How often does your 18 month old ask to Bfeed? Is this normal?

[RainbowsFriend]

I had a thread on AIBU about bfeeding my toddler in public, and because of some of the responses, I have been talking to the only other person I know IRL who is still Bfeeding her toddler (22 months). Her answers to my questions just got me thinking more....

... is my toddler (18 months) unusual in how much she asks to bfeed? She will ask (quite insistently, but politely, and will only be delayed by minutes by offers of water/food/chocolate) at least every 2 hours or so if I'm around, day and night. If I'm at work she obviously goes without, but milk is the first thing she wants on my return.

My friend says that her toddler stopped asking daytime when she went back to work, and now only feeds on wake up, bedtime, and once during the night.

So how unusual is it to still feed this much? She also drinks water aplenty, and loads of food. She has a very varied diet, and the only thing she wont eat is bread. So...?

[5madthings]

Its a lot but my ds2 was the same. By the time he was 2 he fed much.less, he continued to.bfeed until.he was almost 4yrs old.

[AuntPepita]

Every two hours!? My 18 mo old asks about every two minutes, and that's not much of an exageration!

[RainbowsFriend]

Phew! Thanks ladies :)

[ScariestFairyByFar]

My dd stopped asking during the day when i went back to work and has suddenly started asking more.

[Pozzled]

Hmm I couldn't tell you for sure but it feels pretty constant at times. Like yours, she is fine when I'm at work, and will go for quite a while when we're out and about. But if we're at home and I'm on the sofa for example, she's straight into my lap and asking.

[Skiffen]

My 16 mo asks a lot if I'm about, but manages fine when I'm at work. She asks more if tired or uncertain of her surroundings, less if distracted or happy to go to others ie lots of close family around. I am inconsistently night weaning so we are down to 0-1 feeds at night now.

DD1 was just down to am and pm feeds at this afe and hsd been for while, but I was pg and night weaned her earlier.

[fraktion]

At home DS asks a lot and definitely when I come in from work. Out of sight, out of mind here so it's usually wake-up and bedtime. I got tough on night feeds a couple of months ago.

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

During the week, 16mo DS BFs first thing morning, when we get in from nursery (5ish), bedtime and at least once (usually more!) overnight. On days I'm not working he'll usually have a lunchtime feed too. and an 'ouch that hurt' feed, an 'ooh, I'm not feeling well' feed, an 'I'm tired' feed, etc,etc

[EauRougelyNight]

Both mine are older than 18 mo and ask quite frequently. The 21 mo is teething and ill so every 5 mins at the moment. I hear about these toddlers that only feed in the morning and at night, but my DDs are definitely not like that!

Whereabouts are you in the UK? See if there's an LLL group near you, you'll be sure to meet other mums BF toddlers there.

[midori1999]

My 18 month old also asks about every two minutes while we're at home or if we are somewhere out but sat down and she is feeling anxious/tired. If we go out for the day to say the zoo or the shops she doesn't ask at all.

There's a whole broad range of what is 'normal' and if you're happy with how things are, then you don't need to worry.

[RainbowsFriend]

No LLL near me :( Thanks for all the replies though.... I don't know why I started worrying as she is obviously fine and healthy (if a bit slimmer than most of her now formula fed little friends)

[HoratiaLovesBabyJesus]

DS1 was just like OP's child. He did without when I was absent, and made up for it when I was present.

DS2 can go twelve hours without a feed. He asks if he is bored or hurt or frightened or tired. I SAHM now.