Extended Breastfeeding

Breast feeding your kids is great.
I think there are lots of reasons why women do it but getting some stupid specious medal online isn't one of them.

 

I'll just be happy if I can breastfeed for a week. :-(

All I think about these days is breastfeeding and if it'll even be a good idea.

 

Two years for each child, two years apart. seven years total. For us, it was the best way.

 

I think some people take it too far. What is too far? For me its more than 2 years old. tried with my daughter but she wouldn't ever "latch on"

 

I am definitely an advocate of breast feeding the whole first year, if possible. And I see nothing odd about going another 6 months or so after that. But in my book, breast feeding toddlers starts to be a little...much.

Don't get me wrong, I know in the ancient world it was common to give the kid the boob until at least three, sometimes four or five, but while that makes sense in a world without proper medical treatment and insufficient nutrition, where the kid needs every tiny scrap of an edge just to survive infancy, I just don't think the same is true today, unless one lives in a remote corner of the Third World.

We never had to face this, since it turned out we had to formula feed Little Levite, but if Mrs. Levite had been able to successfully breast-feed, the plan was to mostly pump after 6 months, and to be done after a year.

 

I breast fed on demand and I weaned with the same intent. Kid #1 self-weaned at 19 months but there were extenuating, stressful circumstances for both of us.
He went straight to sippy cup--never even liked breast milk from a bottle (wish he had!)
Kiddo #2 breast fed for almost 2.5 years and he was the size of a 4 year-old when he quit (he's 6'4" now). From age two however, he gradually cut back on his feedings until down to just one a day. That was much easier on my than my first, who went cold-turkey (again, were were living in a highly-charged stressful environment). Kid #2 refused bottles, sippy cups and all baby food. Went to a lidded-cup with a straw and whatever we were eating cut in tiny pieces.
Interesting that the guys responses so far have been on the conservative side. I have to wonder if getting back to a non-breastfeeding life-style has anything to do with that (but that is for another thread).

 

I breastfed up until about 9 or 10 months with both of my oldest daughters and was not able to breastfeed the boohead because she had trouble latching on. Honestly, there wasn't that much difference. It is important for the child to continue receiving immunoglobulins from the mother (if possible) until they are able to manufacture their own at about 6 months, but after that a child will flourish and do just fine on a diet of pureed foods and formula. That said, people can breastfeed as long as they like and it really isn't anyone else's business.

 

I was nursed until two years I don't remember but been told
It also depends the child and the moms body
But I am sure it is great thing
My wife had to express and feed which is a lot of effort including hygiene care

 

Relax the baby will do Lotta magic

 

Breast feeding is a healthy option for the child since it continues to receive immunity from the mother's milk.
Times have really changed because when I was a baby - you were considered great the faster you got your child eating baby food.

But all I could envision when I saw this thread's title was Game of Thrones - "Lady Liza" still breastfeeding that little son of hers at about 7 yrs old, and turning him into a cruel monster . In the books they describe so much more about the breastfeeding and other .....immature, rather creepy......behaviors this kid exhibits, as well as the mom.

 

Before I had my child, I didn't seem to have an opinion one way or the other about breastfeeding. Now, I've managed to successfully nurse my daughter for the last 15 months!! It has not been an easy road - we saw a lactation specialist for almost the first two weeks of her life (neither of us was a natural!). I can honestly say that I'm so proud of myself for sticking with it - because at times, it's been really difficult, but I'm so pleased that she still nurses (usually just before bed and in the morning). I will plan on continuing to keep it up at least until 18 months, and then watch and see when she is ready to wean completely. She gets regular milk in a sippy cup while I'm at work during the day, and has had no problem with that transition.

I think if you can breastfeed, even for a little while, that it's an awesome choice!

 

I had a friend who breastfed all 3 of her children until they self weaned. Each of the 3 kids was 2 years apart, and the middle boy was still breastfeeding occasionally at 3 while she was feeding baby #3 at 1. She was a stay at home mom, and I think that helped a lot in her ability to make the choice one way or the other.

I'm having to think about milk production for 2, as both my family and my husband's family have very strong twin gene lines that skip every other generation but are most prominent in the grandchildren of twins themselves (aka, my kids). I am curious whether that would change the choice for me down the road, as that is twice the milk, twice as long.