How quickly do they forget how to latch?

[mia_leacey]

Ok so I've been feeling very conflicted about the whole when to stop bf for a few months now.

For various reasons I decided to go with a very gentle version of don't offer, don't refuse in that generally speaking I'd wait for LO to ask for mummy milk but if I saw him really needing it, eg if he was really upset, I'd still offer. We've been doing that for 6 weeks or so and some days he'd feed 2/3 times, some days he wouldn't feed at all. I'd say on average we were down to a feed every other day.

Last Thursday 6 days ago was the last time he had a bf and I thought perhaps we were done. But tonight he asked. I fed him but he just didn't seem able to latch. There's milk as I can squeeze some out, but LO just sucked with an incredibly shallow latch, as if my nipple were a straw. He gave up pretty quickly lol.

Has he forgotten how to latch? Is that us done now?

 

[CatherineK]

He may have be trying to suck without getting milk on purpose? My older nursers have done that. Or he may have decided that's not what he wants after all. He's probably as confused as you

 

[mia_leacey]

He latched properly this morning but only sucked for a few seconds each side. I asked him if he wanted any more but he said no. Confused is right. Just trying to do my best by all of us. It's very difficult.