'If they can ask for it, it's time to stop'.

[Feijoa Mum]

Lady P is 13 months now and has started to ask for "boo boo"
I think its cute and I love that she is communicating with me.

You are always going to get the "haters" so if your happy and she is happy then buggar everyone else, they are your boobs afterall!

[Heaven]

I find it so strange that people think like that. Like the others have said, at any age they are able to ask for a feed. I am not giving up breastfeeding my DD's until they are ready. Right now it's so convenient for me! A quick end to tears, instant sleep inducer, beautiful bonding time, and my DD1 has only had one mild illness in her whole life so far.

I was wondering what people were thinking a couple of days ago when I was in a shop and DD1 (2yrs) fell over and hurt herself. I picked her up for a cuddle and she kept saying 'Need booby Mummy, make me feel better, need booby pleeeeeaaaaase Mummy' rofl.

[TeniBear]

Oohh, I better stop feeding Amelia then - she very clearly tells me when she wants booby by telling me "eh eh ohh" and yelling at me when it's not coming fast enough


Sent from my iPhone so forgive the speelung misstacks

[Meercat]

Looks like I am safe... Tiah doesn't ask! She just points at her preferred boob, pulls my top down and helps herself! And if she can't get my clothes out of the way she just try's to latch on through my clothes and smiles up at me! Lol

I will admit I used to think 6 months was old enough.... But that was in my naive pre baby days. I feel so guilty about how opinionated I used to be about something I knew NOTHING about.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[onthefly]

How silly. They ask for it from birth
You know I've only been asked once whether I was still feeding DS (in 'that' tone of voice) and unfortunately I had to say no, as he'd weaned recently.
How anyone can draw a definite line in the sand I don't understand - i mean, foryourself, maybe, but for some other child?

[MummaSue]

It's so funny isn't it? My mother told me the other day that DD was "too big to be breast fed".

Anyway, yeah, I've responded with "she's been asking for it since she was born, it's just that she can properly communicate with me now" - by pulling my shirt down no matter where we are.

I actually never really thought I'd be here, breast feeding a one year old. I thought that DD may have slowly weaned herself but she's still going as strong as ever and I'm glad.

What other people say or do is more a reflection on THEM rather than anything you're doing. Breast feeding older babies seems to evoke some uncomfortable feelings in others, but as long as you and your DD are happy and comfortable then keep up the good work! Let those people own their own feelings, don't let them project it onto you.

(I'm still trying this out - it's going well.)

[xXHopeXx]

That's silly!

What's funny is FF babies often have bottles til they are at least 2! And they can ask for it then! How is that any different except for the fact it's better for them!!

I personally think babies are usually ready in their own time, there's a reason why they still want it whether it be physical, emotional or both!

[willow5]

I feel so guilty about how opinionated I used to be about something I knew NOTHING about.

Me too

What's funny is FF babies often have bottles til they are at least 2! And they can ask for it then! How is that any different except for the fact it's better for them!!

I personally think babies are usually ready in their own time, there's a reason why they still want it whether it be physical, emotional or both!

Very good points!

[onthefly]

It's funny how you can be an expert on babies and parenting before you've had them... adn then you have kids and suddenly you're clueless! (or I was anyway)

[wysiwyg]

My DD seems to have become more obsessed with boobs since she self weaned at 21 months, now if she is on my lap she wants one hand down my top, and the other day we were on tram and she was saying very loudly "where's the booby" just because she can. I think all children have some form of comfort that others disapprove of, and think you should remove at a certain age, unfortunately bf seems to be one that alot of people think should get rid of earlier than others and people also seem to feel free to comment on.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

"booby, booby, booby" it's very rarely said in 'public' by DD2 unless she sees your DD getting some
But that said she will pull at my top and say "booby pease" when she's ready.

I thought it would worry me but it doesnt, it's natural and no different to a thirsty child asking for a drink.
DD2 is more polite and civilized asking for booby than some children screaming their head off for a drink.

Hmm maybe these friends need to be there when we visit and we can get z to ask

Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

[Gigi]

when they can ask for it - depends how you define communication

does that mean that because my DD didn't really start talking until she turned 3, that it was ok to breastfeed her?
whereas another child might be start talking at 18 months.

my DD is now 4.25 - has just weaned herself (we were down to a wake up, early morning feed for last six months, plus moving house/not living with daddy anymore need for comfort).

I'm glad she got to choose when she weaned.

But years ago, i would never have dreamt i could breastfeed, or that we would breastfeed for four years! at the start, i was thinking, we'll be lucky if we get to four weeks! (wasn't easy at the start).

I do miss having it as an option, for when she hurts herself. That was so convenient for us both.

[mellybelly81]

I have read this thread with interest as I have said to DH that I plan to feed for as long as possible and have even given him the bit about WHO saying they reccomend up to 2 years at least. I think he is quite uncomfortable about this (and possibly even thinks I will change my mind or something will prevent that happening so he won't have to deal with it). I'm not sure if its his own feelings or his family, SIL weaned her daughter at one as she and MIL thought it was "time". I know that I can't control it all, I may not be able to, Das may not be able to, Das may wean at 6, 8, 12 months or I may have to stop for further IVF (I haven't looked into that yet). But I want to try and I really don't want to have to fight DH or anyone else who may also think that "if they are old enough to ask for it, then it's time to stop".

As I want to cloth nappy exclusively and BF as long as possible, DH has said I'm turning into a hippy. I just think I amd trying to give my baby the best possible start. But that's just my opinion.

[willow5]

As I want to cloth nappy exclusively and BF as long as possible, DH has said I'm turning into a hippy. I just think I amd trying to give my baby the best possible start. But that's just my opinion.

I've been called a hippy a few times too for the same reasons.

[briggsy's girl]

I've been called a hippy a few times too for the same reasons.

me too!
cloth nappies, demand feeding, baby led solids (she has never had pureed food)...

meh, if they need to label me to feel better about themselves, go for it. I'm me, I'm doing what feels right for me and DD... i can't pluck an age out of my head and say that it's automatically time to stop BF. it's not a case of OK one day, not the next! it will happen when it is meant to happen

[willow5]

me too!
cloth nappies, demand feeding, baby led solids (she has never had pureed food)...

meh, if they need to label me to feel better about themselves, go for it. I'm me, I'm doing what feels right for me and DD... i can't pluck an age out of my head and say that it's automatically time to stop BF. it's not a case of OK one day, not the next! it will happen when it is meant to happen

Oh yes the shock horror of BLS specially from MIL! MIL used to say if they're old enough to ask for it they're too old. That was when DS was a newborn, funny now she looks and says that it's the most beautiful site to see a baby feeding, and DS is 16 months now. He's also been using the sign for milk since he was about 8 or 9 months so definitely asking for it. Maybe she just needed to see it to realise it's ok.

I agree with your whole post.

[Gigi]

my own limited experience with "real hippy mums", to my enormous surprise, was to see formula bottles and disposable nappies!!!

so the stereotype of what so called hippy mums do, and what i have actually seen real hippy mums do, was SO at odds.

i look nothing like a hippy, but used MCN from arrival to toilet training (then cloth training pants as well) and breastfed from arrival to 4 years old. i did those things because it was my gift to my DD, of what i felt was the best thing i could do for her (protect her from chemicals next to her skin etc) - not to fit into a stereotype or anything. People who know nothing about MCN or bf-ing, do tend to come out with off the wall comments.

it helped my (at the time) dh, to go to a Partner's Seminar on breastfeeding, put on by ABA, when you're heavily pregnant, to learn independently about bf-ing, the role of the father in bf-ing (how incredibly important his support is, to the success of the bf-ing rship). that made so much difference to his attitude. He was won over in real life by how healthy the bf-ing made DD. he saw for himself how she didn't come down with the multitude of illnesses that other bubs her age were getting, that was cold hard evidence. So when she turned two, and was still very fond of bf-ing, it didn't phase him at all.

Sometimes men have unsaid issues. e.g it's not the bf-ing they're worried about, it's the worry about "will the breastfeeding mean i go for years without sex?" it's that sort of area that needs to be addressed, instead of them verbalising anti-bfing comments, when what they REALLY might be worried about, could be something else. blame one thing, when it's really another.

[~ Mylitta ~]

You are doing a wonderful job! My son is almost 2 and he is still breastfeeding even though I have a 3 month old. I was constantly asked during my pregnancy when I was going to wean him, and was TOLD (can you believe that?!) that I would have to stop breastfeeding my son while I was pregnant by two doctors! Luckily I have an amazing supportive husband and the determination to keep going, and my beautiful son persevered even when my milk supply dropped dramatically. He now loves the milk more than even since the newborn breastmilk came in, lol.

I have two responses when people ask when I'm going to wean the babies. If the person asks with genuine curiosity (not disdain) I just honestly tell them that I will keep breastfeeding them until they are ready to wean themselves, and that I imagine that it will probably occur between 2-4 years of age. If someone asks with an attitude I don't like, I sarcastically reply with "until they move out of home, and maybe not even then...".

As for feeding in public... I once fed my son in the middle of a target store, lol! When a baby is hungry there is no saying no, hehehe. But like some of the other girls have mentioned, as they get older the amount the feed becomes less and most of the feeds will be at home. I think that's one reason that you rarely see a toddler breastfeeding in public. The babies get old enough that if they ask for milk while you are out and about you are able to let them know that they can have some when they get home. Having said that though, if my son really really wanted to feed while out, I would let him. I wouldn't let him tandem feed in public though, not because I would worry about what people think, but more because he's such a wriggle monkey at the breast these days that it would be a logistical nightmare to keep them both feeding lol!


EDIT: I wanted to also add that I'm glad that my son uses the words "mama milk" when he wants to be breastfed. Although I fully support breastfeeding anytime, and anywhere, I have to admit I might get embarrassed if he was yelling for "booby" in public, hehehe.