[Sunnycat]

I think my breastfeeding journey with DS is about to end. We are down to one feed during the day before his nap and one feed at night before bed. Sometimes he doesnt have boob for his day nap though. He was a complete boobaholic so I never thought this day would come.

I don't actually think I have any milk at the moment and he doesn't suckle for long, just latches on and then falls asleep.

I have found being pregnant and breastfeeding mostly painful but it has improved over the last few weeks.

I was talking to a couple of mums, one who has a boy who is a month older than mine and she said she will be "devastated" when her son weans and at the moment she loves the fact that his main source of food is still breastmilk (he is 17 months).

Another mum said she felt sad but wasn't heartbroken when her 19 month old weaned.

If you had asked me a few months ago I would have said "I can't ****ing wait to finish breastfeeding" because DS was latched on all night, waking 2 hourly, needed to be fed to sleep and still feeding ten million times a day and night, plus the pain meant I was completely fed up.

Now that his sleep has improved and we aren't feeding much, I wonder if I should just wean him completely as I probably could get him to sleep without boob. I'm not devastated that our journey is ending but I there is something holding me back from weaning. I'm not sure what.

How did you feel when your breastfeeding journey ended? How old was your baby/toddler?

[RunDMC]

I loved our breastfeeding journey, however I opened an expensive bottle of champagne when it ended at 14 months. We did not pre plan it, we had reduced to the bedtime feed as I went back to work at 11 months and one night we just read stories instead and sort of forgot. Like a natural end.
Did drink a lot of wine the week after

[Roobear]

DD is 25 months and is on one feed a day. At Christmas time she was demanding to be fed all the time and I was absolutely driving me insane. I had to start weaning her through the day otherwise it was tantrum after tantrum plus I had the idea in my head that I would like to wean her around 2. I then cut her morning feed which was a lot easier in comparison. I am still hanging on to this last feed as much as her I think! I do plan to cut out her night feed by the middle of the year. I feel sad about weaning her, rather like the feeling when I think of her going to school or something like that. It is more to do with the realisation she is growing up and no longer a baby.

[swirlygirl]

My son recently weaned himself at just a smidge over 21 months. He had been down to a feed before bed and a morning feed for a few months, then fairly abruptly stopped his night feed and had only a morning feed for a couple of months, and then abruptly stopped his morning feed and hasn't looked back.

I had some mixed emotions, but overall it was a positive experience. We had a very tough start to breastfeeding and I worked damned hard and had a lot of great support to establish it. I had very much wanted to make it to two years as per the WHO guidelines, so felt a little disappointed, but used the time when he was dropping feeds to 'prepare' myself that we would likely not be getting to the two year mark. (I generally don't deal well with not meeting goals I set for myself- parenting has been a challenge haha!) I think some bum advice I received from a baby clinic nurse when he started solids may have had a flow on effect which resulted in the weaning prior to tow years, and I made my peace with the idea that I did the best I could with the info I had at the time.

My overwhelming feeling though, is being pleased that he had stopped in his own time, when it must have felt right for him. Now that he's done, I'm also noticing a small but distinct change in feeling like my body is just mine again- no worrying about what I'm eating or drinking or putting on my skin etc. And also enjoying a little less physical drain, as I think even when it was only once a day it still put another demand on my energy levels, although small.

I hope that helps. Congrats on feeding this far

[SeaPrincess]

I struggled to BF my first baby and I was sad to stop at 5 months, but it was definitely the right decision. I weaned #2 at 11 months so that I could have a minor operation, which didn't end up happening then because I found out I was pregnant with #3 just beforehand. I BF #3 to 17 months. By that stage, it was a morning feed and an evening feed, and one day when she fussed over the morning feed, I just thought that I'd had enough. At that point, I'd been pregnant and/or breast feeding for over 3.5 years and I was ready. I gave her one more short feed about 3 days later (for my benefit, not hers) and that was it.

[bye]

.

This post has been edited by bye: 29/03/2013, 02:16 PM

[howdo]

I didn't care either way - with all three. It was a non event really.

[WinterIsComing]

DS is 12 months and I can't see myself weaning any time soon. Just today he came down with a bit of a cold/flu and I was so thankful I was still breastfeeding! Or yesterday, when he crawled under the dining table and then abruptly stood up, slamming his head into the tabletop, I put him on the boob before we had a chance to start screaming, and no tears! It's just such a magic cure-all.

And to be honest, I love how he snuggles into me, all curled in, still such a baby. I know I will miss these quiet, snuggly times! He never stops otherwise.

[meggs1]

My son is dropping his last feed (bedtime). Refused it about a week ago, and fell asleep easily. Wanted it again for 5 nights, said no last night, cried for an hour (despite cuddling, patting etc) then asked for it and fell asleep, refused tonight, cried but finally settled with patting. I'm happy/sad for the usual reasons, but also really upset that we are back to crying at bedtime. It does my head in.

[livvie7586]

i rejoiced!

DS fed until i was 6 months pregnant, and then DD fed until 17-ish months, so i spent a good 4.5 years being either pregnant, breastfeeding or a combo of both, and i was ready to have my body back