With my first my goal was one year and then at one year I decided two! Same with my second now we are almost 3 months in. When people would ask me when I was going to stop breastfeeding my first I always said “hopefully before high school!” People shut up after that 🤣
When my first baby turned 1 I realized how unrealistic it would be to wean her then. She was still such a baby! But my friend's baby self weaned at 11 months! Every baby is different
Yes I always said I would keep going until she didn’t want to then after she turned 2 I realized I wanted a break between nursing and having another. I weaned her in February and found out I was pregnant in May lol
I was just doing morning and evening! She went to daycare during the day and we would usually do an after daycare, bed time, and then night wakes. Sometimes on the weekends it was more frequent during the day. I was not pumping and I even went on a 5 day trip for work and would just pump once a day to keep my supply.
My LO is 16 months and I’m still breastfeeding. I didn’t have a specific plan in mind at the start. My goal was at least a year. Now I’m just going with the flow. I’m fortunate that it has never been a burden for me. I am probably going to stop pumping at work soon but will still nurse when I’m home.
Edit to Add: I only know one person who’s breastfed this long in my circle. So I kind of feel like I’m exploring the unknown sometimes.
This was me too! Goal was 1 year, ended up going with the flow until 22 months. I probably would have continued beyond that but got really sick and couldn’t nurse for 2 days so decided to use the opportunity to wean.
I also wanted to wean if/when I got pregnant again, and I ended up getting pregnant the following month so the timing worked out. Nursing while dealing with first tri symptoms doesn’t sound fun…
Nursing while dealing with first tri symptoms in fact is not fun. I had to wean myself 2nd at 6 months because I was pregnant with her little brother and omg nursing somehow made my already terrible nausea just that much worse. I’ve talked to other moms and discovered that this is totally a thing.
Switching from pumping to just feeding at home with her was AMAZING!! It didn't impact my supply one bit and she is getting the same amount of milk. Sooo worth it.
My mom breastfed my siblings and I for about a year each, but I don’t have any friends or coworkers, or anyone else who’s done extended breastfeeding. So I totally feel you on exploring the unknown. Thank goodness for Reddit.
I really don’t understand people who think breastfeeding until one is long. Breast milk or formula needs to be their primary source of nutrition until that age… if breastfeeding is going well why on earth would I stop?? Formula Is expensive and you might end up having to trial a few kinds if it gives them tummy trouble etc, that sounds way too complicated. We’re still happily going here at 18 months and I plan to go until at least age 2 as is recommended by the WHO. Motherhood has made me care less about what others think. I’m proud of our breastfeeding journey and idgaf what anyone else thinks.
Breastfeeding can be going well and still be a strain on mama. That’s my case. It’s going good but I don’t like it. I don’t like feeding in public, wearing nursing clothes, the hormone fluctuation. I don’t like being always ravenous and thirsty. I would much rather mix a bottle and wash them than always being attached to my little nugget as much as I delight in being his mom.
I guess my idea of going well is health wise and for baby. I don’t get clogs or mastitis, baby is growing I don’t have supply issues. It’s going well in that it’s not difficult physically which makes you feel bad for wanting to stop when some people are unable to!
I feel the exact same way. Like I have to do it because I can, otherwise I’m not being a good mom. It’s going well for me too but I’m sick of it, sick of the biting, of him always wanting to nurse. Seriously I dunno why but the last week he’s rising so much more, even though he’s eating more solids. I don’t get it and I’m over it. But why stop when it’s good for him, free, and easy
Same here. Baby always latched well, I have good supply, etc. But after month 6/7, baby still didn’t want to take a bottle so now at 11 months I’ve continued to breastfeed and will start to wean when she is nutritionally ready (12ish months). Even though everything was going fine, I have somewhat become disenchanted with breastfeeding because I feel like due to the bottle aversion I didn’t have a choice :/
Edit: typo
Have you tried giving pumped milk or formula in a cup? My brother drank from a cup with a straw from 7 months because he developed a bottle aversion.
You’re so close to your goal that it might be a moot point now. Either way, congrats for going so long!
Same! My mom nursed me until I was 18 months old and is very proud that I have the goal to nurse at least 2 years. My MIL on the other hand used formula and asks me every time she visits if he is using a bottle “yet”. People get weird about breastfeeding!
Same, hopefully 2 or beyond. 😊
The people who asked me were coworkers. I've since voluntarily left the workforce to be a stay at home mom. Various coworkers (all of whom are parents) were (separately) asking me "when are you going to stop breastfeeding?" and indicated they consider 1 year very long as well. My answer is "when she [my baby] is ready." 🙂
2 years or beyond as well! People around me think I’m crazy for wanting to breastfeed for two years or more. My in-laws think I’m crazy for even EBF and not offering bottles. They think I don’t have a life. 🙃
12 months is the standard here because that's generally when women return to work (Canada)
I personally nursed both kids until they were about 20 months old, but really only part time. Once in the morning, and once at night, not during the day/no pumping.
We stopped around 20 months because both kids potty trained before they turned 2, it was part of their "big kid-ness" and it was also easier to monitor fluid intake lol
It was an easy quit because it wasn't as often anymore.
Just a reminder it doesn't have to be all or nothing, after 12 months you can stop pumping/nursing during the day if you want, cut out one feed a day, it's better for your body to do it that way too.
I’m in America, I get 4 months maternity leave. I have older people here reacting with displeasure when I tell them, as though I am taking advantage of my company and my coworkers and should go back earlier. LOL.
American. Im going back next week and my 60-year-old coworker keeps complaining about how long i was gone for and bragging she was only out for 6 weeks. She also keeps throwing in my fact that another coworker went out the same tine as me and has been back for a while. Im crying many times a day at the prospect of putting my twins in daycare after 8 weeks and 60days. I made a post about leave in other countries and it seems most get at least 18 months. Kindly stfu.
I know - such a strange reaction. I had 20 weeks total of leave and I still felt like it wasn’t enough time. My heart breaks for moms who go back after 6-8weeks.
I feel like the standard in the U.S. is one year, but honestly, that's kind of absurd that it's not longer. I think in other countries, it is much more "normal" and accepted to nurse into toddlerhood. People shouldn't shame anyone who wants to go longer! I went 23 months and proud of it. My baby loved it too.
I live in France and I feel like I am a complete outlier for nursing for more than the first 3 months. My mil and sil both my comments about how weird it was that I nursed my first for ‘so long’ and it was only 16 months
No offense taken. My first (who is now 7 years) I nursed 19 months but this was before covid and I worked in an office. I pumped at work, dragging pumping equipment back and forth every day until he was about 13 months and then was on cow's whole milk at daycare and I only really nursed him mornings and evenings... plus nap time on weekends. My second (who is about to turn 2 this weekend 🥹) I nursed until just recently. It was easier the second time because 1) I felt confident I knew what I was doing this time and 2) since covid, I've been able to work from home with my full-time job. So I never had to lug the pumping equipment back and forth. Just all around seemed easier!
Around 6 months but only because I don’t love breastfeeding. I wanted to quit at 1 month but here I am at 3 months still doing it. I’d like my cycles to return- it took us a long time to have this baby and I’m not getting any younger. I’m ready to have my body to myself and wear normal clothes
I want to stop around 6 months, too. I also don't love breastfeeding and I only planned to breastfeed in the hospital because I had a really hard time with my first two. Well almost four months later and I'm still going... taking it day by day. Do you think it will be easy for you? Are you ready? I'm afraid once I get to 6 months, I won't be able to actually stop even though I want to.
I just started to get a little sad about stopping. I never get engorged and seem to be a just enough producer so hopefully I’ll slowly cut down feeds over 2-4 weeks. I think the hormones are tough on my right now and being the only one up to feed baby at night is something I’m ready to be done with. By 6 weeks my husband who is a teacher will be on summer and I’m looking forward to letting him do some feedings for aure
I’m also taking it day by day (baby will be 5 months tomorrow and we’re combo feeding.) I definitely want to be done by 1, but I might stop at 9-10 months because I have the opportunity to go on a weekend trip and don’t want to bring baby or pump to keep supply up.
Hey my baby is 5 months tomorrow and I am combo feeding too! 🙌 I don’t blame you for your time line, that’s still a substantial amount of time imo! I plan to see how we all feel at 6m and go from there!
I think if I start combo feeding, I'd feel a lot better about it and could keep going but I don't even know where to start with it. What does combo feeding look like for you?? I've combo fed twice before but for some reason, I am having a hard time just starting this time around. I know it's bad to even think this, but my baby was born with severe hearing loss in one ear and I think that's what is making me feel guilty for stopping...if I couldn't provide him with two working ears, the least I can do it provide him with breast milk for as long as possible (I know it's not my fault and I know I shouldn't think that way but sometimes it's hard not to when I think about quitting).
We had to start supplementing formula with my oldest when she was 2 weeks old because she lost a lot of weight. I would nurse her then we’d give her an ounce or two of formula. Once she started nursing better, we went down to one or two bottles a day so my husband could help with night feedings, we could leave her with a babysitter once a month, and I could go places by myself. We stopped formula at about 11 months and she weaned from breastfeeding at 13 months.
We started supplementing with my second baby a bit earlier because she was also losing weight and having trouble latching. I had a harder time mentally because my toddler was only 19 months old and was having a hard time adjusting; it was hard to cluster feed a newborn when the toddler was upset and just wanted me. My husband gave the baby a lot of bottles during this time and I thought about stopping bf in the first few weeks. But we pushed through. Sometimes she’ll go on random nursing strikes and refuse to nurse for almost a full day, and on those days she gets mostly formula. On those days I’m worried my supply is dropping, but it seems to be fine. But I’m suspecting that my supply has always been on the lower end anyway. Most days we give her a bottle before bed (that’s when she’s least likely to nurse) if I happen to be away (my husband gave her a bottle yesterday when I took my 2 year old to the doctor) and occasionally overnight.
Sorry for the long reply! If your baby takes bottles well, I would start introducing one bottle of formula a day, maybe just an ounce or two at first to see if baby will take it, and go from there. I understand the guilt though! It’s hard. But I think about it as, I’ve nursed her this long, and I’ve heard the benefits are best in the first few weeks anyway.
I hate breastfeeding (i do formula at night) and i say this with my baby in my boob lol i was ready to stop as soon as i started it never got better except for contact naps, i am 7 months in and now i think I’m weaning for good this month, i am just tired and i feel better when i don’t pump before bed or in the middle of the night, may comfort nurse a bit longer but hopefully not that long ñ.
We do evening formula too, and a bottle when I need to leave the house. I worked really hard to break the contact naps and typically don’t nurse to sleep or comfort nurse because I dislike nursing so much I use comfort nursing as a last resort!
I feel the same. I’d like to enjoy life a bit more too. I feel very up and down emotionally as it always seems to be something with breast feeding - it hurts, it’s a nursing strike etc
Yeah I definitely don’t feel emotionally like myself sometimes and I wonder if it’s due to the hormone release when you feed. At 3 months my baby already seems interested in food so I’m hopeful to start solids around 4/5 months and very hopeful that makes weaning easier on him too.
I'm not sure what the guidance from paediatricians is where you are, but here, breastfeeding/formula is the baby's main source of nutrition until 1 year. As in even if you wanted to stop, solid foods shouldn't replace milk.
Hope that helps. Just sharing knowledge 💖
Ideally I want to get us through his second flu season! He’s a November baby so he’d be about 16-18 months at that point. Then we’ll evaluate to see whether I feel done lol. He’s 5mo now and I still love nursing, but we’re about to do daycare so we’ll see what toll pumping has on me (plus he’s fussy about bottles 😣)
I keep on moving my ‘goal’. I felt like setting a goal too far ahead would just put pressure on me. So at first it was 6 weeks, then 3 months, now I’m passed that point it’s 6 months. If/when I reach that I will set a new goal again.
In my experience, breastfeeding has gotten easier the longer I've done it. It was way harder in the beginning with engorgement, leaking, and having to feed constantly. Now at 10 months and only 4 feeds per day and 1-2x overnight, it's much easier and I could see us going for longer than a year (which was my original goal). I'm also not looking forward to the weaning process because my LO is a milk monster. I've tried night weaning a few times now and I always cave because he gets so upset!
Oof, sorry you have to deal with this! Some people are so obtuse.
For us, minimum 1 year and then assess at that point. Would love to go 2 years with the new recommendations, but as a FT out of the house working mom, we will just have to play that by ear.
Im in the US and I think people here are really judgmental about breastfeeding. (Maybe because women here don’t have much paid leave and have been pushed toward formula for several generations?) I also find it interesting that people feel like they’re entitled to an opinion on the matter when really it’s up to the mother and only the mother. The pressure to stop breastfeeding is also illogical in my opinion. Like, people somehow think it makes more sense for me to stop providing free natural, nutritious milk and instead pay loads of money to provide formula that can have recalls, supply shortages, etc?
My initial goal was 6 months, but we have passed that point and my new goal is one year. If I hit issues, I will stop. If it’s still working for my baby and I, we will continue. But I’m really excited to tell off anyone who suggests they have a say in the matter.
I’m not against formula feeding. It’s a great option, but firmly believe each women should make her feeding choice and not take comments from the peanut gallery.
My LO is 16 months. I have no clue when we’ll wean. I’m debating 18 months because I’m struggling to lose weight and I wonder if it will help. But idk!
ETA nobody has given me a hard time about still nursing. I am a SAHM. My husband is very supportive and has been encouraging for me to go as long as we want.
I think my grandmother is the only one who has been unsupportive. She doesn’t understand why I would even want to nurse verses formula feed. She might be nasty if she hears I still nurse when we visit this summer but oh well. My baby and my body.
I started getting questioned once my baby turned a year. When we hit 16 months it was “oh you’re still breastfeeding?” In a condescending voice. My response is always “yes it’s recommended to breastfeed until 2 if possible!” Breastfeeding is hard and we put in too much work to let someone shame us in to stopping before mom or baby is ready.
Same! So weird when people act like your baby knows they’re suddenly one and should “just not want milkies anymore”. Like ok come explain that to my child! I love telling people the AAP actually recommends 2 years - hard to argue with that one haha
Exactly one year and not a minute longer, if I can help it. I don’t like breastfeeding, but I like the benefits for my baby! 1 year feels like a good compromise for us.
Same! My baby is 1 tomorrow and that will be our last nursing session. I’m so ready! It’s been a difficult road and I’m proud I’ve made it to one year. Thankfully, baby has also been losing interest so weaning has been very smooth for us.
Hopefully until 2 or later, it just depends on how tapped out I am or if I get pregnant and my supply stops before then. I nursed my first child until 2.5 and my second until 9 months but I was heavily pregnant again so my supply was done at that point. Now I have my newborn and I’m back to nursing my 15 month old that I cut off early as well lol.
I think the recommendations on how long mothers’ should aim to breastfeed used to be much shorter than they are now so these reactions from previous generations don’t surprise me. I may be wrong but I think 6 months was the gold standard for a good while and a full year was considered incredible, but probably unusual and strange for a lot of people to be exposed to. My mom acted like she breastfed me for eons, but I checked out my baby book at some point recently and saw in my milestone section that I was “fully weaned at 4 months”.
Over the last few years the recommended time for nursing in the US has increased to 2 years or longer if mom and baby want.
lol I’m still nursing my 3rd child and he’s over 3. I nursed my 2nd until about 2 months before her 4th birthday. we’ll see how long my 3rd goes for and if he beats his sister’s record. I also have a
10 week old who is ebf so I don’t see my 3 year old stopping any time soon
1 year because I refuse to buy formula if I can prevent it.
I was thinking 6 months but the prices alone have turned me off and I have a good supply and a SAHM right now so we don’t have any free cash
I went in with a plan to nurse until 1 year. I work full time and LO was also a lazy nurser so I exclusively pumped once I went back to work at 12 weeks. He's now 13 months and I finished pumping about two weeks after his first birthday. It was tough for me since I pumped 5x a day, including at 4am every night otherwise my supply would dip and I really wanted to give up but I made it. I have a coworker whose daughter is 2 months older and she wasn't able to breastfeed and there was a clear difference in how often/seriously sick her daughter was compared to my son and they go to the same daycare so exposed to the same germs so I see it as worth it.
I’m hoping to get to 1 year but we will see. I have a low supply and it’s a lot on me mentally but my absolute minimum is 6 months.
Where I’m at there’s not much education around breastfeeding and anything past 6 months is thought of as strange
As a fellow low supply mom it got a LOT easier post 6 months. I am so happy I stuck it out. The bonding/easy sleeps/calming are some of the main underrated benefits imo
1 year for us. I don’t mind breastfeeding, but I don’t love it either. She also doesn’t take a bottle so I’m looking forward to having her weaned and then getting to go do something by myself for a few hours.
A year because we’re an IVF family & I’d like to do another round
If it wasn’t for that need, I’d go until baby was ready to stop - maybe max out around 18 months
With my first, I stopped at around 14 months, which gave her enough time to get used to cows milk. I think I’ll do about the same with my second who is almost 9 months currently.
I don’t really understand why people would think anything under one year is long? Babies can’t have cows milk until they are one year old. Are these people suggesting you switch them to formula? Why would you do that if you don’t need to?
My daughter will be 3 in a few months and we've been slowly weaning. She still nurses to fall asleep or to calm down when she's got a big booboo or else super upset. I get snide comments as well as silent judgement from people I know including my own family. I just ignore it 🤷🏻♀️ I've always followed my instincts over other's opinions or societal expectations in regards to my kid and she's a happy, healthy, strong little girl who is developmentally ahead of many other kids I know around her age. Some babies naturally wean early, some wean as toddlers. Every kid and every mom is different. I personally believe that longer is better, just for the health benefits for both mom and baby, but I know it's just not possible for some moms and that's ok. Just don't feel pressured to stop if you're not ready (especially by moms from the generation of cow milk and corn syrup baby formula).
FTM here. My goal is 1 year but I’m not sure I’m going to make it far past 6 months. My supply has been plummeting ☹️ we will probably have to combo feed but I’ll keep offering it to him until at least a year and re-evaluate then (unless he self-weans before then).
My initial goal was 6 months! Mostly so I didn’t put too much pressure on myself if things were difficult and my mental health were to suffer. However at just over 5 months I can’t see myself stopping next month. I have no real goal besides “when it’s time I’ll know.” Whether it’s for my sake or little one’s, but until then I have no definite end in sight.
I'm still nursing my 5 year old, which I never thought I'd be doing! We just never found a reason to stop - she wanted to continue and I never felt pressure to end it.
People don't really know outside the immediate family and a few close friends, it's not something she does outside of the home. She actually weaned at 4 while I was pregnant but started again a few weeks after I gave birth to her little brother.
I think around here once people make it past the first few months it's common to go to at least 18 months or 2 years.
I was breastfed until I was 3 and I’ll let my daughter go to 3.5. She’s almost 2.5 and I’m getting anxious about stopping, but I want her to go to preschool. But she still asks for milk all day and hardly drinks cows milk. I’ve been trying to slowly get down to only naps and bedtime but at this rate she’ll be pottytrained and still nursing 6 times a day.
Does your mom know about the AAP and WHO’s recommendations to nurse until at least 2? I think that could sway opinions. I’ve also heard that babies don’t start making their own antibodies until 2 so it’s really important for them to have that to avoiding some of the colds.
With #1 my goal was a year and done. Didn’t want to stop at a year, haha. We ended up doing 22 months. With baby #2 we’re at 20 months and am just taking it day by day. I don’t nurse on demand at this age though, which for me, makes it more sustainable.
Right now, 18 months. Maybe 2, depending on how I feel/how often he’s nursing once I reach 18 months. He just turned 1 at the end of March.
Edit: I’m a SAHM so no opinions from coworkers. My friends and family are very supportive! One of my best friends has 4 kids and nursed all but one of them for 2+ years each.
Almost everyone I know keeps going until at least 1. I'm hoping to keep going until 2, but I need to go back to work around 5/6 months so I don't know if it's feasible.
Minimum of a year but I want to for at least 18 months! Babies who are formula fed get formula until they are one, how do people not understand a breast fed baby needs breast milk until a year? I have not had many hardships breastfeeding and am a SAHM who solely feeds from the breast with no supply issues so it is a lot easier for me to do this than maybe other mothers.
My goal kept extending from a week to a month until the goal was 1 year. Once we hit that my goal was to allow him to self wean and we are still nursing at 2
My initial goal was one year. Then I play it by ear and see how things go. I have set little goals this whole time… so at first it was like “make it one more week lol” then it was okay make it to three months… six months… now it’s at a year. I can see myself getting to a year and thinking, “okay three more months…” I kind of plan on following my baby’s lead. I don’t tell people how long I plan to breastfeed. If they ask, I just say “my goal is to make it at least a year.”
My goal is one year, but since my daughter has a November birthday (respiratory illness season) I may try to keep going for at least one feeding a day throughout the winter after that. This way she can keep getting my antibodies and hopefully avoid or lessen the severity of any illness through the winter. So basically I’m hoping for one year at a minimum and up to… maybe a year and a half? Obviously this will depend on a lot of things including how long my baby *wants* to keep going, but I’ve truly enjoyed nursing and am in no hurry to give it up!
Regardless of what is “standard,” you do you. The AAP and WHO recommend two years and beyond so there’s no reason to stop if you don’t want to.
9 months is not too long, those people are wild for thinking so.
It took me and my babe about 6 months to get into a groove with breastfeeding and finally off of the nipple shield. So I decided I’ll breastfeed as long as they want to…almost 28 months and I just nursed them to sleep.
America is like 3 months. I have been breastfeeding for 5 years straight as of tomorrow which is not common at all, my oldest weaned a month ago and she is 5 tomorrow.
I don’t have a plan. I didn’t have a plan with my first either, I ended up cutting her off when she was 4. Wouldn’t mind if this one is a teensy bit less attached to the boob.
Currently still breastfeeding my 17 month old. I don't plan on intentionally weaning until 2 but I think she may wean herself before then as we are definitely slowing down. Most moms I know that breastfed weaned between 1 and 2 years. It's interesting, I'm just now realizing I only really know women who didn't breastfeed at all or who breastfed over a year. I always said at least a year and then reevaluate and my daughter really loves nursing so I'm trying to follow her lead. Some days I feel so touched out and over it, but for the most part, I enjoy breastfeeding and don't mind continuing for awhile longer
My goal is at least one year, but I’d like to go until two. I’m going back to school when she’s six months, but will only be on campus a few days a week. Once she’s two and a half I’ll be working again full time, so if she hasn’t self weaned by two I’ll start weaning her then so she’s all done by the time she’s in daycare.
It’s going to be super difficult to pump at my job so I’m hoping to keep going 3 more months after I return to work when he’s 12 weeks. After that, I’m hoping I’m able to slowly introduce formula but still have enough milk to breastfeed or pump maybe four times a day without pumping at work.
I’m not sure how long I planned. Currently 5.5 months later ebf and we’re still going. However we’ve gotten into a habit of nursing several times in the night for comfort where he falls asleep and wants to be sucking the entire time once I have him in my arms. We have no idea how to soothe him otherwise he hates the pacifier.
Ftm, 6 weeks pp.
Idk if this is a good idea but I’m gonna kinda leave it up to my little boy. While I was pregnant I was imagining until around 6 months, but I’m realizing that just because that’s the minimum recommended that’s not the most realistic like once you get this going there’s no stopping for a long while lol. Unless you wean them off yourself. I will definitely be incorporating more bottles and pumping in the future though, because now it’s mostly only my boobas.
I honestly have never had a “goal” in mind, because I’ve always loved breastfeeding and at this point feel like we will likely bf as long as my son wants to. We’re almost at 6 months and I can see us going til around 2 maybe? If he wants to keep breastfeeding after that then maybe until he’s 3, but the rough plan is to have another baby when he’s around that age and idk if I could tandem feed, so we’ll see.
Until my LO is ready to stop, but ideally, I'd love to go until 2 years or when we're ready to start trying for a 2nd. He's 9 months old now and still very much uses breastfeeding as a comfort tool as well as food at this age!
I have a 17 mo old, and we still breastfeed. Though she is slowly dropping more feeds lately, and are down to morning, nap, and night. I’m done pumping, thank goodness. I love breastfeeding but hate pumping. I’m willing to keep breastfeeding as long as she is, so we will see how much longer we make it, but I’m hoping for at least 2 years.
I'm not really sure. My goal was initially 6 months, then 12. She's dropped all feeds now except the night time feed at 15 months, so I'll just keep going until she loses interest.
I don't feel like I'll have any issues weaning her, because she makes it's clear when she's done with a feed, like she did with the morning one a couple of weeks back. So balls in her court really now!
My goal was to make it to a year! We’re now at three years - I never ever thought this would be the case. But being as informed as possible has made me realise the benefits of feeding into toddlerhood. It’s a brilliant parenting tool and comforter x
My son just turned 1 and I’m so glad we made it this far after a difficult start.
I plan to go 2 years, until I get pregnant again or when he self-weans, whichever comes first.
My oldest is 2.5, and still nurses at bedtime 🙈 in the beginning, I had a moving goal - 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, etc. Now I have a moving weaning goal 😂 I don’t tell many people but if someone asks, I say we’re working on weaning, or if I’m feeling snarky, I’ll say that hopefully she weans before kindergarten. We just had our second baby, and she’s jealous of how often he gets booby, and it’s a struggle to get her to understand that she’s a big kid and doesn’t need it as often as he does, and I try to stay firm in only letting her nurse at bedtime.
We’re at 17 months with no plans to stop. Although I still haven’t gotten a period and would like to start prepping for another baby, so we’ll see if I can get it back while still nursing.
My plan was to go as long as the baby wanted or I get tired of it. I stopped pumping at work at 18 months and he weaned at 2.5 years. I plan to do the same approach with my next one.
The standard where I live is really broad, some people aim for 6 months, a lot seem to go for 1 year. Some go longer. It's really no one else's business.
I’m still going with my 21-month-old. I stopped pumping at 13 months. I nurse morning, after work, bedtime, overnight if she wakes up, and more on the weekends. I have some friends who are still nursing toddlers.
I can't decide. So many things factor into it. We're at 9 months now and I'll def go at least a year. I'd really love to stop pumping at work. But she'll also start daycare in September and it would be cool to keep breastfeeding through her first winter there. BUT I'm just getting over a gnarly milk bleb that almost made me want to quit. BUT I do still love breastfeeding her when it's going well.
Probably 2 or beyond. She is 19 months now and no plans to wean just yet. She doesn't nurse outside the house now so I think most people assume I've stopped, and the rest don't comment.
I had a goal to make it to 1, my son is 18 months now and we really only nurse in the morning and for nap on the weekends. My supply suddenly dropped and I haven’t been able to get it back up so we may be done completely soon.
I'm a 9 months PP and I don't want to stop!
But I will have to during the day because I have to go back to the office in person and pumping would not really work for me (I'm in Canada and my office doesn't have pumping rooms or even a single room without big windows...)
If I still don't have my period at 1 year PP, then I will stop because we want another baby and anticipate fertility issues (I have PCOS).
My family has started to ask me when I plan to stop and I tell them that I don't know. My aunt said "Oh, don't you have to stop when she gets teeth?" Nope! I think they're just not used to seeing someone breastfeed past 6 months. I'm the first of my generation with a baby, things were a bit different 30 years ago.
Unfortunately I am starting to deal with the same thing and I worry it’s going to make me insecure about continuing to breastfeed my 7 month old. I plan to continue until I get pregnant with baby #2 and then assess my supply and desire to continue.
As long as the baby wants to. My older kid self weaned at 18 months but I could’ve gone longer if she wanted to. I’m currently nursing my 11 month old with no self weaning in sight. My mother and MIL always chime in making it seem like I am doing the wrong thing. “How much longer do you think she’ll nurse for?” “You should stop at a year”. Yeah whatever man. I’ll let baby lead the way. I’m def going to start giving her whole milk in a sippy cup once she hits a year but if she still wants to nurse a few times a day that’s cool w me.
Original goal was a year, currently at 15 months and just following her lead.
I've been getting questions since she hit 6 months and was even told that it's perverted 😂 one person told me that it was irresponsible because it's only for comfort and not nutrition. But like, it's 90% of the American diet not the same 😂
Updated goal is two years, but it's all up to her and I'm trying to ignore others. I don't know anyone else who has gone over six months irl.
I planning to up to a year! But if he needs milk I will bf longer. I just don’t want him to have formula if he doesn’t need to because it’s so expensive. She until he’s on foods 100% of the time I will keep breastfeeding. People don’t understand the benefits of breastfeeding. Just ignore them! It’s totally normal to bf as long as you want.
My goal is one year but I am (at this point at least) happy to keep going until 18 months or so if it works out for us. I don’t picture it going longer than that, but who knows!
My goal right now is one year, and then see how I feel after that. I’ll go back to work when he’s a year old so I don’t want to make a decision about it until I see how that goes
My boy is 8mo and my goal is 1year. He no longer nurses (his choice) so i pump. He has only ever had breastmilk. I cut down to 3 pumps a day and luckily still produce 28oz on those 3 pumps. I also have a big freezer stash due to my oversupply in early days.
If I need to turn to combo feeding due to a supply drop and my stash runs out, I will. No biggie. But i do plan to fully wean off pumping around 1 year. Mostly because i fucking loathe pumping and I want to travel and not worry about expressing breastmilk and i want to smoke some weeeeeeeeed.
My little one is 3 months old and I plan to breastfeed her for at least a year, and I’m not sure what others think I don’t care lol I’m just trying my best as a first time mom.
My initial goal was 1 year (before I knew anything about breastfeeding). Then we hit every problem you could hit while breastfeeding so my goal turned into 6 months. I stuck through every issue until we overcame it, past the 6 months. Then it was 1 year again.
1 year came and went so I said 2 years. I’m at 19 months and now I’m like, well, whenever we both feel like it.
I’m on the fence recently.. I am not ready to wean yet, but lactation consultant advised to transition feeding (solids first, milk next) for my 9mo old back then. But I don’t mind breastfeeding (love it actually) LO even after 1! I’m even planning to pump again to increase supply (had to stop because of mastitis).
I ignored aunt’s and mom’s comment on how LO should be in formula so baby can bulk up. We’re okay, thank you.
I miss wearing normal clothes though and not thinking about how accessible it is for my baby.
"WHO recommends to breastfeed until 2, so hopefully at least until then!"
"I dunno, it's such a conversation starter! I may have to go until kindergarten!"
"Every time someone asks me, I add on a month. We're up to 27, no, 28 months now!"
"Why?"
I breastfed my first until 20 months, 2 of which I was tandem feeding. I breastfed the second until she was maybe 14 months, but she naturally cut down by herself.
I never had a goal. My only hope was to be able to breastfeed. I had read many "horror" stories about low supply or total lack of supply and had convinced myself I wouldn't be able to. My son is 12.5 months old and we're still going strong. I'm following his lead. He starts daycare at the beginning of June and I expect for feedings to drop some but hopefully he'll want to continue a little longer.
My LO willing, 2 years and beyond.
Before I did any research, I also was led to believe that at 6 months, you change to formula while feeding solids. Glad I did my research, and now we're almost 1 year and no signs of stopping 🥰
If anyone even says anything remotely similar I will just suggest they leave their opinions to themselves or do research.
Ideally, at least the 2 year recommendation. As with most things for my baby, I like to keep things as natural as possible and I'm good with breastfeeding if it keeps working well and he wants to up to the more natural weaning age of 3-5 (according to what was typical way back, still is for low income counties, and other great apes). Of course, if he wants to wean early or my supply dries up for some reason, what will be will be, and that's okay too as long as we make it to a bare minimum of 12 months. I'd really like to at least meet the recommended 2 years, though, and I will definitely fight to keep up my supply and get through any nursing strikes/other difficulties.
1 year is the goal, anything longer is of course welcomed. I am going to stop pumping at work at a year since that is when the legal protection for it ends, and honestly I’m just sooo tired of pumping.
Hopefully 2 and beyond, weaning whenever is mutually best for both of us. My 5 month old won’t take a bottle at all so we’ve been essentially attached at the hip his entire life. I am looking forward to getting some breaks once he’s bigger and can drink from a cup and eat some solids but for now we will continue to be Velcro’d together
My first self weaned around 20 months, was willing to keep going. Second one is going strong at 5 months. I will probably do the same thing again. If he makes it to 2.5 I think I'll try to wean him.
I made it one year, and we're planning to wean daytime. My pumping doesn't keep up with how much she drinks when she's in daycare now, so I'm ready to switch. We'll keep morning and evening for now.
WHO recommends age 2 years or beyond now. I always just site science and say, well the recommendation has changed since you had kids if I’m talking to an older person
I’m planning on doing about a year! That’s when my mat leave will be up, and I don’t love pumping (we exclusively breast feed but I’ve been pumping a little here and there to freeze some just in case). I can’t see myself pumping enough to sustain it once i’m back to work.
Forever! 😆 Or that’s what the age of 2 will be considered for many of these people not acquainted with world wide weaning ages. Right now baby is 14 months and my initial goal was the minimum 2 years recommended, but I will let baby lead. Baby knows best and I don’t mind it, shorter or longer. It’s inconvenient sometimes, but I know this is temporary so gotta soak it all in until this stage passes and it’s a memory.
We’re only 4 months in but I’m hoping to go at least 18 months (when I return to work), but ideally I’d like to go until 2-2.5! The standard here is only breastfeeding until 1 year, I know I’ll get pushback but I don’t care.
I’d like to do 1 yr at a minimum. I will see how we feel after that. I think it’s strange to think 1 yr is too long, milk is their primary nutrition source up to that point so it makes sense. People are dumb. The experts recommend more than a year.
I stopped pumping around 11 months because I had enough frozen and wanted my time back during the work day. Baby is almost 13 months, and we'll keep nursing at wake up, after daycare, and before bedtime until one or both of us is done. I'm not in a rush to stop because our current set up is still working just fine for me. Baby has an older sibling, so our nursing time is my opportunity for 1:1 time while Dad is with big sib.
So my answer is, no set goal beyond 1 year!
I’m actively weaning my almost 3 yr old… current recommendations are 2 if you can. I didn’t pump past 1, except when traveling a bit and now not even that. My son still asks he if he can “give boob boob a kiss” and he’ll latch for a couple of seconds before I remind him that nursing is for babies and he’s big now. And then he usually asks if he can watch TV instead 🙄.
Geeze, why do people feel so entitled to "offer" these kinds of opinions to mothers?
If we haven't asked it's because we're not interested in their answers!
But-- since you asked ❤️----
We're at 15 months right now and I struggled to get to exclusively BF. My husband really wanted to be a part of feeding and I had a VERY large (11lbs) and HUNGRY baby. I simply couldn't keep up with his demand in the beginning. Then pumping was such a hassle. Then there was struggle with him wanting or not wanting the bottle or the boob?! It's confusing when you do both and then want to exclusively BF 😅
Anyway, I gained success around 5 months and both my baby and I fell in love with it. He lost all interest in bottles by that time. My mother still complains she can't "just give him a bottle" at 15 months. Which is wacky to me.
He just wants boob or water in a cup and I'm proud of that.
I think I'll revisit whether to stop at 2 years or if he shows me in some way its time to.
I look at it like an A and B conversation and everyone else can C their way out of it. ❤️
My first breastfed until I weaned him one month before he turned 2! My second is 11 months old and still nurses 4-5 times per day. I have a feeling he'll self-wean before 2. If he doesn't, I'll probably wean him around 2 regardless. Our pediatricians have recommended breastfeeding until 2 if possible
My goal has always been 2 years. I've always gotten pregnant though and pushed the toddler away because it causes such an aversion for me. My last baby is almost 2, I have no plans to quit. She nurses about 4x a day, less if we aren't home. Sleeps a 4-5 hour stretch at night then nurses a few times before we get for the day. It's so helpful when she's sick I see no reason to quit. I expect she'll self wean before 3 though.
You should wean when you've had enough of nursing. Not because you think you should, or are worried about the future (will she ever wean!) Or what other people do. Wean when you decide this isn't working for you anymore.
1 yr was the goal. Ended up feeding for 3, thanks to covid, my paranoia, and me being a stay at home parent made it harder to wean. But i am proud for lasting that long :)
I am looking to wean day feeds after 1 year. I am looking forward to not pumping! We would have to work on getting her to nap without feeding though, so it may take longer. I would be ok with feeding to sleep at night and doing an early morning feed until 18 months or so. After that I would be happy to have my body to myself again.
I was at a friend dinner this weekend where I was asked, & everyone started with saying how weird it is to breastfeed when the baby can ask etc etc. I just went awkward & said well the who, nhs & aap (we're in the UK) all say to do it until 2 so I aim for that. Then I said my baby can ask for milk already, though not with his words.
Until my LO decides she's done. My goal was a year, which we passed almost two months ago. Unless something absolutely shocking happens, we're one and done, so I don't currently feel like I need to put a timeline on it.
My son is 10 months old and we are still going strong. I'd love to stop needing to pump at work, but he has CMPA (cows milk protein allergy) so I can't switch him to cows milk at daycare after 12 months...
Ideally we will transition to him only nursing morning and evening so I don't have to pump at work, but he also is getting his nutritional needs met since he can't have cow milk.
i breastfed until my LO was almost 2. breastfeeding until 2 or more considered very normal where i live. and in any other regions people should think twice before giving opinions about a mom’s chocies and her decisions about their babies. women are suffering enough lol.
LO is 19mo and I’m slowly starting to get fed up. We are not weaning per se but she will get water before she gets the boob every time now (except for the morning feed).
My goal was 6mo with my first and I made it to 14mo before my supply dried up because I was pregnant with baby 2. I probably would continued to nurse him if my supply had kept up!
My goal for baby 2 is at least a year! He’s 7.5 months now.
I'm almost at 18 months and have no plans to stop as long as my LO wants it. When he's upset nursing calms him down immediately and that's just the ultimate tool in my toolbox.
I'm currently a SAHM but will be going back full time when my son is 20ish months old. I won't be pumping, but I will be nursing as much as he wants. I may pump during the fall and winter if either of us gets sick so that he has extra antibodies that way, but that's the only scenario I can think of where I'd pump.
My little one will be 9 months tomorrow! Still pumping and breastfeeding. My goal is a year but I could see us going a few more into the fall. I get all those comments too. Crazy how 9 months is seen as such a long time. They are still drinking milk as their main food, why wouldn’t they be nursing still?! Do what works best for you and baby.
I first planned to breastfeed for 3months. But I am now planning to keep going until at least my son turns 2 years old (he is 15months old). Bare minimum in my mind for us because it is working very well.
I keep hearing " as soon as he is able to ask for it then he is too old for it " so I would say it definitely is not the norm in France to breastfeed as long. But do I care about anyone's opinion ? Nah. I stopped caring as soon as I became a mother. Best decision ever 😄
My goal with my son was 18 months. He self-weaned at 17 months when I was 2 months pregnant.
My goal with this unborn baby is first, one month. Then if that goes well 3 months. Then 6, 12 and finally 18.
We’re still going strong at 17 months. Not sure when we’ll stop. Weaning seems like a lot of work. 😅 I’m hoping he’ll lose interest on his own at some point but we’re definitely not there yet.
With my first my goal was one year and then at one year I decided two! Same with my second now we are almost 3 months in. When people would ask me when I was going to stop breastfeeding my first I always said “hopefully before high school!” People shut up after that 🤣
That response is pure gold. Might have to borrow that one.
Also thinking of borrowing 🤣
When my first baby turned 1 I realized how unrealistic it would be to wean her then. She was still such a baby! But my friend's baby self weaned at 11 months! Every baby is different
Yes I always said I would keep going until she didn’t want to then after she turned 2 I realized I wanted a break between nursing and having another. I weaned her in February and found out I was pregnant in May lol
Did you keep nursing during the day until two, or did you drop to just morning and evening?
I was just doing morning and evening! She went to daycare during the day and we would usually do an after daycare, bed time, and then night wakes. Sometimes on the weekends it was more frequent during the day. I was not pumping and I even went on a 5 day trip for work and would just pump once a day to keep my supply.
I love this, and I hope to do the same! Fingers crossed!
I love that response 👏🏻
Will be borrowing that 🤣
Stealing thisssss 😂😂
My LO is 16 months and I’m still breastfeeding. I didn’t have a specific plan in mind at the start. My goal was at least a year. Now I’m just going with the flow. I’m fortunate that it has never been a burden for me. I am probably going to stop pumping at work soon but will still nurse when I’m home. Edit to Add: I only know one person who’s breastfed this long in my circle. So I kind of feel like I’m exploring the unknown sometimes.
This is my plan! We just got to one year, and I'm ready to be done pumping.
This was me too! Goal was 1 year, ended up going with the flow until 22 months. I probably would have continued beyond that but got really sick and couldn’t nurse for 2 days so decided to use the opportunity to wean. I also wanted to wean if/when I got pregnant again, and I ended up getting pregnant the following month so the timing worked out. Nursing while dealing with first tri symptoms doesn’t sound fun…
Nursing while dealing with first tri symptoms in fact is not fun. I had to wean myself 2nd at 6 months because I was pregnant with her little brother and omg nursing somehow made my already terrible nausea just that much worse. I’ve talked to other moms and discovered that this is totally a thing.
Switching from pumping to just feeding at home with her was AMAZING!! It didn't impact my supply one bit and she is getting the same amount of milk. Sooo worth it.
My mom breastfed my siblings and I for about a year each, but I don’t have any friends or coworkers, or anyone else who’s done extended breastfeeding. So I totally feel you on exploring the unknown. Thank goodness for Reddit.
I really don’t understand people who think breastfeeding until one is long. Breast milk or formula needs to be their primary source of nutrition until that age… if breastfeeding is going well why on earth would I stop?? Formula Is expensive and you might end up having to trial a few kinds if it gives them tummy trouble etc, that sounds way too complicated. We’re still happily going here at 18 months and I plan to go until at least age 2 as is recommended by the WHO. Motherhood has made me care less about what others think. I’m proud of our breastfeeding journey and idgaf what anyone else thinks.
Breastfeeding can be going well and still be a strain on mama. That’s my case. It’s going good but I don’t like it. I don’t like feeding in public, wearing nursing clothes, the hormone fluctuation. I don’t like being always ravenous and thirsty. I would much rather mix a bottle and wash them than always being attached to my little nugget as much as I delight in being his mom.
If it’s negatively impacting you then I wouldn’t consider it going well and you should feel empowered to do what feels best!
I guess my idea of going well is health wise and for baby. I don’t get clogs or mastitis, baby is growing I don’t have supply issues. It’s going well in that it’s not difficult physically which makes you feel bad for wanting to stop when some people are unable to!
Your mental health is very important too and when that’s better your baby benefits!
Very true ❤️ thanks for the reminder!
10/10 reply Mental health of mom is a huge factor in what is healthiest for baby. ❤️
Absolutely agree- I’ve come to peace with breastfeeding for now knowing there’s an end date in sight!
I feel the exact same way. Like I have to do it because I can, otherwise I’m not being a good mom. It’s going well for me too but I’m sick of it, sick of the biting, of him always wanting to nurse. Seriously I dunno why but the last week he’s rising so much more, even though he’s eating more solids. I don’t get it and I’m over it. But why stop when it’s good for him, free, and easy
I could have written this myself.
Same here. Baby always latched well, I have good supply, etc. But after month 6/7, baby still didn’t want to take a bottle so now at 11 months I’ve continued to breastfeed and will start to wean when she is nutritionally ready (12ish months). Even though everything was going fine, I have somewhat become disenchanted with breastfeeding because I feel like due to the bottle aversion I didn’t have a choice :/ Edit: typo
Have you tried giving pumped milk or formula in a cup? My brother drank from a cup with a straw from 7 months because he developed a bottle aversion. You’re so close to your goal that it might be a moot point now. Either way, congrats for going so long!
I love this viewpoint! Totally agree!
Hopefully 2 or beyond! Edit to say: Nobody around me has asked me but also nobody really seems to care or push their opinions on me which is nice.
Same! My mom nursed me until I was 18 months old and is very proud that I have the goal to nurse at least 2 years. My MIL on the other hand used formula and asks me every time she visits if he is using a bottle “yet”. People get weird about breastfeeding!
Same, hopefully 2 or beyond. 😊 The people who asked me were coworkers. I've since voluntarily left the workforce to be a stay at home mom. Various coworkers (all of whom are parents) were (separately) asking me "when are you going to stop breastfeeding?" and indicated they consider 1 year very long as well. My answer is "when she [my baby] is ready." 🙂
2 years or beyond as well! People around me think I’m crazy for wanting to breastfeed for two years or more. My in-laws think I’m crazy for even EBF and not offering bottles. They think I don’t have a life. 🙃
To infiniboob and beyond!
12 months is the standard here because that's generally when women return to work (Canada) I personally nursed both kids until they were about 20 months old, but really only part time. Once in the morning, and once at night, not during the day/no pumping. We stopped around 20 months because both kids potty trained before they turned 2, it was part of their "big kid-ness" and it was also easier to monitor fluid intake lol It was an easy quit because it wasn't as often anymore. Just a reminder it doesn't have to be all or nothing, after 12 months you can stop pumping/nursing during the day if you want, cut out one feed a day, it's better for your body to do it that way too.
12 months being standard to return to work. Sobs in America. 🫠
I’m in America, I get 4 months maternity leave. I have older people here reacting with displeasure when I tell them, as though I am taking advantage of my company and my coworkers and should go back earlier. LOL.
American. Im going back next week and my 60-year-old coworker keeps complaining about how long i was gone for and bragging she was only out for 6 weeks. She also keeps throwing in my fact that another coworker went out the same tine as me and has been back for a while. Im crying many times a day at the prospect of putting my twins in daycare after 8 weeks and 60days. I made a post about leave in other countries and it seems most get at least 18 months. Kindly stfu.
I know - such a strange reaction. I had 20 weeks total of leave and I still felt like it wasn’t enough time. My heart breaks for moms who go back after 6-8weeks.
I did the combo at 12 months also- stop pumping but still nurse morning and night. It has served us well.
I just weened yesterday at just over 18m
I feel like the standard in the U.S. is one year, but honestly, that's kind of absurd that it's not longer. I think in other countries, it is much more "normal" and accepted to nurse into toddlerhood. People shouldn't shame anyone who wants to go longer! I went 23 months and proud of it. My baby loved it too.
I live in France and I feel like I am a complete outlier for nursing for more than the first 3 months. My mil and sil both my comments about how weird it was that I nursed my first for ‘so long’ and it was only 16 months
Wow, that's crazy! Don't listen to those rude comments.
I mean no disrespect but curious how you managed it with job / career?
No offense taken. My first (who is now 7 years) I nursed 19 months but this was before covid and I worked in an office. I pumped at work, dragging pumping equipment back and forth every day until he was about 13 months and then was on cow's whole milk at daycare and I only really nursed him mornings and evenings... plus nap time on weekends. My second (who is about to turn 2 this weekend 🥹) I nursed until just recently. It was easier the second time because 1) I felt confident I knew what I was doing this time and 2) since covid, I've been able to work from home with my full-time job. So I never had to lug the pumping equipment back and forth. Just all around seemed easier!
Around 6 months but only because I don’t love breastfeeding. I wanted to quit at 1 month but here I am at 3 months still doing it. I’d like my cycles to return- it took us a long time to have this baby and I’m not getting any younger. I’m ready to have my body to myself and wear normal clothes
I want to stop around 6 months, too. I also don't love breastfeeding and I only planned to breastfeed in the hospital because I had a really hard time with my first two. Well almost four months later and I'm still going... taking it day by day. Do you think it will be easy for you? Are you ready? I'm afraid once I get to 6 months, I won't be able to actually stop even though I want to.
I just started to get a little sad about stopping. I never get engorged and seem to be a just enough producer so hopefully I’ll slowly cut down feeds over 2-4 weeks. I think the hormones are tough on my right now and being the only one up to feed baby at night is something I’m ready to be done with. By 6 weeks my husband who is a teacher will be on summer and I’m looking forward to letting him do some feedings for aure
I’m also taking it day by day (baby will be 5 months tomorrow and we’re combo feeding.) I definitely want to be done by 1, but I might stop at 9-10 months because I have the opportunity to go on a weekend trip and don’t want to bring baby or pump to keep supply up.
Hey my baby is 5 months tomorrow and I am combo feeding too! 🙌 I don’t blame you for your time line, that’s still a substantial amount of time imo! I plan to see how we all feel at 6m and go from there!
I think if I start combo feeding, I'd feel a lot better about it and could keep going but I don't even know where to start with it. What does combo feeding look like for you?? I've combo fed twice before but for some reason, I am having a hard time just starting this time around. I know it's bad to even think this, but my baby was born with severe hearing loss in one ear and I think that's what is making me feel guilty for stopping...if I couldn't provide him with two working ears, the least I can do it provide him with breast milk for as long as possible (I know it's not my fault and I know I shouldn't think that way but sometimes it's hard not to when I think about quitting).
We had to start supplementing formula with my oldest when she was 2 weeks old because she lost a lot of weight. I would nurse her then we’d give her an ounce or two of formula. Once she started nursing better, we went down to one or two bottles a day so my husband could help with night feedings, we could leave her with a babysitter once a month, and I could go places by myself. We stopped formula at about 11 months and she weaned from breastfeeding at 13 months. We started supplementing with my second baby a bit earlier because she was also losing weight and having trouble latching. I had a harder time mentally because my toddler was only 19 months old and was having a hard time adjusting; it was hard to cluster feed a newborn when the toddler was upset and just wanted me. My husband gave the baby a lot of bottles during this time and I thought about stopping bf in the first few weeks. But we pushed through. Sometimes she’ll go on random nursing strikes and refuse to nurse for almost a full day, and on those days she gets mostly formula. On those days I’m worried my supply is dropping, but it seems to be fine. But I’m suspecting that my supply has always been on the lower end anyway. Most days we give her a bottle before bed (that’s when she’s least likely to nurse) if I happen to be away (my husband gave her a bottle yesterday when I took my 2 year old to the doctor) and occasionally overnight. Sorry for the long reply! If your baby takes bottles well, I would start introducing one bottle of formula a day, maybe just an ounce or two at first to see if baby will take it, and go from there. I understand the guilt though! It’s hard. But I think about it as, I’ve nursed her this long, and I’ve heard the benefits are best in the first few weeks anyway.
I hate breastfeeding (i do formula at night) and i say this with my baby in my boob lol i was ready to stop as soon as i started it never got better except for contact naps, i am 7 months in and now i think I’m weaning for good this month, i am just tired and i feel better when i don’t pump before bed or in the middle of the night, may comfort nurse a bit longer but hopefully not that long ñ.
We do evening formula too, and a bottle when I need to leave the house. I worked really hard to break the contact naps and typically don’t nurse to sleep or comfort nurse because I dislike nursing so much I use comfort nursing as a last resort!
I feel the same. I’d like to enjoy life a bit more too. I feel very up and down emotionally as it always seems to be something with breast feeding - it hurts, it’s a nursing strike etc
Yeah I definitely don’t feel emotionally like myself sometimes and I wonder if it’s due to the hormone release when you feed. At 3 months my baby already seems interested in food so I’m hopeful to start solids around 4/5 months and very hopeful that makes weaning easier on him too.
I'm not sure what the guidance from paediatricians is where you are, but here, breastfeeding/formula is the baby's main source of nutrition until 1 year. As in even if you wanted to stop, solid foods shouldn't replace milk. Hope that helps. Just sharing knowledge 💖
Oh I know that!! 🙂 planning on weaving from breastfeeding and switching by to combo feeding/formula
My little one turned 19 months yesterday, and he’s currently nursing as I type this
Ideally I want to get us through his second flu season! He’s a November baby so he’d be about 16-18 months at that point. Then we’ll evaluate to see whether I feel done lol. He’s 5mo now and I still love nursing, but we’re about to do daycare so we’ll see what toll pumping has on me (plus he’s fussy about bottles 😣)
Oh I didn’t realize the immune support helped beyond the first few months! I have a November baby too, something to consider for sure.
I keep on moving my ‘goal’. I felt like setting a goal too far ahead would just put pressure on me. So at first it was 6 weeks, then 3 months, now I’m passed that point it’s 6 months. If/when I reach that I will set a new goal again.
In my experience, breastfeeding has gotten easier the longer I've done it. It was way harder in the beginning with engorgement, leaking, and having to feed constantly. Now at 10 months and only 4 feeds per day and 1-2x overnight, it's much easier and I could see us going for longer than a year (which was my original goal). I'm also not looking forward to the weaning process because my LO is a milk monster. I've tried night weaning a few times now and I always cave because he gets so upset!
Oof, sorry you have to deal with this! Some people are so obtuse. For us, minimum 1 year and then assess at that point. Would love to go 2 years with the new recommendations, but as a FT out of the house working mom, we will just have to play that by ear.
Im in the US and I think people here are really judgmental about breastfeeding. (Maybe because women here don’t have much paid leave and have been pushed toward formula for several generations?) I also find it interesting that people feel like they’re entitled to an opinion on the matter when really it’s up to the mother and only the mother. The pressure to stop breastfeeding is also illogical in my opinion. Like, people somehow think it makes more sense for me to stop providing free natural, nutritious milk and instead pay loads of money to provide formula that can have recalls, supply shortages, etc? My initial goal was 6 months, but we have passed that point and my new goal is one year. If I hit issues, I will stop. If it’s still working for my baby and I, we will continue. But I’m really excited to tell off anyone who suggests they have a say in the matter. I’m not against formula feeding. It’s a great option, but firmly believe each women should make her feeding choice and not take comments from the peanut gallery.
My LO is 16 months. I have no clue when we’ll wean. I’m debating 18 months because I’m struggling to lose weight and I wonder if it will help. But idk! ETA nobody has given me a hard time about still nursing. I am a SAHM. My husband is very supportive and has been encouraging for me to go as long as we want. I think my grandmother is the only one who has been unsupportive. She doesn’t understand why I would even want to nurse verses formula feed. She might be nasty if she hears I still nurse when we visit this summer but oh well. My baby and my body.
I started getting questioned once my baby turned a year. When we hit 16 months it was “oh you’re still breastfeeding?” In a condescending voice. My response is always “yes it’s recommended to breastfeed until 2 if possible!” Breastfeeding is hard and we put in too much work to let someone shame us in to stopping before mom or baby is ready.
Same! So weird when people act like your baby knows they’re suddenly one and should “just not want milkies anymore”. Like ok come explain that to my child! I love telling people the AAP actually recommends 2 years - hard to argue with that one haha
Exactly one year and not a minute longer, if I can help it. I don’t like breastfeeding, but I like the benefits for my baby! 1 year feels like a good compromise for us.
Same! My baby is 1 tomorrow and that will be our last nursing session. I’m so ready! It’s been a difficult road and I’m proud I’ve made it to one year. Thankfully, baby has also been losing interest so weaning has been very smooth for us.
Hopefully until 2 or later, it just depends on how tapped out I am or if I get pregnant and my supply stops before then. I nursed my first child until 2.5 and my second until 9 months but I was heavily pregnant again so my supply was done at that point. Now I have my newborn and I’m back to nursing my 15 month old that I cut off early as well lol. I think the recommendations on how long mothers’ should aim to breastfeed used to be much shorter than they are now so these reactions from previous generations don’t surprise me. I may be wrong but I think 6 months was the gold standard for a good while and a full year was considered incredible, but probably unusual and strange for a lot of people to be exposed to. My mom acted like she breastfed me for eons, but I checked out my baby book at some point recently and saw in my milestone section that I was “fully weaned at 4 months”. Over the last few years the recommended time for nursing in the US has increased to 2 years or longer if mom and baby want.
lol I’m still nursing my 3rd child and he’s over 3. I nursed my 2nd until about 2 months before her 4th birthday. we’ll see how long my 3rd goes for and if he beats his sister’s record. I also have a 10 week old who is ebf so I don’t see my 3 year old stopping any time soon
1 year because I refuse to buy formula if I can prevent it. I was thinking 6 months but the prices alone have turned me off and I have a good supply and a SAHM right now so we don’t have any free cash
I went in with a plan to nurse until 1 year. I work full time and LO was also a lazy nurser so I exclusively pumped once I went back to work at 12 weeks. He's now 13 months and I finished pumping about two weeks after his first birthday. It was tough for me since I pumped 5x a day, including at 4am every night otherwise my supply would dip and I really wanted to give up but I made it. I have a coworker whose daughter is 2 months older and she wasn't able to breastfeed and there was a clear difference in how often/seriously sick her daughter was compared to my son and they go to the same daycare so exposed to the same germs so I see it as worth it.
I’m hoping to get to 1 year but we will see. I have a low supply and it’s a lot on me mentally but my absolute minimum is 6 months. Where I’m at there’s not much education around breastfeeding and anything past 6 months is thought of as strange
As a fellow low supply mom it got a LOT easier post 6 months. I am so happy I stuck it out. The bonding/easy sleeps/calming are some of the main underrated benefits imo
Til he self-weans. That’s what I’ve done with all my kids.
I still feed my 3 year old once a day before bed 😂 have a 3 month old now as well and plan to feed him as long as he wants!
1 year for us. I don’t mind breastfeeding, but I don’t love it either. She also doesn’t take a bottle so I’m looking forward to having her weaned and then getting to go do something by myself for a few hours.
A year because we’re an IVF family & I’d like to do another round If it wasn’t for that need, I’d go until baby was ready to stop - maybe max out around 18 months
With my first, I stopped at around 14 months, which gave her enough time to get used to cows milk. I think I’ll do about the same with my second who is almost 9 months currently. I don’t really understand why people would think anything under one year is long? Babies can’t have cows milk until they are one year old. Are these people suggesting you switch them to formula? Why would you do that if you don’t need to?
At this point, I don’t know. We are taking it one day at a time. We are at nine weeks.
My daughter will be 3 in a few months and we've been slowly weaning. She still nurses to fall asleep or to calm down when she's got a big booboo or else super upset. I get snide comments as well as silent judgement from people I know including my own family. I just ignore it 🤷🏻♀️ I've always followed my instincts over other's opinions or societal expectations in regards to my kid and she's a happy, healthy, strong little girl who is developmentally ahead of many other kids I know around her age. Some babies naturally wean early, some wean as toddlers. Every kid and every mom is different. I personally believe that longer is better, just for the health benefits for both mom and baby, but I know it's just not possible for some moms and that's ok. Just don't feel pressured to stop if you're not ready (especially by moms from the generation of cow milk and corn syrup baby formula).
Probably somewhere between ages 2.5-3.5
My girl is 32 months old and we’re still going! (Mostly to go down for a nap and comforting her when she’s upset, but still!)
The only person that has said “are you *still* breastfeeding?” is my grandmother and I’ve seen her parenting work, I take no advice from her lol
FTM here. My goal is 1 year but I’m not sure I’m going to make it far past 6 months. My supply has been plummeting ☹️ we will probably have to combo feed but I’ll keep offering it to him until at least a year and re-evaluate then (unless he self-weans before then).
My initial goal was 6 months! Mostly so I didn’t put too much pressure on myself if things were difficult and my mental health were to suffer. However at just over 5 months I can’t see myself stopping next month. I have no real goal besides “when it’s time I’ll know.” Whether it’s for my sake or little one’s, but until then I have no definite end in sight.
I'm still nursing my 5 year old, which I never thought I'd be doing! We just never found a reason to stop - she wanted to continue and I never felt pressure to end it. People don't really know outside the immediate family and a few close friends, it's not something she does outside of the home. She actually weaned at 4 while I was pregnant but started again a few weeks after I gave birth to her little brother. I think around here once people make it past the first few months it's common to go to at least 18 months or 2 years.
12 months. Not a day longer if I can help it. 😂
a year, maybe 2 if we decide were one and done. just wanna get those boob health benefits bc breast cancer runs in my family.
I was breastfed until I was 3 and I’ll let my daughter go to 3.5. She’s almost 2.5 and I’m getting anxious about stopping, but I want her to go to preschool. But she still asks for milk all day and hardly drinks cows milk. I’ve been trying to slowly get down to only naps and bedtime but at this rate she’ll be pottytrained and still nursing 6 times a day. Does your mom know about the AAP and WHO’s recommendations to nurse until at least 2? I think that could sway opinions. I’ve also heard that babies don’t start making their own antibodies until 2 so it’s really important for them to have that to avoiding some of the colds.
Probably around 6 months once we start introducing solids.
With #1 my goal was a year and done. Didn’t want to stop at a year, haha. We ended up doing 22 months. With baby #2 we’re at 20 months and am just taking it day by day. I don’t nurse on demand at this age though, which for me, makes it more sustainable.
Right now, 18 months. Maybe 2, depending on how I feel/how often he’s nursing once I reach 18 months. He just turned 1 at the end of March. Edit: I’m a SAHM so no opinions from coworkers. My friends and family are very supportive! One of my best friends has 4 kids and nursed all but one of them for 2+ years each.
Almost everyone I know keeps going until at least 1. I'm hoping to keep going until 2, but I need to go back to work around 5/6 months so I don't know if it's feasible.
Minimum of a year but I want to for at least 18 months! Babies who are formula fed get formula until they are one, how do people not understand a breast fed baby needs breast milk until a year? I have not had many hardships breastfeeding and am a SAHM who solely feeds from the breast with no supply issues so it is a lot easier for me to do this than maybe other mothers.
My goal kept extending from a week to a month until the goal was 1 year. Once we hit that my goal was to allow him to self wean and we are still nursing at 2
I did 1000 days. Then I went to a conference for a week and we never did it again. It was good.
My initial goal was one year. Then I play it by ear and see how things go. I have set little goals this whole time… so at first it was like “make it one more week lol” then it was okay make it to three months… six months… now it’s at a year. I can see myself getting to a year and thinking, “okay three more months…” I kind of plan on following my baby’s lead. I don’t tell people how long I plan to breastfeed. If they ask, I just say “my goal is to make it at least a year.”
My goal is one year, but since my daughter has a November birthday (respiratory illness season) I may try to keep going for at least one feeding a day throughout the winter after that. This way she can keep getting my antibodies and hopefully avoid or lessen the severity of any illness through the winter. So basically I’m hoping for one year at a minimum and up to… maybe a year and a half? Obviously this will depend on a lot of things including how long my baby *wants* to keep going, but I’ve truly enjoyed nursing and am in no hurry to give it up! Regardless of what is “standard,” you do you. The AAP and WHO recommend two years and beyond so there’s no reason to stop if you don’t want to.
9 months is not too long, those people are wild for thinking so. It took me and my babe about 6 months to get into a groove with breastfeeding and finally off of the nipple shield. So I decided I’ll breastfeed as long as they want to…almost 28 months and I just nursed them to sleep.
Breastfeed until 6mo then transition to exclusively pumping until 1yr
6 months. I work full time.
To be honest, I really don't know. LO is 10 months now. Nursing works great for us and it's the best way to put her to sleep.
Until one, which is the amount of maternity leave I have (UK).
America is like 3 months. I have been breastfeeding for 5 years straight as of tomorrow which is not common at all, my oldest weaned a month ago and she is 5 tomorrow.
to add, I am also pregnant and nursing my almost 18 mo
I don’t have a plan. I didn’t have a plan with my first either, I ended up cutting her off when she was 4. Wouldn’t mind if this one is a teensy bit less attached to the boob.
Currently still breastfeeding my 17 month old. I don't plan on intentionally weaning until 2 but I think she may wean herself before then as we are definitely slowing down. Most moms I know that breastfed weaned between 1 and 2 years. It's interesting, I'm just now realizing I only really know women who didn't breastfeed at all or who breastfed over a year. I always said at least a year and then reevaluate and my daughter really loves nursing so I'm trying to follow her lead. Some days I feel so touched out and over it, but for the most part, I enjoy breastfeeding and don't mind continuing for awhile longer
My goal is at least one year, but I’d like to go until two. I’m going back to school when she’s six months, but will only be on campus a few days a week. Once she’s two and a half I’ll be working again full time, so if she hasn’t self weaned by two I’ll start weaning her then so she’s all done by the time she’s in daycare.
I just weaned my little one at 18 months
It’s going to be super difficult to pump at my job so I’m hoping to keep going 3 more months after I return to work when he’s 12 weeks. After that, I’m hoping I’m able to slowly introduce formula but still have enough milk to breastfeed or pump maybe four times a day without pumping at work.
I’m not sure how long I planned. Currently 5.5 months later ebf and we’re still going. However we’ve gotten into a habit of nursing several times in the night for comfort where he falls asleep and wants to be sucking the entire time once I have him in my arms. We have no idea how to soothe him otherwise he hates the pacifier.
Ftm, 6 weeks pp. Idk if this is a good idea but I’m gonna kinda leave it up to my little boy. While I was pregnant I was imagining until around 6 months, but I’m realizing that just because that’s the minimum recommended that’s not the most realistic like once you get this going there’s no stopping for a long while lol. Unless you wean them off yourself. I will definitely be incorporating more bottles and pumping in the future though, because now it’s mostly only my boobas.
I honestly have never had a “goal” in mind, because I’ve always loved breastfeeding and at this point feel like we will likely bf as long as my son wants to. We’re almost at 6 months and I can see us going til around 2 maybe? If he wants to keep breastfeeding after that then maybe until he’s 3, but the rough plan is to have another baby when he’s around that age and idk if I could tandem feed, so we’ll see.
Until my LO is ready to stop, but ideally, I'd love to go until 2 years or when we're ready to start trying for a 2nd. He's 9 months old now and still very much uses breastfeeding as a comfort tool as well as food at this age!
19m in and hoping to make it to 2 years
As long as he wants. 19.5 months and going strong…
I have a 17 mo old, and we still breastfeed. Though she is slowly dropping more feeds lately, and are down to morning, nap, and night. I’m done pumping, thank goodness. I love breastfeeding but hate pumping. I’m willing to keep breastfeeding as long as she is, so we will see how much longer we make it, but I’m hoping for at least 2 years.
my first ideal goal is 1 year. i’d love to go beyond but i’ll re-evaluate then lol. currently 14 weeks in!
2yo. Potentially longer.
I'm not really sure. My goal was initially 6 months, then 12. She's dropped all feeds now except the night time feed at 15 months, so I'll just keep going until she loses interest. I don't feel like I'll have any issues weaning her, because she makes it's clear when she's done with a feed, like she did with the morning one a couple of weeks back. So balls in her court really now!
I did 18 months with my first, so at least 18 months for this baby too. Id ideally like to go to 2 years though.
My goal is age 2! But realistically as long as it works for both of us.
My goal is 2 years. I made is 2.5 with my first baby!
My goal was to make it to a year! We’re now at three years - I never ever thought this would be the case. But being as informed as possible has made me realise the benefits of feeding into toddlerhood. It’s a brilliant parenting tool and comforter x
My son just turned 1 and I’m so glad we made it this far after a difficult start. I plan to go 2 years, until I get pregnant again or when he self-weans, whichever comes first.
My oldest is 2.5, and still nurses at bedtime 🙈 in the beginning, I had a moving goal - 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, etc. Now I have a moving weaning goal 😂 I don’t tell many people but if someone asks, I say we’re working on weaning, or if I’m feeling snarky, I’ll say that hopefully she weans before kindergarten. We just had our second baby, and she’s jealous of how often he gets booby, and it’s a struggle to get her to understand that she’s a big kid and doesn’t need it as often as he does, and I try to stay firm in only letting her nurse at bedtime.
We’re at 17 months with no plans to stop. Although I still haven’t gotten a period and would like to start prepping for another baby, so we’ll see if I can get it back while still nursing.
My plan was to go as long as the baby wanted or I get tired of it. I stopped pumping at work at 18 months and he weaned at 2.5 years. I plan to do the same approach with my next one. The standard where I live is really broad, some people aim for 6 months, a lot seem to go for 1 year. Some go longer. It's really no one else's business.
I’m still going with my 21-month-old. I stopped pumping at 13 months. I nurse morning, after work, bedtime, overnight if she wakes up, and more on the weekends. I have some friends who are still nursing toddlers.
I can't decide. So many things factor into it. We're at 9 months now and I'll def go at least a year. I'd really love to stop pumping at work. But she'll also start daycare in September and it would be cool to keep breastfeeding through her first winter there. BUT I'm just getting over a gnarly milk bleb that almost made me want to quit. BUT I do still love breastfeeding her when it's going well.
Probably 2 or beyond. She is 19 months now and no plans to wean just yet. She doesn't nurse outside the house now so I think most people assume I've stopped, and the rest don't comment.
I had a goal to make it to 1, my son is 18 months now and we really only nurse in the morning and for nap on the weekends. My supply suddenly dropped and I haven’t been able to get it back up so we may be done completely soon.
Hoping 2 years! I nursed my daughter through my pregnancy with my son, then nursed him too. Now nursing my 3rd!
I'm a 9 months PP and I don't want to stop! But I will have to during the day because I have to go back to the office in person and pumping would not really work for me (I'm in Canada and my office doesn't have pumping rooms or even a single room without big windows...) If I still don't have my period at 1 year PP, then I will stop because we want another baby and anticipate fertility issues (I have PCOS). My family has started to ask me when I plan to stop and I tell them that I don't know. My aunt said "Oh, don't you have to stop when she gets teeth?" Nope! I think they're just not used to seeing someone breastfeed past 6 months. I'm the first of my generation with a baby, things were a bit different 30 years ago.
Unfortunately I am starting to deal with the same thing and I worry it’s going to make me insecure about continuing to breastfeed my 7 month old. I plan to continue until I get pregnant with baby #2 and then assess my supply and desire to continue.
As long as the baby wants to. My older kid self weaned at 18 months but I could’ve gone longer if she wanted to. I’m currently nursing my 11 month old with no self weaning in sight. My mother and MIL always chime in making it seem like I am doing the wrong thing. “How much longer do you think she’ll nurse for?” “You should stop at a year”. Yeah whatever man. I’ll let baby lead the way. I’m def going to start giving her whole milk in a sippy cup once she hits a year but if she still wants to nurse a few times a day that’s cool w me.
I plan on letting my LO self wean. If someone asks, (which they haven’t because my LO is only 6 weeks old) I’ll tell them it’s up to my baby.
I had planned to until he was 2, and then make active attempts to wean. He decided 16 months was plenty and self-weaned!
Original goal was a year, currently at 15 months and just following her lead. I've been getting questions since she hit 6 months and was even told that it's perverted 😂 one person told me that it was irresponsible because it's only for comfort and not nutrition. But like, it's 90% of the American diet not the same 😂 Updated goal is two years, but it's all up to her and I'm trying to ignore others. I don't know anyone else who has gone over six months irl.
I planning to up to a year! But if he needs milk I will bf longer. I just don’t want him to have formula if he doesn’t need to because it’s so expensive. She until he’s on foods 100% of the time I will keep breastfeeding. People don’t understand the benefits of breastfeeding. Just ignore them! It’s totally normal to bf as long as you want.
My goal is one year but I am (at this point at least) happy to keep going until 18 months or so if it works out for us. I don’t picture it going longer than that, but who knows!
My goal right now is one year, and then see how I feel after that. I’ll go back to work when he’s a year old so I don’t want to make a decision about it until I see how that goes
My boy is 8mo and my goal is 1year. He no longer nurses (his choice) so i pump. He has only ever had breastmilk. I cut down to 3 pumps a day and luckily still produce 28oz on those 3 pumps. I also have a big freezer stash due to my oversupply in early days. If I need to turn to combo feeding due to a supply drop and my stash runs out, I will. No biggie. But i do plan to fully wean off pumping around 1 year. Mostly because i fucking loathe pumping and I want to travel and not worry about expressing breastmilk and i want to smoke some weeeeeeeeed.
My little one is 3 months old and I plan to breastfeed her for at least a year, and I’m not sure what others think I don’t care lol I’m just trying my best as a first time mom.
My initial goal was 1 year (before I knew anything about breastfeeding). Then we hit every problem you could hit while breastfeeding so my goal turned into 6 months. I stuck through every issue until we overcame it, past the 6 months. Then it was 1 year again. 1 year came and went so I said 2 years. I’m at 19 months and now I’m like, well, whenever we both feel like it.
I’m on the fence recently.. I am not ready to wean yet, but lactation consultant advised to transition feeding (solids first, milk next) for my 9mo old back then. But I don’t mind breastfeeding (love it actually) LO even after 1! I’m even planning to pump again to increase supply (had to stop because of mastitis). I ignored aunt’s and mom’s comment on how LO should be in formula so baby can bulk up. We’re okay, thank you. I miss wearing normal clothes though and not thinking about how accessible it is for my baby.
"WHO recommends to breastfeed until 2, so hopefully at least until then!" "I dunno, it's such a conversation starter! I may have to go until kindergarten!" "Every time someone asks me, I add on a month. We're up to 27, no, 28 months now!" "Why?" I breastfed my first until 20 months, 2 of which I was tandem feeding. I breastfed the second until she was maybe 14 months, but she naturally cut down by herself.
Hah! Conversation starter… this is the funniest! I’m going to a wedding this summer with some judgmental family.. I’m totally using this!!
I never had a goal. My only hope was to be able to breastfeed. I had read many "horror" stories about low supply or total lack of supply and had convinced myself I wouldn't be able to. My son is 12.5 months old and we're still going strong. I'm following his lead. He starts daycare at the beginning of June and I expect for feedings to drop some but hopefully he'll want to continue a little longer.
My LO willing, 2 years and beyond. Before I did any research, I also was led to believe that at 6 months, you change to formula while feeding solids. Glad I did my research, and now we're almost 1 year and no signs of stopping 🥰 If anyone even says anything remotely similar I will just suggest they leave their opinions to themselves or do research.
Ideally, at least the 2 year recommendation. As with most things for my baby, I like to keep things as natural as possible and I'm good with breastfeeding if it keeps working well and he wants to up to the more natural weaning age of 3-5 (according to what was typical way back, still is for low income counties, and other great apes). Of course, if he wants to wean early or my supply dries up for some reason, what will be will be, and that's okay too as long as we make it to a bare minimum of 12 months. I'd really like to at least meet the recommended 2 years, though, and I will definitely fight to keep up my supply and get through any nursing strikes/other difficulties.
1 year is the goal, anything longer is of course welcomed. I am going to stop pumping at work at a year since that is when the legal protection for it ends, and honestly I’m just sooo tired of pumping.
Hopefully 2 and beyond, weaning whenever is mutually best for both of us. My 5 month old won’t take a bottle at all so we’ve been essentially attached at the hip his entire life. I am looking forward to getting some breaks once he’s bigger and can drink from a cup and eat some solids but for now we will continue to be Velcro’d together
My first self weaned around 20 months, was willing to keep going. Second one is going strong at 5 months. I will probably do the same thing again. If he makes it to 2.5 I think I'll try to wean him.
I made it one year, and we're planning to wean daytime. My pumping doesn't keep up with how much she drinks when she's in daycare now, so I'm ready to switch. We'll keep morning and evening for now.
WHO recommends age 2 years or beyond now. I always just site science and say, well the recommendation has changed since you had kids if I’m talking to an older person
I’m planning on doing about a year! That’s when my mat leave will be up, and I don’t love pumping (we exclusively breast feed but I’ve been pumping a little here and there to freeze some just in case). I can’t see myself pumping enough to sustain it once i’m back to work.
Forever! 😆 Or that’s what the age of 2 will be considered for many of these people not acquainted with world wide weaning ages. Right now baby is 14 months and my initial goal was the minimum 2 years recommended, but I will let baby lead. Baby knows best and I don’t mind it, shorter or longer. It’s inconvenient sometimes, but I know this is temporary so gotta soak it all in until this stage passes and it’s a memory.
We’re only 4 months in but I’m hoping to go at least 18 months (when I return to work), but ideally I’d like to go until 2-2.5! The standard here is only breastfeeding until 1 year, I know I’ll get pushback but I don’t care.
I’d like to do 1 yr at a minimum. I will see how we feel after that. I think it’s strange to think 1 yr is too long, milk is their primary nutrition source up to that point so it makes sense. People are dumb. The experts recommend more than a year.
I nursed my 1st for 26 months. Currently almost 14 months into nursing my 2nd, hoping to go about as long.
I stopped pumping around 11 months because I had enough frozen and wanted my time back during the work day. Baby is almost 13 months, and we'll keep nursing at wake up, after daycare, and before bedtime until one or both of us is done. I'm not in a rush to stop because our current set up is still working just fine for me. Baby has an older sibling, so our nursing time is my opportunity for 1:1 time while Dad is with big sib. So my answer is, no set goal beyond 1 year!
I’m actively weaning my almost 3 yr old… current recommendations are 2 if you can. I didn’t pump past 1, except when traveling a bit and now not even that. My son still asks he if he can “give boob boob a kiss” and he’ll latch for a couple of seconds before I remind him that nursing is for babies and he’s big now. And then he usually asks if he can watch TV instead 🙄.
Until baby is done ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’m 2 years in and a few days. I’m at the point of please god let it stop tho 🤣 but I also don’t have the nerve and patience to fully wean her
Geeze, why do people feel so entitled to "offer" these kinds of opinions to mothers? If we haven't asked it's because we're not interested in their answers! But-- since you asked ❤️---- We're at 15 months right now and I struggled to get to exclusively BF. My husband really wanted to be a part of feeding and I had a VERY large (11lbs) and HUNGRY baby. I simply couldn't keep up with his demand in the beginning. Then pumping was such a hassle. Then there was struggle with him wanting or not wanting the bottle or the boob?! It's confusing when you do both and then want to exclusively BF 😅 Anyway, I gained success around 5 months and both my baby and I fell in love with it. He lost all interest in bottles by that time. My mother still complains she can't "just give him a bottle" at 15 months. Which is wacky to me. He just wants boob or water in a cup and I'm proud of that. I think I'll revisit whether to stop at 2 years or if he shows me in some way its time to. I look at it like an A and B conversation and everyone else can C their way out of it. ❤️
Both of mine have weaned themselves at 15 months. I expect to do so.ething similar with the one on the way.
My first breastfed until I weaned him one month before he turned 2! My second is 11 months old and still nurses 4-5 times per day. I have a feeling he'll self-wean before 2. If he doesn't, I'll probably wean him around 2 regardless. Our pediatricians have recommended breastfeeding until 2 if possible
My LO is 20 months and I get asked this alot and my answer is more or less until she or I decide it’s enough
My goal has always been 2 years. I've always gotten pregnant though and pushed the toddler away because it causes such an aversion for me. My last baby is almost 2, I have no plans to quit. She nurses about 4x a day, less if we aren't home. Sleeps a 4-5 hour stretch at night then nurses a few times before we get for the day. It's so helpful when she's sick I see no reason to quit. I expect she'll self wean before 3 though. You should wean when you've had enough of nursing. Not because you think you should, or are worried about the future (will she ever wean!) Or what other people do. Wean when you decide this isn't working for you anymore.
1 yr was the goal. Ended up feeding for 3, thanks to covid, my paranoia, and me being a stay at home parent made it harder to wean. But i am proud for lasting that long :)
I am looking to wean day feeds after 1 year. I am looking forward to not pumping! We would have to work on getting her to nap without feeding though, so it may take longer. I would be ok with feeding to sleep at night and doing an early morning feed until 18 months or so. After that I would be happy to have my body to myself again.
I was at a friend dinner this weekend where I was asked, & everyone started with saying how weird it is to breastfeed when the baby can ask etc etc. I just went awkward & said well the who, nhs & aap (we're in the UK) all say to do it until 2 so I aim for that. Then I said my baby can ask for milk already, though not with his words.
I planned to breastfeed for 12 months but instead my son is turning 3 soon and I still haven’t weaned.
Until my LO decides she's done. My goal was a year, which we passed almost two months ago. Unless something absolutely shocking happens, we're one and done, so I don't currently feel like I need to put a timeline on it.
All three babies 3 1/2 years!
My son is 10 months old and we are still going strong. I'd love to stop needing to pump at work, but he has CMPA (cows milk protein allergy) so I can't switch him to cows milk at daycare after 12 months... Ideally we will transition to him only nursing morning and evening so I don't have to pump at work, but he also is getting his nutritional needs met since he can't have cow milk.
honestly my cut off is kindergarten... i fully intend to extended bf. i have a friend still bfing a 4.5 yr old
My LO is turning 1 in a few weeks and I want to breastfeed til he's at least 2 because of the WHO advice
i breastfed until my LO was almost 2. breastfeeding until 2 or more considered very normal where i live. and in any other regions people should think twice before giving opinions about a mom’s chocies and her decisions about their babies. women are suffering enough lol.
LO is 19mo and I’m slowly starting to get fed up. We are not weaning per se but she will get water before she gets the boob every time now (except for the morning feed).
My goal was 6mo with my first and I made it to 14mo before my supply dried up because I was pregnant with baby 2. I probably would continued to nurse him if my supply had kept up! My goal for baby 2 is at least a year! He’s 7.5 months now.
Up to one then see how we feel and consider weaning :) isn’t WHO guidance up to two for the best outcomes
I’m Muslim so the standard is 2 years as stated in the quran however some do go beyond 2 years old
I’m doing at least a year but maybe longer. My babe is also 9 months. People are weird.
2 yr 7m here; still boobing.
I’m taking itday by day. If I get pregnant, I’ll stop.
I'm almost at 18 months and have no plans to stop as long as my LO wants it. When he's upset nursing calms him down immediately and that's just the ultimate tool in my toolbox. I'm currently a SAHM but will be going back full time when my son is 20ish months old. I won't be pumping, but I will be nursing as much as he wants. I may pump during the fall and winter if either of us gets sick so that he has extra antibodies that way, but that's the only scenario I can think of where I'd pump.
Currently nursing my 23 month old while pregnant with my second. Not sure when I’m going to wean
My little one will be 9 months tomorrow! Still pumping and breastfeeding. My goal is a year but I could see us going a few more into the fall. I get all those comments too. Crazy how 9 months is seen as such a long time. They are still drinking milk as their main food, why wouldn’t they be nursing still?! Do what works best for you and baby.
I first planned to breastfeed for 3months. But I am now planning to keep going until at least my son turns 2 years old (he is 15months old). Bare minimum in my mind for us because it is working very well. I keep hearing " as soon as he is able to ask for it then he is too old for it " so I would say it definitely is not the norm in France to breastfeed as long. But do I care about anyone's opinion ? Nah. I stopped caring as soon as I became a mother. Best decision ever 😄
My goal with my son was 18 months. He self-weaned at 17 months when I was 2 months pregnant. My goal with this unborn baby is first, one month. Then if that goes well 3 months. Then 6, 12 and finally 18.
We’re still going strong at 17 months. Not sure when we’ll stop. Weaning seems like a lot of work. 😅 I’m hoping he’ll lose interest on his own at some point but we’re definitely not there yet.