breastfeeding at 13 months

[sewing_mama]

So we made it past one year of breastfeeding and I'm so happy, as we had many problems early on but I was determined to carry on!

Now that my daughter is 13 months and eats plenty of solids, I thought she'd be feeding less... My mum mentioned that she could drop down to just a bedtime feed at this age. However at the moment she feeds 3 times day, at bedtime and whenever she wakes in the night (we co sleep). She is fed to sleep so I am happy to keep the bedtime, nap time and night feeds, but possibly drop the other day time feeds. I never offer at those times, she pulls on my top & whines!

Just wondering what other bf babies this age are like & how you encourage them to drop feeds gently? I've tried offering cows milk in her cup but she's not keen. Any experiences appreciated!

 

[Elmo5]

My eldest was still feeding about six times a day at two years old, but quickly diminished to the bedtime feed once I got pregnant.

 

[Aliop]

My 14 month old feeds religiously upon waking around 7/7.30am and from then on may feed once, twice or a dozen times through the day! He now asks for 'boo' when he wants it but if he is happily playing he doesn't seem to want it. He always has a feed after his day sleep but just tonight for the first time had a two second suck before bed and then wasn't interested whereas he normally asks for 'boo' at 6.30ish before bed at 7 (he doesn't feed overnight as he sleeps through in his own cot now).

We just sort of play it by ear and if he asks I feed him or ask if he wants lunch etc if it's close to lunch time. With my older two I actively tried to wean by distracting them when they asked but that wasn't until nearly two.

 

[Celesse]

I think DS was nursing around 4 times a day at that age, plus co-sleeping nursing at night.

Now at 25 months he always nurses first thing in the morning and has at least one other nursing session during the day. I think if there was actually milk in the boobs he'd probably want to nurse a whole lot more. He has however dropped his night time feed in favour of going to his cot.

 

[Bevziibubble]

At 13 months my LO was still nursing many times a day and night. I never encouraged her to drop feeds, but if she was distracted then she could go quite a while without one

 

[sewing_mama]

Thanks everyone! So it sounds like it's a normal amount for her to be feeding at this age which is good to know. I'd be happy to feed her until she's 2 if she still wants to, and I hope to try to conceive again around that time, so perhaps I should just go with the flow until then. A few people around me have been suggesting that I start to drop feeds but baby girl seems happy to carry on so I'll go with her... But maybe try offering lunch and snacks instead sometimes too.

 

[kitabird]

Felix is the same age and nurses 3 times a day. He usually wakes around 4 or 5am for a feed, then has another around 6:30 and then the last one before bed. He loves his water and snacks so is happy without milk during the day. He won't take cows milk either.

 

[armywife11]

At 13 months my daughter was nursing two to three times, and almost always at night. When she was sick she would nurse a bit more. Now she is 16 months and still nursing twice at night but I think we are going to drop it down to one as she seems accepting of it.