Feeding into the 2nd year - do feeds get fewer?

[Straffles]

My LO is currently 11MO and I would like to continue breastfeeding at least until he's 2 years old.

However, atm he feeds 5 times daily plus night feeds (teething and 2-1 mayhem means I'm feeding him at any longer NWs. Prop? yes indeed!).

It's just that with 5 feeds a day, I'm pretty much always tied to him; can't leave him, can't work, can't take time for myself etc. And with his terrible teething atm, he's demanding extra feeds all the time by pulling my top down...

So, I wonder, as he gets older, is he likely to gradually cut feeds? He's not showing any signs of that atm despite being a big big solids eater. Friends of mine who are still feeding their 18+ LOs range from 1 or 2 feeds a day to EIGHT feeds!

What are recommendations as baby gets older? I've heard it's still at least 4 a day aat 12 months but that's all I know...

Any advice gratefully received

[mycatmonet]

hi straffles, from 11.5mths or so, we have been doing one bf on wu and once more after dinner. (however, on hols/weekends if i offer, DD won't refuse lol) Plus i nf to settle on nw if needed, most nights once, sometimes twice. I started off weaning the nfs before midnight first, because it was a prop, and she was nw SO much.
DD will drink cows milk from a cup, and likes cheese, yoghurt and eats pretty well in general. So if you would prefer to bf less, you are able to, if you incorporate appropriate good fats and calcium into benji's diet (not necessarily via dairy, if dairy isn't something you want/can do).
It can be hard if you're tied to your LO all day, it is nice to be able to do a little by yourself, and know that your LO will be ok! After 12mths LOs main nutrition is from food, so Benji will be ok if you cut feeds to establish a bf routine that suits you, and allows you a little more freedom (and sleep!!).

[Fiver]

fwiw, you might find that if you were to leave him that he would be ok and have a drink/snack/cuddle instead

[*Ali*]

The WHO just says to feed on demand day and night but tbh I would not be willing to do that because like you I need some space and independence.

From the age of 1yo LOs who are no longer BF don't need formula and can get all their nutritional needs met via solid food. The BF offers immunological benefits that cannot be got elsewhere. So if you wanted to do a morning and BT feed or miss some feeds out now and then that would be absolutely fine.

I am still feeding my 16.5mo 2-4x a day at WU, sometimes before nap, sometimes after nap and then at BT. We weaned the NF that had become a prop in the early hours at around 15mo. I was down to just a WU and BT BF with my DS1 by this age and went on to feed him until 26mo. I think we dropped the WU feed at around 24mo.

I went away for 48hrs (weekend) when my DS2 was 13.5mo and he did just fine with the odd sippy cup of milk from DH. He was even still used to having a BF at 5am and going back to sleep til 7am at the time. I have also left him for the whole day including BT a couple of times. As Amanda said they don't tend to ask if mummy isn't there so you probably have more freedom than you realise.

You could maybe choose the feeds you don't mind keeping and distract if he asks at the other times. The NFs are unlikely to go on their own in my experience. I did PD with DS2 to wean the feeds and DH did PD and WI/WO with DS1 to do the same. They booth took a good week before they stopped waking for feeds but after the first few days the NWs were shorter. 

[*Ali*]

You should come join us on the extended BFing support thread Extended Nursing Support Thread Part 5