There are a couple books that can help any breastfeeding mother to make decisions about how long to nurse and weaning. The book, Mothering Your Nursing Toddler gives great tips on how to deal with pressure from family and friends to wean before you are ready. It gives helpful information about nursing the one year old, two, three and four year old, and the challenges common with each age. This book outlines at length practical tips for weaning lovingly. How Weaning Happens is another book that gives in depth perspectives on the cultural influences on breastfeeding, stories of real breastfeeding relationships, and really helpful tips on different weaning methods. Be warned, however, as this beautifully written book will make any breastfeeding momma cry! You can buy both of these books through La Leche League as your purchase will help support a great organization!

Thank you for this well written, personal article about your weaning experiences. In many cultures around the world, seeing an older baby or preschooler nursing does not raise eyebrows. In fact, the worldwide average age of weaning is four and a half years of age. I think that weaning is a developmental and cooperative effort between a mother and child. Long term breastfeeding has many advantages for both mother and child. Every pregnant mother has an idea of how long they are going to nurse, but those ideas can change when their nurslings are running, climbing, making friends, and still finding great comfort at the breast. Weaning from the breast means gradually saying goodbye to one part of your relationship as you enter an exciting new phase, when you and your baby are ready to find new ways of dealing with life. Trusting that someday your child will outgrow the need for nursing will cause you to realize that nursing does not last forever. Allowing your child to wean naturally will help you to trust your child in other situations as he grows older. And your child will trust you will always be there to meet her needs.

I think that quitting nursing is a personal decision. I don't like that family members push women to stop. I guess if it's an issue of detachment then ok but normally us women have our heads on straight about it. I wanted to be able to nurse my son as long as I wanted. Does your 4 year old still nurse???

My first son was breastfed for 14 weeks, and then I had to go back to work. I used to express as much milk as I could, but he did make a gradual switch to formula, and was on cows milk as soon as it was possible, just because it was easier. With my second son, I gave up working (outside the home I mean!), and he fed for 2 and a half years. My main problem was getting him to stop, and even now at 4 and half he is very fond of my bosom! There were pro´s and cons and family reasons for each child, and we just had to go with what was the best fit for all of us. I would have liked to have fed my first for longer, but circumstances didn´t always allow.