if your kid nursed 6+ times a day at 2, when did they wean?

[readytobedone]

or if they nursed 6+ times a day at another age (2.5, 3, whatever), when did they wean?

i don't know if there's any correlation between # of nursings at a certain age and age of weaning, but i'm curious. (like how long kids usually have 2 nursings a day, or whatever.)

DD nurses generally 6+ times a day (including overnight), as you might have guessed!

i'm kind of figuring she won't wean until at least 3 or 4--unless it's due to pregnancy (i am not currently pg, but i might be in the next year or so).

[alegna]

At 2 dd nursed 12-20 times a day. She's 4.5yrs and still nursing.

-Angela

[TiredX2]

DD "officially" weaned at 4 years, 2 months. She tried occasionally for another 14 months. DS weaned at 5 years, 8 months. Oddly enough, the last time they each nursed (or tried) was in May.

When did they go down to 6 times a day?

Hmmm, I would guess in the 3+ range for DD (she had been down that far during my pg with DS, but then she bumped back up again). Definatley by 3.5 years. Sometime before she turned 2 I decided I would count how many times she nursed in a day. I got to 22 and gave up.

DS was definately 4+ before he went down to only 6 times daily. He actually nursed less than DD at 2 years (still at least every 1-2 hours day and night) but he continued that rate for much longer (imo, that is because of the limits I placed on DD while pg with DS).

[IsaFrench]

I think my second child was nursing 4 times a day for a long long time and self-weaned at 2.5

for my third, I was devastated when she dropped from 4 times a day to twice a day at about 16 months old just after we moved countries with total lifestyle changes & thought she would self wean soon (= before 2 years of age & when I would be ready); she's been BFing twice a day for more than 7 months now & uped the numbers drastically when she had her first ear infection & a molar out and then again the same 2 weeks later. we are back at twice a day only. I'm so glad we are likely to make it to age two .....

[MommaShark]

well, now down to 2 times for a few min at 3 years and 4 months...

[pinky]

My older dd was down to twice a day by the time she was 2.5 and nursed until she was 5.5.

My younger dd now nurses morning, bedtime plus 1-2 times at night; she's 4.5.

I think it's hard to predict when a child will really be *done* based on any current nursing pattern.

[KBinSATX]

I have no idea! DS will be 3 next months (his sister is 6 months old and he nursed through pregnancy even when the 'ninnies were all gone!' )

[nannymom]

My dd nursed every hour at that age. I used to joke that she nursed more than any child ever in thr history of man. Then one morning she nursed for like ann hour and then never asked again. Seriously just like that and it was at 2 years and seven months.

[readytobedone]

Originally Posted by pinky

My older dd was down to twice a day by the time she was 2.5 and nursed until she was 5.5.

My younger dd now nurses morning, bedtime plus 1-2 times at night; she's 4.5.

I think it's hard to predict when a child will really be *done* based on any current nursing pattern.

interesting!

well, DD nurses at LEAST 6 times in a 24 hour period. but uh, since last night she has already nursed 5 times. so maybe it's more like 10 these days. i don't know--i don't really count. but she is in daycare 3x/week which kind of makes it hard to say what the general pattern is anyhow.

[earthmama369]

DD was nursing quite often at that age. 6-8 times a day, if I recall correctly. She self-weaned the day before her 4th birthday, although she's tried again a couple times since then. She really has completely forgotten how to latch though. I didn't expect that to happen so quickly, given how avid a nurser she always was.

[greenmansions]

My DD was probably nursing around 6 times in 24 hours at age 2. Now at 3 yrs, 2 mos she is down to just at bedtime, and has been for close to 6 months. After she turned 2, I suggested cutting back, and she did not resist or fuss much. The few times that she did, I let her nurse. It took several months to get down to just bedtime. For awhile, it was bedtime, naptime and first thing in the morning. Dropping morning was initiated by her. It has gone smoothly, but I have been done with nursing for a long time and wish she'd get on with dropping the bedtime one.

[bbsc]

My son has slowed down on nursing since he started preschool in September. He had been nursing many times per day, at least 6. He's 4.5 now and down to nursing 2 or 3 times a day. On some days he forgets to nurse.

[MelMel]

Originally Posted by nannymom

My dd nursed every hour at that age. I used to joke that she nursed more than any child ever in thr history of man. Then one morning she nursed for like ann hour and then never asked again. Seriously just like that and it was at 2 years and seven months.

that was exactly my experience, with both my children. They nursed from birth till about 2- 2 1/2 every hour and a half or two hours....they never let up, neither one of them. (I have 2) then they just stopped. at about the same age, 2.3 or 2.4.

[peachopotamus]

I wonder the same thing.
DD, 3, nurses at least three times a day. When she was two she would nurse during the the night, in the morning, at nap time and in the idle of nap time then after nap time, then she would nurse to sleep. If she ever got hurt or sad she would want to nurse then, too. During and because of my pregnancies her nursing had to be cut down but they didn't go easily. Recently, we've moved and because of that change in her life I think her nursing are more than I think they might be. I don't see her weaning anytime soon. I could get her down to two times a day but I think she would level until ???

[jocelyndale]

You're having second-thoughts about moving into the dorms with our kids, aren't you? I promise I'll be a good roommate. The hard part will be insisting that S & R go to the same university.

[ramama]

DD2 is 3 and still nursing 6+ times a day (probably closer to 10 or 12 but the nursing sessions are getting much shorter)

DD1 nursed 6+ times a day until she self-weaned rather suddenly at 3 1/4. She never did the nursing 2x a day, or nursing once every few days. There was a slight period of tapering off (maybe a few days) that lead up to weaning, but not the prolonged period that a lot of toddlers/preschoolers seem to go through.

That said, DD2 was never much of a nurser. She did it for nutrition, but wasn't really "into" it, if that makes sense. I thought for sure that she would be the kid to self-wean between 1 and 2 years, but no, she's still going strong. I don' think there's a good way to predict, but it is interesting to hear other mama's stories!

[RaisingThemLeft]

Sam is 4.5 and nurses several times a day. He nursed upwards of 6x a day when he was 2. He also nursed multiple times in the night, which he no longer does, but I did nightwean him at some point. My memory is quite foggy on when since I was so sleep deprived at the time Maybe 2.5? He likes to ask to nurse every time he sees me sitting, but at this point I tell him not now or distract him because I really would rather not nurse in front of people anymore. I don't have any plans to wean him but I have cut him back to 3 or so times per day. My oldest, who is now 8, nursed 20 times a day at age 3. He kept this up until age 3.5 when I weaned him. I was actually tandem nursing so I was nursing 2 kids 20 times a day, one on each side. My kids just love to nurse!

[readytobedone]

Originally Posted by jocelyndale

You're having second-thoughts about moving into the dorms with our kids, aren't you? I promise I'll be a good roommate. The hard part will be insisting that S & R go to the same university.

ha!

not really. just curious what the patterns are. i'm happy to nurse her till she's old, but i'm not going to do the manatee thing

[Evergreen]

My older daughter nursed constantly at 2 years. she weaned a month before turning three. It wasn't totally child-led because I had surgery and was bandaged for a few days however I was responsive to allowing her to nurse after I healed she just never wanted to which leads me to beleive she was completely ready.

[artgoddess]

My son nursed a lot more than 6 times a day at 2 years old. Te was still going strong when I was pregnant and he was three. Then suddenly dropped down to once or twice a day at the end of my pregnancy. he still nursed infrequently up until he was 4.5 (his sister was born when he was 3 years 9 months)