Long Term Breastfeeding

[tasmama]

Hi I'm new to the BB forums. I am looking for some info/advice from other long term BF mamas.

My youngest son is 27 months old and we are both still enjoying a lovely BF relationship. Recently, I've started smelling milky again, like I did in the early weeks before my supply settled. Is this normal? Could this be my supply fluctuating?

Also, at 27 months old, Jack still feeds through the night. He toddles into our room and hops into bed with us around 1:30-2am and feeds on and off until 5am when he goes into a sound sleep until 6:30am. Is it likely that this feeding isn't hunger related? I don't mind the over night feeds but I'm just wondering if I should be encouraging this?

Thanks

Emma

[Toomanytoomany]

Emma, congrats on such a successful breastfeeding relationship!

Your milk certainly changes composition to meet your child's needs as they grow older. I wonder if your milk has more fatty hindmilk in it now that your little one is bigger and probably growing quite quickly? I notice that my milky smell comes and goes, but there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. I quite like the way I smell when I'm lactating, too

You know, he probably doesn't need the overnight feeds for nutrition, but if it's working for you, does it matter? I get annoyed when people criticise women who breastfeed into toddlerhood and they say, "It's just for comfort, they don't need the nutrients!" Well, comfort is a need just like hunger is a need! If that's what your ds needs, and you're happy to keep going, good for you!

[charliebear]

Hey Emma, sounds normal to me

I'm mummy to one 29 month old boy, and he feeds frequently overnight.

While I agree with Toomanytoomany, that if you are happy then it doesn't really matter whether your son is feeding from hunger or to satisfy a need for comfort, I also think that it is an over generalisation to say that a child over X age no longer gets hungry at night. This is based solely on personal experience: I am 32 years old and I still wake up at night sometimes hungry and have to eat before I can get back to sleep! It got so bad in pregnancy and early breastfeeding days that I had to sleep with a banana next to my bed!

[kelebek]

my DS is almost 23 mnths and still feeds at least once or twice a night and somtimes more. I did manage to wean the midnight feeds at 18 mnths by offering water instead (which he did drink most times) but now he refuses water and wants 'boo'. I co-sleep with him from this first wake up. I also disagree that by a certain age they 'should' be sleeping through or not hungry etc... like charliebear I often don't go to be until midnight and have a snack before bed.

As for the smell I never noticed a smell personally but I think that has more to do with my lack of sense of smell then lack of smell if that makes sense

[fourthontheway]

Absolutely bf him when he needs it! My son is 3.5, still happily boobing and co-sleeping. I night weaned not long ago because I'm pregnant and don't wanna feed two kids at night, but I believe that children need to feel they can be comforted at all times.

I am going to assume your question is based on the fear that you are creating a bad habit for your son? Look at it like this (if I'm right) your son will know he is safe and secure, and that he can come to you if he needs to, so he will not form bad habits from it, he will form healthy attachment to you, and personal security! And those are fantastic things

[Jennifer13]

Well done on bfing your son for as long as you both want to!

My DD is nearly four and has bf every day up until Friday last week. I'm not sure if she has weaned completely, or it's just circumstantial (we were up early and away for the weekend), but the only bf she was still having was one in the early morning, between 5:30-6:30am, where she would come in and feed and snuggle, going back to sleep.

I'm fairly sure at my DD's age her bfs have mostly been for comfort, rather than hunger, but I like the extra sleep in the morning too! Also, she's getting great protection from the colds that she's exposed to at pre-school and playing with other kids, so I think that value is fabulous!