Older babies/ toddler feeding frequency

[babyjo]

So as I near the 1 year mark ( I never thought I'd see the day in the early days) my LO, who was down to 2/3 BFs per day, all of a sudden has gone BOOBIE MAAAAD and is demanding to be fed like a newborn the week before I start back at work!!!!!! Eeeeeeeek! He now asks for his "baba" and pulls at my shirt allllllll day long! Has this happened to anyone else around this age? I really thought he was ready to wean off bf totally soon! The timing of this is so bad! I'm now worried how he will cope next week without access to his "baba". How frequently does your older baby/ toddler feed? What happens when you're not around/ at work? ( my LO will not take a bottle etc)

Also I've been getting comments such as "oh! You're still feeding him! How old is he? I know someone who fed their 3 year old!" almost everytime I feed in public now! Do you still feed them in public?

 

[MommyJogger]

I feel like this is my guess for everything, but... molars, molars, molars. Mine had just started spacing his feeds out from 1.5-2h to 4-5h and then molars happened and he became my velcro baby again until the last molar cut most of the way through. He feeds a lot less frequently when I'm not around. I visit him at daycare to nurse and nowadays he barely takes anything before climbing down and going to play, but if we're at home he's all about milk, milk, milk. It might be wise to send a couple ~2oz sippy cups of milk with him when he starts care if you're able to pump a little. Most kids don't wean themselves until 2.5 at the very, very earliest and starting daycare (or even just separation from mom if a spouse or grandparent is caring for him while you're at work) is a major change in their lives. It might make the adjustment easier if you don't have the additional stressor of removing a major source of comfort (and antibodies (!) with the winter season approaching) at the same time by weaning him.
I still nurse in public frequently. Honestly, an 18mo old can still pass as a 12mo old and a 24mo old can still pass as an 18mo old to strangers. If for some reason I don't feel like having the conversation about full-term nursing, I just lie and say DS is several months younger than he actually is if asked. If it's people I know, they're mostly just genuinely intrigued by the curiosity of nursing a toddler-- if you act natural and project normality and comfortability in what you're doing, it's a cinch.

 

[babyjo]

Oh no!!!! I think you may be right about molars! Argh! His teeth take so long to come through! I thought he'd have a long break before he was teething again!

I hate hate hate expressing but will when he starts nursery and see if he will take it from a sippy cup. I admire express feeding mums!

Yep I suspect my boobie monster will carry on breastfeeding for a loooong time now!

I love the idea of saying he is younger than he is!

I never thought toddlers/ older babies could feed so often but with illness, teething etc it could be a great source of comfort!

 

[LegoHouse]

My son is feeding like a newborn. My OH wants me to stop feeding him next week. I think I'm kind-of on board... but I think he will be traumatised lol

 

[Zephram]

I'm almost at the year mark too and my LO is doing the same kind of thing. He pulls my top down at random intervals as though he wants boob, but weirdly enough I think he's just having a look at them! Haha. if he pulls my top down at a random non feed time and I offer him the boob, he will latch for about two seconds and then crawl off.

Do you think your LO might just be curious and want a peek too? I dunno, maybe they are just checking they're still there?

I have no idea how many feeds a day they should really have at this age though...