I havent even started breast feeding yet since my first LO is due next month. But I was curious about extended breastfeeding. I understand the importance and benefits of breastfeeding through 6 months at least and then 12 idealy but was wondering about people who breastfeed after 1 year.
Now I want to say that I mean no offense to anyone and respect everyones choice to breast feed for however long they feel appropriate for their children. Im just honestly curious.- That being said, why do you breast feed on the breast after 1 year? What are the benefits of breastfeeding from the boob at that point? Im kind of new to this so I apologize but it seems some what weird to me. Like, most people start weaning at this point who use bottles and so why not just pump and put the milk in a bottle or tippy cup so they still get the nutrients but arent on your boob and are being more independant. This especially confuses me with children 2 and up as I personally no longer consider them babies. I just feel like its kind of strange personally and might cause issues with dependancy and self soothing ...and would rather pump and put it in a cup or something at that age. But again Im new to this so I have no room to talk.
So can any one explain to me their personal reasons for doing it or like.. any real benefits of breast feeding a 1+ or especially 2+ year old from the breast still vs pumping? I really am just curious, no judgment here. Im sure all the mamas here are doing whats best for their children :)
*EDIT*
Thanks so much for all of the replies and links! I get it now. Its always a lot nicer to hear it from people who actually do it and are doing it :) Thanks again guys! You are all awesome.
My son is almost one and he barely eats solids and all of his nutrition comes from nursing- which is on demand.
He just isn't interested in food all the time.
It's a huge bond, very convenient and easy, makes sense and my son and I love it.
It has to be equally mutual for your bf relationship to work :)
Quoting mostlymaydays:
When you have your first baby, and they turn one, you think they are a big kid because youre thinking a baby is a newborn. But with each kid, you realize that children are babies for a lot longer than you first thought. At one, do you expect them to be out of diapers? Does wearing a diaper make them dependent on diapers forever? Of course not. I am positive someone who is not mobile will inundate you with the links and articles to why extended breastfeeding (or full-term breastfeeding) is beneficial to babies well beyond a year (immunological, proper development of palate, and the benefits go on and on...) And in regards to pumping, if a mama is not pumping all the time, there comes a point where a pump will simply not work at all. My babies have never received bottles, and I only pumped a little in the early weeks to help with engorgement, but I can tell you if I tried to pump after 3 or 4 months, I would only get a few drops, yet I could still exclusively breastfeed the baby without a single supply issue. (even the best pumps are only about 20% as efficient as a baby at removing milk, and that's talking moms who are pumpers). I can tell you personally that I have saved my toddlers from hospitalizations from RSV infections because a breastfed toddler will keep nursing, and get those antibodies and stay hydrated, while a weaned child (or a child taking only bottls) would have refused food and water. I hate pumping. It's so impersonal and mechanical and completely severs the important bonding that occurs between a mother and baby. Pushing a baby away usually makes them more clingy and dependent, not more "independent" just because the *can* drink from a sippy. And getting only a few drips makes it a total waste of effort to boot. For the record, I am a mother of four, and my oldest weaned at 15 months, the next 2 weaned at 24 months, and my youngest just turned 3 years old two days ago and still nurses to sleep at night and often upon waking. That's my story.
You did an amazing thing for him nursing all that time! You didn't know any better. Don't feel guilty anymore. You're an amazing mom!
Quoting Seniahmom:
Biologically speaking primates (which Humans are) are designed to feed from the breast for at least three years. Birth year (year following birth), walking year (the year that follows) and weaning year.
We are the only animal that arbitrarily cuts off our young. Cutting the child off is 100% societal and 0% dietary.
I can't even begin to tell you the guilt I still feel for cutting off my now 2.5 year old. But I didn't know better. I had a history of miscarriage and was pregnant when my son turned one. I thought because he was one and because I was pregnant I had to cut him off. I won't even dignify it calling it weaning because that's too nice a term for it. I did continue giving him breast milk in a cup (I had a very sizable freezer stash). And I had hoped when his brother was born he would have come back to the breast. But he didn't. I continued to pump for him after baby. With my second son I have no plan to be the one to stop breastfeeding. I know better so I will do better. Now if I could just stop feeling guilty about my oldest....
Quoting Hyman:
Aw this made me so sad for you that you feel so guilty :(
You did an amazing thing for him nursing all that time! You didn't know any better. Don't feel guilty anymore. You're an amazing mom!
Quoting Seniahmom:
Biologically speaking primates (which Humans are) are designed to feed from the breast for at least three years. Birth year (year following birth), walking year (the year that follows) and weaning year.
We are the only animal that arbitrarily cuts off our young. Cutting the child off is 100% societal and 0% dietary.
I can't even begin to tell you the guilt I still feel for cutting off my now 2.5 year old. But I didn't know better. I had a history of miscarriage and was pregnant when my son turned one. I thought because he was one and because I was pregnant I had to cut him off. I won't even dignify it calling it weaning because that's too nice a term for it. I did continue giving him breast milk in a cup (I had a very sizable freezer stash). And I had hoped when his brother was born he would have come back to the breast. But he didn't. I continued to pump for him after baby. With my second son I have no plan to be the one to stop breastfeeding. I know better so I will do better. Now if I could just stop feeling guilty about my oldest....
I used to feel the same way as you even when I had 2 kids, because I didnt BF them long. My 3rd well I learned the benefits and we BF til 3.5 years and people ask if it was strange but I have to say nope, he gradually got older and it wasnt til his brother was born when he was 3 years that I noticed he was SO big lol
1) Dd never had any sort of illness lasting more than one day until she weaned at 20 months. Definite perk.
2) There is nothing like popping a boob into a confused and screaming toddler's mouth to settle them down. They get all worked up and tantrumy and they can't say why and they can't regulate their emotions and nursing settles them. Even after weaning, dd rarely had a tantrum that couldn't be settled by a snuggle or rocking. She is a very calm and well-adjusted 6 yr old today.
3) I never had to force food on her. She enjoyed tasting food from my plate from 6 months to about a year, but was never interested in eating any real quantity of food. Since she was breastfeeding and getting nutrition from me, I never worried that she wasn't getting what she needed. It wasn't until around 14 months that she was getting most of her nutrition from solid foods. She took it slowly, and i never had to push. Now she is quite the foodie and loves to experiment with different foods, including ethnic foods, spicy foods, veggies, and all sorts of things many of her peers at school won't even try. Ask her what her favorite food is...its broccoli!
4) I'm pregnant again and recently was talkign with dd about nursing. She says she has no memory of nursing. However, when I asked her what nursing feels like, she said "it feels like you love me more than anything in the whole wide world." Having no other children, no relatives that breastfeed, and not having talked about breastfeeding with her before, I can only assume that it was a subconscious memory she tapped into and not anything she would have heard from anyone else. And if in fact that is how it feels, I can think of no other message I'd rather send to my child than that.
Quoting bigsky105:1) Dd never had any sort of illness lasting more than one day until she weaned at 20 months. Definite perk.
2) There is nothing like popping a boob into a confused and screaming toddler's mouth to settle them down. They get all worked up and tantrumy and they can't say why and they can't regulate their emotions and nursing settles them. Even after weaning, dd rarely had a tantrum that couldn't be settled by a snuggle or rocking. She is a very calm and well-adjusted 6 yr old today.
3) I never had to force food on her. She enjoyed tasting food from my plate from 6 months to about a year, but was never interested in eating any real quantity of food. Since she was breastfeeding and getting nutrition from me, I never worried that she wasn't getting what she needed. It wasn't until around 14 months that she was getting most of her nutrition from solid foods. She took it slowly, and i never had to push. Now she is quite the foodie and loves to experiment with different foods, including ethnic foods, spicy foods, veggies, and all sorts of things many of her peers at school won't even try. Ask her what her favorite food is...its broccoli!
4) I'm pregnant again and recently was talkign with dd about nursing. She says she has no memory of nursing. However, when I asked her what nursing feels like, she said "it feels like you love me more than anything in the whole wide world." Having no other children, no relatives that breastfeed, and not having talked about breastfeeding with her before, I can only assume that it was a subconscious memory she tapped into and not anything she would have heard from anyone else. And if in fact that is how it feels, I can think of no other message I'd rather send to my child than that.
What do you while nursing your lil one?
- Jujubee12
on Aug. 5, 2012 at 3:25 AM