Weaning at 15.5 months?

[Jadea]

I'm not sure if I should let DS wean. DS has been BF only 1-2x per day lately. Not sure if that's normal for his age? I'm amazed that I'm still producing milk as I thought you had to BF at least every 5 hr to maintain any supply. DS has only been BF when I offer, even then most of the time he declines which is why he only BF 1-2x per day. I'm not ready for him to wean, maybe that's selfish as he seems ready? I am confident that if I did not offer, he would wean immediately.

Also, DH and I are thinking of returning to fertility treatments to try for #2. I cannot BF while in fertility and DH is pushing hard for us to go back.

I'm conflicted. My son and my husband both seem ready for weaning and moving on to the next baby. I'm just not quite there yet. I feel like DS is too young to stop BF, I had planned to BF him at least 2 years. Is there a way to get him more interested in BF more often, or should I just relent and wean?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Though I am sure it is dependent on the individuals supply I have not had any impact going longer between feeds (DD1 &DD3 both had long stretches from a few weeks old). Your body knows what baby needs and learns to accomodate that!

I have not bf that long so I will let other ladies chime in as to whether 1-2 feeds is normal (though it does seem like it to me, even on formula or whole milk mine were down to a morning and bedtime sippy cup at that age) as they are getting more of their nutrition from food after age one.

(((Hugs))) it sounds like a tough decision to make whether to proceed with fertility treatments or not.

[*Ali*]

We were on 3 and 4 feeds respectively still at that age but I was a SAHM and I know many mamas have moved to just morning and BT at 1yo because they go back to work then typically here.

By this age your supply is well established and your body should just produce what is demanded of it at the times it is demanded. It is also a lot higher in fat the longer you have been feeding so is getting more nutritious. http://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/ebf-benefits/

I fed DS2 just one feed at BT for months before weaning him and never had an issue with supply. My boobs still hurt for days with the fullness of the milk when I weaned too although never enough to have to express thankfully.

It is really up to you whether you wean. The WHO do recommend feeding to "2yo and beyond" but he can get all he needs nutritionally from solid food and other drinks now. It is just the immunity that is lacking. If you want to continue perhaps you could tell your DH you are not ready now but would be happy to revisit weaning in 6 months(for example). That is a long chunk of time for a toddler to be BFing but not that long in the grand scheme of things and won't make much difference to TTC I wouldn't have thought.

When is he currently BFing? I found when he first woke and immediately before going into the cot at BT in a dark room after wind down the best times to BF a distracted toddler. Have you tried a nursing necklace or similar?