People have comments no matter WHAT you do....how long you breastfeed for, when you toilet train, if you let you kids whatch tv and what you let them watch, if you should be a SAHM or work, dicipline techniques, etc etc etc. I've found adopting that attitude of "I am going to do what I am going to do, and you are waisting your breath trying to convert me". Generally when people realize that they aren't going to affect you...they give up. And if they still gripe about, just learn to tune them out, and remind them that you are happy with what you are doing, and dont plan on changing anything. That being said, chances are you are NOT going to change anyones opinion on extended breastfeeding, as people are inherently pig-headed. And really, it's their right to have that opinion. I really don't think educating them on the benifits of extended breastfeeding would change their minds...and really, YOU are the parents, so YOU make the choices. Absolutly no need to justify it. As for the nursing all the time......I can't imagine how exhausting that must be. Toddlers are notorious for pushing their boundries, though. I mean, in the end, if you don't want to nurse that much, there is nothing wrong with saying "No". At this stage in the game, I really don't think the absence of a nursing session will affect the child nutritionally, as toddlers should be getting the majority of their nutrition from their diet. Im guessing that a crying screaming fit may ensue....But in my experience with toddlers....Thats what they are best at....pitching a fit!

kudos to you for doing child-led weaning. I weaned when Cae was 15 months and I was starting to get dirty looks. I'm not sure what the best solution is. I think you shouldn't feel like you can't limit her nursing. You can go down to nursing just in the morning or at bed time. Also, cutting down on nursing might help her teeth. But if you want to keep going then just do it.

I think one of why nursing has been so slow is because she has severe early childhood caries. Recent research is pretty consistent: human milk is not cariogenic; however nursing can be implicated in tooth decay if you aren't brushing (or brushing well) because the added moisture added to the food will increase decay. If her teeth are clean, nursing is fine. So we've focused on frequent, well-done brushing rather than limiting nursing. But because we've chosen to brush her teeth after every time she eats, that means she only eats five times a day. I believe that toddlers are natural grazers - their stomachs are only as big as their tiny fists. So of course only getting to eat five times a day affects the nursing relationship; she still eats relatively little and my milk is still a very significant source of nutrition (which is fine; the only thing we worry about is iron - the neat thing about nursing is that the composition of the milk continues to change throughout the nursing relationship and I don't really worry about it nutritionally). Though I do think a lot of nursing is done for other reasons, I do think that a good portion of it is because she is hungry, and that makes it hard to say no, especially since I don't find nursing exhausting at all - it's certainly easier to deal with than a tantrum. I don't know. I guess I don't really want to change our nursing relationship; I was just venting.

I hate when people share unsolicited advice. Everyone thinks they know better than you. I usually just say nothing or just say thanks and nothing else. I think that's awesome that you are letting your child decide when to wean, and if it works for you and for her, then its nobody's business.

I went back to work when Matt was 16 months. Between 16 mos and 2 years, he pulled back to nursing only twice a day. I was able to put an end to nursing by offering to snuggle instead, which he found to be just as good. Now I have a six year old who still loves to cuddle, especially when he's tired. As people said above, you'll be judged no matter what. I know when Matt hit a year people started becoming more adamant about "when are you going to stop nursing? He's a year old!" but there were also people that had been saying that from the time he was six weeks. Do what feels right for you and her. Nobody else matters in this equation.

I think its great that you are still nursing! One of my only regrets is that I weaned D and Z because of other people. Only you know whats best for your child and its YOUR decision to continue.