When to stop breastfeeding

[desert_fox 32]

I havn't stopped yet. But normally when your son reaches 35 and your daughter about 2

[natty bumppo 297]

And why show it on youtube at all? Just do a search for breastfeeding in youtube and you'll see tons of mothers doing it on a webcam!!! I don't get the need for that.

I never breastfed my two daughters because my husband at the time was against it but God willing if I have another child I do want to if only to give them a good immune system. My kids were sick all the time. I think I'd cut it off once I went back to work at around 3 months though.

I never breast-fed my son because I was going back to work soon after his birth. It just seemed common sense to not start something that was going to be difficult to maintain.

.....

Which gets back to the original topic - when to stop? When the baby is ready, or if they can't break away naturally, then when they can 'name it'.

And cover that thing up. It's still your breast you know?

And your expertise comes from experience with breast feeding ....

Edited December 24, 2007 by Natty Bumppo

[shannon65 2]

I don't want to say should at any of the particular ages given, because if someone wants to breastfeed for 3 months or 6 months or stop at 1 year or 2... or never do it... that's their choice. Of course 8 years old is just ridiculous. I did nurse for 2 -1/2 years. Not in public (at that age). Nursing a toddler is not the same as nursing a baby. A baby gets most or all of their nourishment from it. For a toddler it's a supplement or for comfort, maybe just once a day or so.. like at bedtime. And yes at that age they do have a name for it. I know a Korean 2-year-old who calls it "juju."

[Ahmed N Cheryl 0]

Well my opinion as a Nurse is that when the normal child should be weaned from the bottle is a good time to stop breast feeding. I chose 2 years old maximum. I breast feed for six months. But once the child can drink from a cup even if you want to continue breast milk do so from cup. 8 years old is way to long the child is in second grade by then. Anyway, just my opinion.

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

Breast feeding doesn't really appeal to me personally... perhaps all the horror stories from my sister when she had infections and cracked nipples! But my view would be that it's probably a good idea to start to tail off the breast feeding when the little one starts to walk if not before. I really don't think it's a good idea to keep it up and still be feeding them when they are old enough for school - there are other ways of offering comfort - but I wouldn't condemn someone for doing it either.

[Kajikit 65]

I saw a video once on youtube showing a mother breastfeeding her 8 year old daughter and I wondered what age everyone here thinks that breastfeeding should stop?

When the kid's old enough to either a) ask for it in intelligable words, and/or B) go to the fridge and pull out a sippy cup! I don't have kids, but I'd think about 18 months would be quite late enough to stop breastfeeding...

[JenT 0]

There's no perfect age. I nursed both of my daughters. My oldest stopped herself at 9 mos. She was not interested anymore. I was devastated. We had her iron level checked and she went straight to drinking whole milk from a cup. My youngest, on the other hand, nursed for 16 months. I cut her off. I wanted my body back. She was mainly using me as a pacifier at bedtime those last few months anyway...

Jen

[Amby 490]

I have a cousin who breastfed her child until he was 3 at the same time she was breastfeeding her newborn. I won't breastfeed because I have nice nipples and don't want them to change. I know I'm selfish

[nin 1]

I feel that nursing is natural, and I believe in not feeding other things until the baby shows an interest in what other family members are eating and starts putting things in their own mouth.

As long as both child and mother are comfortable with it I wish I could say that I don't really see a problem. I do think that I would boggle a little at a 5 year old still nursing, in a sense of "mom not wanting to cut the umbilical cord?" but I really try not to judge.

Mine have weaned on their own slowly but steadily. The first stopped at 12 months, 2nd at 13 and third at 16.

My husband was never breastfed, I think he's trying to make up for it now as he clearly suffers from a severe case of ####### obsession.

And as to breast feeding ruining "pretty nipples" *lmfao* That comment goes into the same category as 36 week C section combined with lipo to not ruin that fab body

[Amby 490]

lol I said I'm selfish didn't I? But I wouldn't c-section and tummy tuck at once

[Fandango 1,439]

When the kid can chew steak, it's prolly a good idea to stop.

[Fandango 1,439]

There was a kinda heated topic about this back in the day. Seemed a lot of pro-breastfeeding woman decided to join for a day on that topic. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=24020

I do think it's freaky when a child has a name for their mothers #######. A friend of mine had a almost 3 year old and he had a name for her #######! He called it "nee nee" or something like that. He'd start digging up my friends shirt looking for what he wanted.

bitty!

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Personally, I find nipples that have been used for their intended purpose to be far very beautiful!

...I won't breastfeed because I have nice nipples and don't want them to change. I know I'm selfish