feeding her' are enough to make you wanna punch someone

I think you are doing a great job! Doing what nature intended for you and your little one.

[Dido]

My husband and some family think I have already breastfed bubs for too long, I have always said that I was only going to b/f for 4 months - however we are at 8.5 months now and to be honest i will let baby self wean when she is ready...
I get comments from people all the time 'oh she's still on the breast'... now i just say 'YEP i'm breastfeeding till baby is 4' and that shuts them up quickly!
IMO breastfeeding has nothing to do with anyone else but you , your baby and also your partner - other than that its pretty much non of their business as it does not affect their life in any way at all...
Go as long as you like!

[Janie]

I always thought I would breastfeed my babies til 12 months, anything longer than that was icky ().........well DS1 went til 26 months, so there went that plan LOL! Like everyone else, I found that when I was doing it, it wasn't so icky after all I will be aiming for 2 again with DS2, despite the breastfeeding issues we have. Beyond that, well we'll see when the time comes

You do what feels right for you and your baby hun. As Kate said, if you're weaning bub from the boob before 12 months, only to introduce formula........well, you're kind of making life hard for yourself. And the World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding until 2, and beyond. You can always quote that to your friend when it comes up again!

[Michelle71]

I have always had the intention of BF until they self wean. Due to many issues with supply etc DS weaned at 15ish months when I was 28w pregnant with DD. DD is still feeding at almost 18m and I am 34w pregnant. She doesn't look like stopping any time soon so I guess we are heading into the realm of tandem feeding Not a place I considered but with babies close together I don't know why it wasn't in my thoughts. I am sure this is going to be an area of interest for some family members though

[Fleur]

And the World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding until 2, and beyond. You can always quote that to your friend when it comes up again!

I tell people this a lot! (when I need to ) and the world average is 4 years, I read recently.

Gotta love BB for providing an education... what I have learned & passed on to DH, he has this afternoon told his parents & the kids - that in some cultures they feed up until 8 years - he's converted!

[belfie]

Just to throw into the mix another interesting fact I was told -.... that studies are showing BF'ing (or EE ) when your child is starting solids is now being shown to be just as important as those first 6 (or however many) months of exclusive BM. Apparently BM has a very protective effect as the gut gets used to all these different foods. For families where parents have digestive issues (whether allergies, malabsorptions or sensitivities), this is something that doesn't seem to get talked about - but really worth knowing!

I know I was all set to stop once I reached the so-called magic 6 months, then when I found out this information, it was the spur I needed to keep going longer. So all I can say is well done to you Mummato2

[Shanti]

Yep I too, let people know of the WHO recommendations and most of the time they say "oh really I didnt know that!" and it shuts them up!!!

We're BF here at 16mo and I never dreamed of making it this far, not only with the problems we encountered early on (in the first 4mths!!!) but also because I thought it would be 'strange' to BF a baby past 12mths...... not sure why but I just thought they wouldn't need it perhaps..... but DD is a boob-a-holic and has no plans of slowing down yet and neither do I...... We're so happy, we love BF'ing and look forward to many more months of it together.... I hope she self weans herself one day when "she's" ready.
DD also doesn't always eat that much food so I know she's still getting heaps of nutrients etc and her daily requirements through the BM not to mention the immunological benefits that will last a LIFE time.

All the best..... don't worry what others think or say or do, what matters is YOU and your bub and if you're happy to keep going, then GO FOR IT

ETA - I am reading a book called "Breastfeeding Older Children" and it's fantastic!!!!!

[Twin Sister]

I agree with the above, you should not let others tell you your baby is too big to be BF, just do what is right for you and your baby. It is far more beneficial (and easier and less expensive) to feed you baby BM than to try to switch to formula at 6 months. If this is what your friend chooses to do then this is her choice and don't let it bother you.

I feel very fortunate, I live in a small town that seem to be very pro breastfeeding, or at least very open minded to it. Almost everyone I know has BF their kids until at least 12 months and many have gone even past 2 years. Those that do FF are supportive of their BF friends and some wished they were able to do it too. I have never heard any criticism to anyone for BF, only for FF. I had a few people that were a bit surprised that DS was still BF at 18 months but they were not negative about it. I know where I used to live (big city) it was not like this though.