I have happily breastfed all of my brood. It has been a big struggle with all of them and always took a good few months to get into the swing of things with all of them but it is something I’m so happy I persevered with.
Now I’m onto number five who is still breastfeeding at 20 months and I’m asking myself ‘is this still for him or more for me!’.
As we all know it is suggested that we breastfeed our babies exclusively for the first 6 months. I can fully understand that this is their only source of nourishment if you chose to breastfeed and of course they are solely reliant on this for their development. For me as you are introducing food into their diet it is all so hit and miss as to what they are getting I feel happy to carry on demand feeding up until a year.
With the others they have swapped over to a beaker of cows milk more than happily by then and I’ve been quite happy that my job is done and they are moving onto their next milestone.
This time round things have been different and number five is still happily breastfeeding at night and I have made very little effort to break this cycle.
I know that he is a good eater and is getting more than he needs through his food and now all the feeding really is, is comfort. He has his bath, his pjs go on and he clambers onto my lap for ‘milky’. He wakes in the night and all he wants to do is snuggle up for a quick feed to comfort himself back off to sleep.
But in the odd occasion I’ve been out he’s not had that option and been more than ok to just nod off by himself! This is where I am feeling it more the fact I’m clinging onto the last part of my breastfeeding journey. As I said it’s been a hard one and even landed me on hospital with mastitis with number four. But it is by far the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done and I still don’t think I’m quite ready to end it just yet!
And why should you end it ? Baby is obviously happy and healthy and getting what he needs and wants so why shouldn’t you ? Everything about parenting has got so skewed nowadays. Parents doing what they want at the expense of baby, or denying their own needs to the point of martyrdom, and the lovely, common sense middleground of ‘whatever works for us’ which you are are describing has been eroded by the confusion and maelstrom of judgement and opinion from media and social media. Everything is clouded by doubt and guilt, and fear of what other people might say.
I loved this article, you sound so calm and relaxed, and confident in your choices, it really made me smile, thank you for sharing x
Thank you so much for such a lovely and very true comment. I try not to be swerved by other people’s perceptions of what they feel is right, but still find myself comparing things I do with my peers.
I’m going to keep this going as long as we are both happy for and not worry about the opinions of anyone else!! Xx
I fed my last two (numbers 4 and 5) until they were 18 months and 16 months, I wish I could have carried on till at least their second birthdays at least but they self weaned. If he is still nursing he obviously finds closeness and comfort which is just as vital a role in breastfeeding as the nourishment part. He will eventually self wean, but there are gentle ways to encourage him to stop slowly if you feel you are ready to finish. If both of you are happy to carry on then you are doing the right thing for you both right now, I say enjoy the sleepy snuggles while they last as you will miss them when they are gone, I know I do xxx
I think it’s mainly that lovely closeness they I will miss!! I think I’m just worried he will never have enough of it!!
It makes me feel better both of yours just weaned themselves off. He naturally dropped the daytime feeds so I’m sure the nighttime ones will just do the same eventually xx
I’m still feeding at 9.5 months, he loves it so much but I am getting weary of the night feeds but don’t know how else to get him to sleep! The WHO recommends it until age 2 x
I have read that it’s recommended until 2 by WHO. It makes me feel a bit better to keep it going! X
I’d say go as long as you are happy – if they don’t want to they sure let you know!x
Thank you, you’ve reassured me it’s ok to keep going!! X
You are so amazing for persevering despite any struggles you may have faced! ESP with five children. I wish I could have breast fed. I’d say go with your gut – if both you and baby are happy, then why change it? Savour it. It won’t last forever. Thanks for linking up #babybrainmonday xx
In no such a shame you couldn’t but looking at your happy healthy little love just proves its not the be all and end all!
Your right in just going to go with it for as long as we are both happy xx
I got to 18 months with all 3 of mine and my daughter was by far the hardest to stop.I think there was an element of “aww I’ll never do this again” as I knew she was my last and it upset me to stop far more than the others xx
This is really how I’m feeling, it’s something I’ve really loved and I’m not ready to let go x
Breastfed my youngest until he was 3 and a bit (number 6)! We both loved it but I certainly experienced polite horror from friends and family too!
This is the biggest problem I have! It’s still found to be strange by so many people!! Even doctors look at you like your mad!
keep breastfeeding 🙂 and well done for sticking with it even when it was tricky, I wish I had done x
Thank you so much. I found each one a struggle but worth it.
So sorry things didn’t go as you wanted, it harder than you think isn’t it x
I’m still feeding my 17 month old. I may well not have another so I admit I will miss the snuggles when we stop, but I’m reassured both by the WHO recommendation and friends who’ve breastfed well into toddlerhood and their babies eventually self weaned. I’d say carry on as long as you feel is right for you both and don’t worry what other people say.
We have just stopped over Christmas as we were so busy he was falling asleep before a feed and wasn’t bother when he woke in the night.
I’ve taken it better than I expected and managed to make it to a week before his second birthday.
Carry on enjoying your breastfeeding journey xx