How often does your older toddler/child nurse?

This is such a personal decision. As long as *you're* comfortable and she's happy, it sounds like it's the perfect amount.

I have a nearly 4 year old DD. I got pregnant in November of 2003, and she was still nursing 2-4 times a night and at least 10 times a day. I nightweaned her a couple of months into the pregnancy cause I just couldn't take it anymore, but she continued to nurse on request during the day, and occasionally I offered. She continued nursing that frequently all through my pregnancy (despite diminished supply), and actually nursed a bit more frequently after our son was born. But, over the last 6 months, she's slowed down dramatically. I ended up limiting her daytime nursings to the count of 10 or less, she could choose the numbers, and would let her nurse at bedtime for about 5 minutes. Sometime along the way, she just stopped asking to nurse during the day. I don't know when that happened, or how it happened, it just happened so gradually I didn't notice. And, then, she decided that she didn't want me to count when she nursed during the day (which she really didn't do anyway) but she DID want me to count at bedtime, so she started nursing to a number less than 10 at bedtime. That's gone on for a month or two now, maybe more. And, then, we changed her bedtime routine a couple of weeks ago, and she started forgetting to ask at bedtime. First it was once, and now it's been four nights since she asked. I doubt she's weaned, but she's close, I guess.

I mostly believe in child led weaning, although, mama has a little bit of say, too. I'm totally okay with my children nursing well past the age that is considered comfortable for most people, but there are limits to my availability. For me, that's just a matter of respect for my body and my space, and teaching her that is just as important for her as it is for me to have that. If she were to get injured and want to nurse during the day, I would never deny her. But, I'm also okay with her weaning now. And, a year ago, I wasn't. So, it's been a process for me, as well.

Hope that helps!

Wow, it is great to read how different it is for each child.

For my DS:
birth to 26 months: nursing was usually around every hour to hour and a half, maximum time between nursing was 2 hours and there was no such thing as minimum
at 26 months: he lengthened one of the nighttime cycles to 4 hours fairly regularly
sometime early in his threes: he usually had two four hour intervals at night inbetween nursing and started to have one four hour interval during the day
~3 3/4: he started sleeping for 8 hours inbetween nursing at night
early 4: usual pattern is to nurse before and after sleep for nap and night. sometimes he asks for more during the day and occassionally at night. sometimes he doesn't nap and some of those days he does not nurse during the day

he usually likes to nurse for a long time upon awakening: minimum 1/2 hour and up to one hour

My little girl is 25 mos. Our lives might be a little different because I WOH full time. On work days, she nurses first thing in the morning, when I get home and at bedtime everyday without fail. Until about 3 weeks ago she was nursing 1-3 times overnight as well. Now, she is suddenly sleeping through almost every night, occasionally getting up in the early morning, like 4 am, to nurse again. On non-work days, she usually also nurses at nap, and usually in the afternoon, then after supper, and again at bedtime. Sometimes she'll nurse more than that, depends what we are doing. So the range is probably 3-6 times in 24 hours depending on our day. The night weaning was not intentional - she just suddenly started sleeping. She still sleeps in her crib pulled against my side of the bed, so she still has access, but she's sleeping there happily. I'm not too sure the night weaning is permanent yet either as it's only been a couple weeks - maybe next week she'll be back to getting up!