How long did you breastfeed your baby?

Question

My son is 6 months and I keep getting, 'when are you gonna get that baby off the breast?' from EVERYONE I know. He is only breastfed, should i be weaning him now or just continue until i feel is best?

Answer 1

I breastfed for 2 years and highly recommend it!

Don't listen to the 'weaners' out there . . . they all disagree with one another anyways.

Answer 2

My daughter is 12 weeks, and we're going strong. I have to return to work tomorrow, but I've already arranged with my boss to keep pumping. She's starting cereals now, but I intend to provide breast milk for at least the first 12 months. I think you'll know when it's the right time for the two of you.

Answer 3

Babies need breastmilk or formula for a minimum of 12 months.  

The AAP recommends "...as long as mutually desirable..." beyond that.  The WHO recommends a minimum of 24 months and are progressing towards a 36 month stance due to physical, anthropological and psychological research.

It is perfectly natural to breastfeeding for up to 3 years or more!!  People in other countries (developed and third world) all understand the benefits of this.  We happen to live in a country that has spent nearly a century denaturalizing and sexualizing women's bodies and that has led to many people feeling that it is 'perverse' to breastfeed.

When receiving negative feedback, you have to understand a bit about history.  Before our mothers' time breastfeeding (and other practices such as cosleeping, cloth diapering) were the norm.  After the Industrial Revolution SO MUCH about the American lifestyle changed.  Women began working on top of raising children.  Businesses learned of practices that would market their products on a wider scale.  Our mothers and grandmothers had a need for convenience and reassurance for leaving their children at home while they earned an income.  Thus came formula, disposable diapers and the cry it out method...  

We are realizing that while we grew up fine on formula, it is best for future generations to understand what a benefit breastmilk provides.  We are just now seeing how much our Western society has steered away from what is absolutely natural to us in order to capitalize and grow our businesses and 'standard of living'.  Agencies and organisations the world over are conducting research and making attempts at helping us make the best decisions for our children with the knowledge we now have.

Just explain to them:  It feels right to me, my baby needs it and doctors require breastmilk for at least 12 months.  I have found that once I tell family and friends what I've learned, they are amazed at how much thought I have put into the decision and how beneficial it is.  Most of the time our parents and friends do not know what the latest research and recommendations are and once they find out they tend to understand.

Towards the 12 month mark you can decide whether or not you and your baby are comfortable breastfeeding longer.  Oh - and don't worry about becoming one of 'those' mothers.  Because of the research and recommendations, many many women are breastfeeding toddlers these days.  If you end up nursing a toddler and someone says something to you just think to yourself "You're giving your child milk from another animal's teat and I'M the one who's messed up?"

Answer 4

i breastfeed my boy who is 2 now for 24months i would of gone for longer but my sister helped me wean him it's up to you when you feel you are ready it was really hard for me because we had a strong bond but you get through it and at 6 months you can introduce solids now you still can breastfeed they recommend you to feed past 2years old but i think that's to long i personally think people need to but out i had the same problem with people saying things to me about stopping breastfeeding i just ignored it good luck hope for the best

Answer 5

You should breastfeed him for as long as you feel comfortable doing so.

My first daughter breastfed for 8 months but unfortunately I wasn't making much milk anymore and reluctantly switched to formula.  :/

My 2nd daughter is still nursing now at 11 months.

Answer 6

Continue to breastfeed as long as you and your child want. There is no "set" age that you must wean. My son is 25 months old, and still nurses on occasion. I will stop when we are ready, and so should you.

Answer 7

Continue to breastfeed as long as you and baby mutually desire. The AAP recommends at least 1 year, the WHO, UNICEF, etc. at least 2, and all agree that it is healthy, natural, and beneficial to breastfeed for 3 years and beyond.

I breastfed my first for only 6 months, weaning out of my own ignorance. I am currently breastfeeding my 22 month old and will continue until he decides to stop on his own.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/eb...

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.ht...

Answer 8

Keep nursing until you two are ready to stop. There's tons of benefits fro breastfeeding, the longer you do it, the better.

My son is 7mo & he is still breastfed =]

God Bless

Answer 9

Ignore everyone except your doctor.  Breastfeeding until you are both (baby and mom) are ready to quit is the 'right length'. You should wean when you want to...it's a personal choice.  My daughter (first child) was breastfed or pumped fed until she was one year.  My son has not been breastfed at all due to medications I am taking.

Answer 10

oh my god 6 months is way to young to start weaning. your son is still a baby. i breastfed my daughter untill she was 22 months old.and it was her choice to stop not mine. my second baby is now 3 months old and i plan on letting him nurse untill about 2 also.

Answer 11

My oldest son was breastfed for 17 months. My second still breastfeeds sometimes and he will be two in Dec. He would nurse more but I'm 5 months about pregnant and recently stopped lactating.

Answer 12

It's been a while, but I never put a 'time limit' on how long my children breastfed.  I introduced them to 'first foods' at about 6 months or so, but I continued to let them nurse up until about a year.  By that time, they seemed to wean themselves anyway.  Don't let anyone pressure you.  Babies need mother's milk.  If you are working, I can see where it's a bit more inconvenient, but if you are a homemaker, take your time and enjoy the bonding with your baby!  

Answer 13

i breastfed my 2 oldest daughters until they were ready to sip out of a sippy cup... (about 10 months) and my youngest is 6 months also and i plan to do the same.. i know some kids who are walking and still breastfed!! so dont worry continue breastfeeding until you are ready to stop.  

Answer 14

Don't wean him unless you or he is ready to stop.  I know it's annoying when people start hassling you about it, but you're doing your son a big favor if you keep going for at least a year.

My son is 13.5 months old and still breastfeeding, and I plan to let him wean himself.  Children usually self-wean between 2-3 years old, and by that age they are nursing pretty infrequently anyway.

Answer 15

Only You and your Baby can decide when it is best to stop breastfeeding.... that is all a baby really needs till about sixmonths old then you can add food if you want to... Breastmilk is a babys best advantage till at least a year old cause it is specially formulated for him no matter what. it helps build his immune system and everything. it is the natural and best way to feed him.........think you don't see other animals drinking other animals milk, i swear we are the only ones who do it.

My baby is 8 months old and i stopped breastfeeding at 4 months cause i started working again when he was two months and my electric pump lost suction and wouldnt work so i gradually lost milk till it was too late to bring it back... i couldnt' manually pump i was just not good at it no matter how hard i tried... then i couldn't supply enough milk for him so he would get mad while eating i had no choice but to give him the bottle at four months otherwise i would have waited till six months or so

Answer 16

You need to continue until you are ready to wean.

You can wean him off by...

Pumping and feeding him breast milk only in the mornings and introducing regular formula in the evenings.  Most baby's go thru some unrest during this time... hey your taking away the only food they've known for  6 months.

My son used to cry thru the night on the breastmilk at 6 months so I began to wean him off.  Come to find out he needed the formula as it was thicker and kept his belly full so he could sleep.  FYI... most babies will keep on breastfeeding until you wean them off.  Ever see a 2 year old breastfeeding at the mall? LOL  I think folks are scard you will become one of those mothers.

God Bless

Answer 17

I am still nursing my 13 month old, so I would say continue nursing your baby until you both decide you no longer wish to continue.  It's a decision that should be made by YOU and YOUR BABY, not by people who think a 6 month old should be taken off the breast, that's crazy!  b*****s are made for nursing babies and your breastmilk should make up most of your babies food source up until 1 year of age.  Here are some useful links:

"When do children naturally wean?"

http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpweani...

"Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet"

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/eb...

"Do babies under 12 months self-wean?"

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/babys...

Answer 18

from my experience you should be taking him off the breast now....

Answer 19

breastfeed until you feel it is time to wean. if you are looking for a definite date, then just wait until he is a year old and can drink cow's milk. (this can be your response to them, "when he is old enough to have cows milk") i don't see why you would want to start giving him formula if breasfeeding is going so well for you. my advice: don't rush. this is such a special time and you should enjoy every minute of it.