How long is to long to Breastfeed?

Answer 1

In MY personal opinion, a child should not recall breastfeeding when they are 30. If a child is breastfed long enough to actually remember it, it's gone too far. While it's true that breast milk is best, no other mammal on this planet breastfeeds their young over one year. That's NATURE'S decision; obviously.

Answer 2

The AAP (American Association of Pediatrician) reccomend breastfeeding for AT LEAST 12 months. In second and third world countries, women breastfeed untill an average age of 2 1/2. Even though they dont need it past 12 months, I think that it's still very good for toddlers's health to nurse. My son is now 15 months, eats 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks, and I also breastfeed him. He is one of the healthiest and happiest kids around. You can find great breastfeeding support on http://www.mothering.com/discussions/

Answer 3

How many people are going to ask this question?
I am currently breastfeeding my 2 year old son (literally - he is standing in front of me and drinking while I type). I plan to continue breastfeeding as long as it is comfortable for both of which, for me, will probably be another year.
There is no official upper limit for breastfeeding. It is all about the comfort of the mother and child.
You do not HAVE to wean at 12 months
You do not HAVE to wean when the child has teeth
You do not HAVE to wean when they can walk
You do not HAVE to wean when they can ask for it
You do not HAVE to wean when they can use a sippy cup (and breastfeeding does not hinder this ability)
Extended breastfeeders DO feed their children real food
Extended breastfeeding IS NOT sexual
Extended breastfeeding WILL NOT cause the child to be unusually dependent
Extended breastfeeding DOES NOT cause psychological damage
Did I miss anything?

Answer 4

I think it's difficult to try to set an upper age on breastfeeding. I think what is right is what works for the mother and child...it'll be different for everyone. I think that child-lead weaning is a wonderful thing that grows healthy, confident, well-attached and well-adjusted children. But breastfeeding is also a relationship between two people, and sometimes there have to be compromises to make it work.

Personally, I strongly believe that all children should be nursed for *at least* the first year. The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees, recommending that as the *minimum* amount of time that you should nurse.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend 2 years as the minimum. A former US Surgeon General has been quoted as saying that, "It's the lucky child who is nursed to age 2."

The American Academy of Family Physicians says, "Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired." Their positon paper goes even further than that, "Breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is currently not the cultural norm and requires ongoing support and encouragement. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman's personal decision. If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help to provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child."

The world-wide average age of weaning is 4.2 years.

The natural biological age of weaning is between 2.5 and 7 years according to anthropologist Kathryn Dettwyler.

Did you know that the human immune system isn't complete until around 6 years of age? So the immunities in breastmilk would obviously be a huge benefit to the child.

And did you know that Michael Jordan's mom nursed him until he was 3 years old? She's quite proud of it and talks about it a lot. I think he turned out pretty well!

Personally, I'd say that 7 years would probably be a decent upper limit if I *had* to set one. I would imagine that any children who needed to nurse beyond that age would have some kind of sensory issues or special needs of some sort.....in other words a delay of some sort that would cause them to fall outside of the realm of what is considered the biological norm (which is, as I said, 2.5 to 7 years).

Children who are nursing continue to benefit from it for the entire time. It's not like the benefits suddenly disappear at some age. The nutrition and antibodies are still there. They just become a smaller part of their diet as they grow. Older nurslings don't nurse the way a newborn does. It's less frequent and gradually, over time, if they are allowed they will drop nursings themselves until they have weaned on their own.

My oldest nursed until he was 3.5 years.
My middle child weaned just shy of 2 years.
My youngest is still nursing at 3.5 years.

EDITED TO ADD:

Jimsdaughter3 doesn't know what she's talking about when it comes to the dental health of a breastfeeding child. (See the 2nd and 3rd link below.) Breastmilk doesn't pool in the back of the mouth the way milk from a bottle would, so dental carries are NOT a huge risk like they are with a child who takes a bottle. And breastfed children's teeth are typically better aligned that bottlefed children.

From Dr. Sears, "From head to toe, babies who breastfeed for extended periods of time are healthier overall. They tend to have leaner bodies with less risk of obesity. They also have improved vision, since the eye is similar to the brain in regards to nervous tissue. They have better hearing due to a lower incidence of ear infections. Their dental health is generally good, since the natural sucking action of the breastfed infant helps incoming teeth align properly. Intestinal health is also much better than those of non-breastfed babies, as breast milk is easier to digest, reducing spit-up, reflux, and constipation. A toddler's immune system functions much better since breastmilk contains an immunoglobulin (IGA) which coats the lining of the intestines, which helps prevent germs from penetrating through. Even the skin of these babies is smoother and more supple."

AND ALSO.....
Why does walking and talking always come into this for some people? Just because a child achieves these skills, what does that have to do with the child's readiness to wean? Does the ability to walk and talk somehow magically change breastmilk into Kool Aid so it's no longer beneficial to the child? Admit it people.....it's a personal hang-up and not a reason based on any scientific facts.

Answer 5

I believe in weaning toddlers when they are ready. I have done a lot of reading on the subject, and north america is the only continent that weans their children. The natural age that a child weans themselves is around 3. I nursed my son until he was 2 1/2 and plan to do the same with my daughter. The consept of weaning is totally a society creatied idea. They will stop when they have had enough. There's a great book called "mothering your nursing toddler" You could probably pick it up at a library. God Bless

Answer 6

Wow. Momma2mingbu(?) rocked the house on this answer. I was already to post a big long thing all about this subject, but she said it all.

So let me just be another voice endorsing nursing at least until 12 months, hopefully 2 years, and as long as mutually desired thereafter.

Answer 7

It's nobody's business how long a mother wants to feed her child the best. I don't understand why people actually ask these kinds of questions. Why should there be a limit if it's simply feeding your child? I don't get these idiots.

Answer 8

Past 2 years.

Answer 9

I would say between 2-3years if you are the type that wants to breastfeed that long. I could only do it for 5mos. with my first and about 9mos. with my second. It is really so good for them...it's God's amazing design and it is free...but 3yrs. and beyond is really pushing it in my opinion.

Answer 10

The longer you can do it, the healthier the baby will be.
If you feel uncomfortable due to our society after a year, you can continue to pump milk and offer it to the baby that way.
At one year, it's okay for the baby to get more of a solid diet, so you could offer more of a variety of foods and drinks. It's excellent for baby's immune system to get mother's breast milk.