? for those who've BF multiple children

[konayossie]

I am just curious about moms' experiences from baby to baby with regard to weaning/baby's attachment to nursing.

My question stems from the fact that I am the most "extended" nursing mama I know IRL (at all of 18 months ). Most of my close relatives and friends also breastfed. However, all of their babies "weaned themselves" (just using the mamas' words) right at 12 months or slightly before. I am always shocked when I hear this because DS is SOOO attached to nursing still. I can tell that he's no longer dependent on it for food, but he does still get a lot of nourishment from it and definitely uses nursing for comfort/bonding and as a sleep aid.

So I guess my question for those who've had multiple children is whether or not attachment to nursing has varied from baby to baby? Did some of your little ones wean themselves at a young age while others kept it up well into toddlerhood? Did whether your baby was high-needs or not make a difference in how long they wanted to nurse? Just wondering why my experience is so different from the other mamas I know IRL......

[Parker'smommy]

I'm bfing baby #3 who is 7 weeks.

My ds started out with a rough start...didn't even latch for 14 days. Then he fussed at the breast for 3 months. Seriously. But I stuck with it, and he nursed until I weaned him at almost 3 years old when I was 8 months pregnant. He didn't start comfort nursing until he was older though....um....8 months old.

Dd nursed awesome from the start and I weaned her on her 4th birthday. She always comforted nursed and nursed through 2 pregnancies where I lost my milk ( I lost the pregnancies in the 2nd trimester NOT related to her nursing).

DD2 is a big nurser and I fully expect her to nurse for the extended future

I've found that when moms say their kids weaned miraculously "on their own" at a year or earlier it's because mom stopped offering. If you stopped offering that is a mother led weaning technique. I've talked to many moms making this statement and when questioned ( not drilling mom...just conversational) I've also found that baby was eating TONS of solids, mom wasn't offering to nurse at regular intervals or trying to keep babe at the breast and/or baby was getting bottles of formula and/or pumped milk too. It's a rare child to wean ON THEIR OWN before 2 years. If they didn't have any other source of food, besides the "just for fun, supplemental" solids, why would they wean from their main food source. Biologically, it doesn't make much sense, does it?

So, yah, attatchment nursing did vary a little bit, but they both weaned ( and not clw....both would have weaned MUCH later if I had gone the CLW route) at an older age.

[mamadelbosque]

DS1 had major issues latching on for the first, oh, month basicly. After we got it down he was a champ and nursing and nursed till shortly after ds2 was born (so, probably right around 2.5yrs).

DS2 is 14 months now and still nursing lots, though he's definetly cut way back over the last week or two - I'm sure if I wanted to wean, or had it in my head that I was going to wean, it would be very easy to do so, and have it almost seem like he 'weaned himself'. But as I personally love nursing and see no reason to wean, I have every intention of keep offering it and letting him nurse.

[konayossie]

Originally Posted by Parker'smommy

I've found that when moms say their kids weaned miraculously "on their own" at a year or earlier it's because mom stopped offering.

DS2 is 14 months now and still nursing lots, though he's definetly cut way back over the last week or two - I'm sure if I wanted to wean, or had it in my head that I was going to wean, it would be very easy to do so, and have it almost seem like he 'weaned himself'. But as I personally love nursing and see no reason to wean, I have every intention of keep offering it and letting him nurse.

I guess that's probably what's happening--the whole mom stops offering thing. But I think that's what makes it hard for me to understand--I have never experienced needing to offer. DS has always NEEDED to nurse SO much. The only time I was ever "offering it" when he wasn't clearly asking for it through cues was when I was trying to keep him quiet (church) or distracted (doctor) or to go to sleep. I guess that's what I meant by being attached to it. So I guess all aren't as "into it" but what ya'll are saying that most babies will continue nursing if it's offered (which stands to biological reason, I agree).

[dakotablue]

I don't really think I offered after DS was 3 months, he always asks. Occasionally I might I guess as part of nighttime routine but when I don't offer he asks since its what we do.

DS is so so attached I can't imagine how some moms stop, but I guess if I wasn't a SAHM then it might be different, just time wise.

I only have one...still nursing

[Multimomma]

Originally Posted by konayossie

So I guess my question for those who've had multiple children is whether or not attachment to nursing has varied from baby to baby? Did some of your little ones wean themselves at a young age while others kept it up well into toddlerhood? Did whether your baby was high-needs or not make a difference in how long they wanted to nurse? Just wondering why my experience is so different from the other mamas I know IRL......

I've nursed eight and I can assure it that it is extremely varied based on child's temperament. My very independent daughter really did not want to nurse after 12 months, but my snuggly son nursed until 22 months (and stopped because he was not wanting to share with the new baby. My current youngest nursed halfway through this pregnancy, but quit at about 16 months old.
I'm guessing he gets enough nurturing without the boob

[Marissamom]

I only have one so far, and she hasn't weened yet, but there have been a few times that it would have been very easy to ween and convince myself that it was because she was ready. since she's pretty much night-weaned, days I work she'll nurse only twice, and doesn't have a bottle while I'm gone anymore. days I'm home she'll nurse up to 8 times, but sometimes it's only for like a minute. It's easy to tell she's either nursing for comfort or because she's board. There have been some days when she doesn't ask to nurse before bed, so if I didn't offer she would have only nursed when she woke up. I don't think it's because she's not attached to nursing, to me she seems quite attached. She just is a busy girl sometimes.