'' how long should i breast feed??

Question

i have a son who is 8 months old.. how long should i breast feed.. i was thinking like oneish.. but the other day we was at one of my nephews baksetball games and there was this other mom i was sittin beside and she was breast feeding her son that is like 4 or 5.. is she crazy or is it just me?? i thought that was a bit much but she says some ppl breast feed till their kids are 6.. so what do u guys think??!

Answer 1

Good for you for breastfeeding your child! And for 8 months so far! Good for you & baby!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired." They also note that "If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned." (AAFP 2001)
A US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (Novello 1990)
The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond (WHO 1992, WHO 2002).
Scientific research by Katherine A. Dettwyler, PhD shows that 2.5 to 7.0 years of nursing is what our children have been designed to expect (Dettwyler 1995).


Don't worry about what others think! I hope you continue to breastfeed you son until you both chose it is time to quit. I hope you ask this question in order to educate yourself about the benefits of breastfeeding past the 'typical' year and to decide if it is right for you and your son.

Only in the US do we think babies should only be breastfed for 1 year! Only in the US are breast for sex 1st and nursing babies 2nd if at all! Only in the US do people think breatfeeding a child is "gross", "sick", or "weird"



Just because the child has a birthday, it doesn't mean that the child no longer benefits from breastfeeding.

May I suggest you check out http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/index.html to learn of some benefits of breastfeeding past your son's 1st birthday.

THE BENEFITS OF "EXTENDED" NURSING (NURSING PAST THE FIRST YEAR)
Although there has been little research done on children who breastfeed beyond the age of two, the available information indicates that breastfeeding continues to be a valuable source of nutrition and disease protection for as long as breastfeeding continues.

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B12 requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements
-- Dewey 2001

The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that children weaned before two years of age are at increased risk of illness (AAFP 2001).
Nursing toddlers between the ages of 16 and 30 months have been found to have fewer illnesses and illnesses of shorter duration than their non-nursing peers (Gulick 1986).

Per the World Health Organization, "a modest increase in breastfeeding rates could prevent up to 10% of all deaths of children under five: Breastfeeding plays an essential and sometimes underestimated role in the treatment and prevention of childhood illness."

Extensive research on the relationship between cognitive achievement (IQ scores, grades in school) and breastfeeding has shown the greatest gains for those children breastfed the longest

According to Sally Kneidel in "Nursing Beyond One Year" (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.):

"Research reports on the psychological aspects of nursing are scarce. One study that dealt specifically with babies nursed longer than a year showed a significant link between the duration of nursing and mothers' and teachers' ratings of social adjustment in six- to eight-year-old children (Ferguson et al, 1987). In the words of the researchers, 'There are statistically significant tendencies for conduct disorder scores to decline with increasing duration of breastfeeding.'"
According to Elizabeth N. Baldwin, Esq. in "Extended Breastfeeding and the Law":
"Breastfeeding is a warm and loving way to meet the needs of toddlers and young children. It not only perks them up and energizes them; it also soothes the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early childhood. In addition, nursing past infancy helps little ones make a gradual transition to childhood."
Baldwin continues: "Meeting a child's dependency needs is the key to helping that child achieve independence. And children outgrow these needs according to their own unique timetable." Children who achieve independence at their own pace are more secure in that independence then children forced into independence prematurely.

Answer 2

Wean your baby at one. Breast milk doesn't contain any more nutrients than cow's milk after the age of one. The AAP also states that breast milk does not make babies smarter although they say women with higher IQ's breast feed.

The World Health Organization does recommend extended breast feeding because in some countries they have no other options for food.

I am with you on this one, seeing a child run to his mommy, lift up her shirt and unhook her bra for a snack grosses me out. Some women say they nurse at this age to show their kids love. At that age my kids understand the words "I love you". I don't need to give them a boob for that.

Answer 3

one year is ideal, but longer won't hurt. there are some people that do BF longer. I am a firm believer in child led weaning, though i knwo thats not always possible. the friends i have that do this generally don't have a kindgergartner still nursing.
i think its wonderful you are considering at least a year, so many stop after 3-6 months.

Answer 4

I think anything over two is way too long.. I personally weaned my kids around 16-18 months.... Pediatricians recommend atleast 1, but really, and breastmilk is great! I am currently breastfeeding my 10 month old.. and am going to start to supplement around 1, and try to have him weaned by 18 months.... but I have been breastfeeding for over two years (I have two kids 16 months apart and only had 1 month in between those two) so I am just ready. Breastfeed as long as you feel its right for you and your baby. But yes I agree that 4 is absurd! (I think that about anything over 2 though) My thoughts on this is a child should have no memory of every breastfeeding!

Answer 5

In some countries (obviously not the USA), moms nurse their children until they are 8. I happen to personally know a woman who nursed her 4th child until she was 7. I have 5 children myself, and 4 of them weaned themselves around 2 1/2. I am still nursing my 5th child who is 2. It is mostly for her comfort - she likes to nurse when she awakens in the morning, before nap, and before bed...it helps us both to relax and I love the time that we can play "peek a boo" and other little games while she is in my arms. She will also ask to nurse when she hurts herself. It helps her to calm down quickly.

Nursing during the toddler years is your reward for the hard work and effort of nursing during the first year. Each mom and child should decide for themselves when the best time is to wean. Every family has unique circumstances that need to be considered when making the decision to wean a nursing child.

Answer 6

I think you should breast feed until you feel comfortable quiting. Your child is going to have a hard time with not being able to nurse. So this is something you need to decide.

Answer 7

As long as possible as long as it is working out well for you and your son. The longer you nurse, the more benefits both of you receive.

The AAP recommends 12 mos as the minimum.
The WHO recommends 2 years as the minimum.
Michael Jordon's mom nursed him until he was 3 years old.
The worldwide average age of weaning is 4.2 years.
The biological age of weaning in humans falls between 2.5 and 7 years of age, per anthropologist Kathryn Dettwyler.

All three of my kids have been allowed to self wean.
Oldest weaned at 3 years 5 mos of age.
Middle was 22 months when she weaned.
Youngest will turn 4 years old in February 2007 and is still nursing.

The benefits continue as long as you choose to keep nursing.

Answer 8

I think the ideal for most people is a year. Some people go beyond that. I wouldn't continue when they are 4 or 5 though. I think that a year is probably best since that is when you introduce whole milk. It's kinda like taking away a bottle.

Answer 9

I'd say a yr is ideal but would even go for 18 months but not over 2. 4 or 5 is way too old. Those kids should be eating all table food

Answer 10

Breast feeding for the first year is ideal.

Answer 11

You should try and breastfeed for at least a year. Up until he is 12 months old he needs the nutrients and things from breastmilk and it's important to give him those.

I'd say the ideal time to wean is between 12 and 18 months. Going longer than that is wrong in my opinion. At 12 months old they can eat what we eat. This means they are no longer infants, which means they shouldn't be breastfed like one.

You wouldn't let your 3 or 4 yr. old have a bottle, so why would you let them breastfeed that long?