This picture was taken this weekend. Landon had so much fun at the ocean — and a quick snack before he ran off to play in the sand with his cousins some more!
I have been breastfeeding Landon now for 2 years, 8 months and 2 weeks — and my little boy and I don’t have any intention to stop. I love it, he loves it. I don’t get tired of giving him the comfort and nourishment he needs and wants, and feeling that little body close to me. And as I always point out, it’s the best diet I’ve ever been on!
My family and extended family went through a phase where they were questioning my decision to keep breastfeeding him past the first year and then, oh my!, past the second years, but I don’t hear any inquiries about it anymore.
They know I’ll do what I think is right for him and me anyway :) Smart people. The health benefits alone are enough reason to keep doing it until Landon self-weans.
After my wonderful experience with it, I have become a passionate advocate for breastfeeding — a lactivist — and want to inspire and encourage as many moms as possible to start and continue to breastfeed. That is a major reason why I started this blog, Dagmar’s momsense.
No matter how long you choose to breastfeed — one week or four years — I want to be a resource and cheerleader for all new mothers because I believe most women can nurse their child with the right encouragement and support, of which there isn’t enough out there.
I’m always sad when I hear other moms say they succumbed to societal pressure or their own uncomfortable thoughts about (extended) breastfeeding. I’m curious: how long did YOU breastfeed — three days, one month, ten months? And why did you stop — did you have problems with breastfeeding? Did you think it was time? Why?
I’d love to hear from as many of you as possible so I can write articles that address the most common reasons for moms to stop breastfeeding. Please leave a comment here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
And while you are here, subscribe to my blog for future articles about breastfeeding, attachment parenting, natural birth, green and frugal living, and my life as a mother, wife, and entrepreneur in Westchester, New York.
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I nursed my first baby until he was 23 months and I was about 4 months pregnant with my second baby. He was almost ready to wean anyway, only nursing about twice a week so I just told him the milk was gone. My second baby nursed until he self weaned at about 2 1/2 years. He had a time where he was unable to nurse for a few months due to apparent food allergies, and it was very difficult to get him back to breast after that. But he did at about a year of age and I really appreciated the fact that we were able to allow him to wean in his own time. Of course now, since I don’t have another baby yet and he is 5 years old, I’m a little sad that he didn’t nurse a little longer.
I am still breastfeeding my daughter and we are almost to 26 months. I really want to let her decide when the time is right to wean. I think I’ll be very, very sad when that day comes.
I did not have a goal for long term breastfeeding when she was born. However, the more I have learned and grown in our relationship, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I also love encouraging moms and moms-to-be to try breastfeeding and stick with it for 6 weeks before giving up on it. But I also love encouraging moms who did not have the proper support and gave up.
I breastfed my daughter for a little over 1 year more like 13, 14 months. I loved it and would have continued, but little lady changed her mind LOL. Will definitely breastfeed my second (or how many we have after) it is so beneficial for our kids and I think it’s good for both baby and mommy!
Landon is getting so big, he’s so beautiful :)
I nursed my first for 4 yrs. My second was born when my first was 2.5 yrs, and she wasn’t ready to stop at that time. Nursing through pregnancy was really difficult – comfort-wise, but I held on b/c I knew my little one just wasn’t ready to wean. Am SO glad we held on, because having a nursing toddler helped my milk come right in post partum, helped relieve engorgement, and problems I had with plugged ducts with my second. I tandem nursed for about a year & a half. By that point, I had started experiencing the “touched out” feeling a bit more often than was comfortable, and didn’t want to have negative feelings surrounding nursing for my oldest, who at nearly 4 was very intuitive w/regards to feelings. So, with gentle encouragement, we went from nursing every few hours (nearly as often as my then 1 yo), to 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 times per day, very gradually. I asked one evening if it was a good time to try other ways to get to sleep, and she agreed. She nursed a few more times right before/after age 4, but not regularly. Almost 5 now, and just about 1 year weaned – hard to believe!
My second is still breastfeeding now at 2yo; and definitely not ready to stop.
I am so glad for all my nursing time, with my first, tandeming, and with my second and sometimes wish I’d nursed my first even longer than 4 yrs, but am also glad my little one gets my undivided nursing attention now, too.
Having a network of supportive real-life friends through LLL was extremely helpful. As was reading: Dr. Sears Baby Book & Hilary Flower’s Adventures in Tandem nursing. Mothering.com & Kellymom.com message boards offered a lot of virtual support as well. Probably KEY to our success was the neverending support of my husband (his mother was a LLL leader & extended nursed all 4 of her children). It is SO important to raise our boys to understand that nursing is natural, normal, and healthy for baby and mom.
still bfing my 3yr and 8 month old and her 8 month old sister:) (they’re 3yr and 11days apart)
I have nursed 5 kids. :)
First: nursed until around his first birthday. he weaned himself at that point because I was halfway through my pregnancy with number two.
Second: had a rough start which resulted in low milk supply. by 6mo, he was drinking more formula than breastmilk. I tried to turn things around when I realized that but it just continued to go downhill. he weaned at about 11mo.
Third: nursed exclusively until he was 19mo. weaned on his own halfway through my pregnancy with number 4.
Fourth: nursed until she was about 2.5. weaned on her own at that point with perhaps a little gentle encouragement from me because I’d been battling nipple soreness and off and on thrush for 2yrs at that point.
Fifth: nursed until she was 18mo. weaned with some gentle encouragement from me because I still had soreness off and on and occasional thrush. if it hadn’t been for the pain I’d been dealing with, I would have gladly continued much longer.
My first nursed until his 4th birthday. My second made it to 3 years, 7 months. My third *maybe* had his last nursing session the 4th of July — he will go weeks and then ask to “nurse a little;” he is 3 years, 8 months. The reason we stopped was because they all weaned when they were ready — I really wanted them to nurse until they outgrew the need.
With my first, I breastfed exclusively until about 3 weeks, and quit completely by 6 weeks. I had what I now realize was a terrible yeast infection/thrush, which made it so painful that I could not bear to nurse. I did not know it was infection, and no one around me suggested that it might be. I thought it was just the pain of bfing, and everyone said I would get over it, but I never did. I was 18 then. I had to go back to work around 6 weeks PP, and I knew nothing about pumping. Also, I was on WIC, who gave me free formula, so I just switched because everyone told me to. I knew nothing about formula, except that they said it was just another feeding method.
With my second, she weaned herself at around 1 year, during my pregnancy with her sister. She refused to ever nurse again.
With my youngest, we are still going strong at 1 year and 1 week. :)
I breast fed until 17 months. Had a terrible time in the beginning, but with a good lactaction consultant, some tears and a supportive hubbie we made it through. Had expected to breast feed until he was 2 and then likely have to tear him off the boob. So it broke my heart when my little guy self weaned at 17 months. Over a period of about a month he became less and less interested. I pumped to ensure the milk supply continued and was good, but he just lost interest. So on Valentine’s Day this year we gave it up.
Funny, about a month later he looked up at me said ‘mil’ and pumped his hand to sign it while looking up at my breasts. Had to say sorry little guy that ship has sailed.
Wow, I’m going to be the only comment that didn’t make it to 2 years :( I only nursed till 15 months. You are all so amazing to me, it makes me wish we were still nursing. My goal was always a year, and once we made it I introduced cows milk. After that she just wasn’t interested anymore, and by 15 months it was over. I wish I would have known more about extended breastfeeding at the time, and didn’t have so much pressure from my family to wean. But I did my best. Next time I will try to make it past 2 years! Thanks for the great post!
My son nursed until he was about 18 months old.
I have never been one to worry about social pressures, so that was never ever an issue.
I know that my body was no longer producing much at all and it was largely a comfort thing for my son.
We continued on for a bit after he was a year, but it slowly stopped. If his Dad put him to bed, he would go without it, if I put him to bed, he insisted on it. So, his Dad started putting him to bed. Our “snuggle” time in the morning was the last to go. Only 3-4 mornings a week we would snuggle in bed and he would nurse. One of my favourite times, but seeing as it was only happening 3-4 times a week, it obviously wasn’t necessary. If I got up out of bed, when he got up, there was no mention of it.
At 22 months, we were cuddling in bed the other day and he asked to snuggle (it’s been months) as he was tugging at my top. So I told him he could if he wanted to and we adjusted. He latched on for a second and then stopped and said “okay”. That was it.
Hi Dagmar,
Thanks for the chance to share!
I breastfeed my son for three years. I stopped mainly because I was touched out. I chose his third birthday as the line in the sand because I knew I would stick to it.
I stopped breastfeeding in public when he was two – mainly because of the intolerance of others to full term breastfeeding. While I was ready to argue until I was blue in the face and point out my right to breastfeed in public is protected by law here in Queensland (Australia) – I did not want my son at two to be subjected to the sort of scene which might transpire.
I miss breastfeeding – but I don’t miss having my body back. We make up with lots of cuddles.
I’ve written about my experience of ending breastfeeding at Type A Mom. The Lead up to quitting http://www.typeamom.net/good-bye-boobies-the-lead-up.html and when the curtain came down http://www.typeamom.net/good-bye-boobies-the-end.html
Will be checking in to read your blog more – thanks for the twitter links to remind me to come and read :)
I have been EPing for 13 months now. EPing is not an easy road, and one I never thought I’d be on. I started out with small goals: 6 months became 12. At 9 months it became 18. This past month, I decided on an ultimate goal of 2 years.
Also, I’d like another child sometime soon, but I don’t want to dry up due to pregnancy either. If we were nursing traditionally, I wouldn’t blink at stopping whenever she wanted to and would probably continue on to tandem nurse. But my supply is not what it used to be, so I’m planning on going to two years or when I dry up – whatever comes sooner. I feel like I owe it to my girl to try get her to at least two years.
My son Donovan is 17 months and we are going strong. I love it and so does he. Even though I do get flack from people I really don’t care. Luckily, I have a very supportive husband and some great friends who support this endeavor as well :)
My daughter will be two in a week and a half and is still nursing each morning.
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