breastfeeding...wen 2 stop??

Question

ive heard of mums who breastfeed ther babies until ther.6, 8, 10
and sum who neva even breastfeed ther cildren....and in one case a mother was prepared 2 give her son milk for as long as he wanted and he showed no signs of stoppin

so wat age of the baby and how long should a mother give her baby milk from her breasts???

Answer 1

Wow there is alot of misinformation out there! I'm a mom of 2 and a La Leche League Peer Counselor.

As has been said, the AAP says breastfeed for at least a year (NOT that the baby should be weaned at a year as was said by another poster).

Breast milk does not lose it's nutrtitional value after a year. It does decrease BUT there are proven medical benefits for nursing after a year. A mother's protection against breast cancer increases incrimentally based on how long she nurses. So if you have 4 babies and breastfeed them each a year your chances for breast cancer go down more than if you only breastfed them for 6 months. I remember being very grateful that I was breastfeeding when my daughter got a stomch bug. She was throwing up alot but could nurse (breast milk is NOT dairy and can be ingested during gastro illnesses). The breastmilk digests so fast that she never got dehydrated. She hated pedialyte, so we would have been up a creek otherwise.

Formula is not the same as breastmilk, so unless there is a real problem with expressing milk or pumping, you should not ever have to go to formula as a suppliment.

You should breastfeed as long as you want. At least a year is ideal. Some moms want to go longer, some moms don't. Some babies want to go longer, etc. My first weaned gradually and was done at 16mos. My second needed a little nudge and weaned at 28mos. Most moms who nurse beyond 3yrs are only doing so one a day or every other day and probably at night or in the morning.

Some tribes will nurse children until age 10. I personally think that's too long but it just shows you that all of these "right" and "wrong" ages to wean is really a cultural issue.

Check out this website for lots of info on weaning and how-tos.

Answer 2

The World Health Organization advocates breastfeeding until a child is 2 years old. I am currently breastfeeding and plan on stopping when my son is about 1 year old or when he shows a tolerance for liquid nutrition from regular milk. Just because you use breastmilk, doesn't mean that you have to do it from your breast, you can bottle feed breast milk. As a therapist with the Infant and Toddler program, I have heard the speech pathologists advocate for getting a child off the bottle by one year of age because the mouth position from a bottle does not promote muscle development for language. However, his doesn't mean that you couldn't give breastmilk from a cup. The breastfeeding issue is truly a cultural issue and you should really stop when it is comfortable for you.

Answer 3

Pediatricians rec commend to breastfeed for at least one year. After that milk is OK, but most moms I know breastfeed for 15 months to two years. I think once they're old enough to ask for a cup they're ready to be weaned. At that point it's a comfort for them rather than necessity.

I breastfed exclusively until my first daughter was 8 months old, then supplimented with formula once or twice a day. At one year she went to cows milk, but still nursed once or twice a day until she was 15 months old. At that point I was pregnant with my second and needed to give my nutrients to her instead. I nursed the second for only 5 months, but that's cuz i had surgery and couldn't nurse while on pain meds. Milk dried up early.

Answer 4

you should breastfeed for as long as you feel comfortable some people will do it for a very long time i did it for just over a month. everone has their own preferrence if you feel you should stop at 6 months then thats when you should do it. some babies ween themselves too. when they feel they dont want that anymore then they wont attach anymore

Answer 5

I am a senior in nursing school. Most doctors agree that babies should stop breastfeeding (and off the bottle) by one year.

Answer 6

I dont think most people would do it later than two years!! (Outside of desperate house wives)

I think do generally based on the experience of my friends that 6 months is a reasonable time.

Answer 7

It takes practice and patience. Focus on trusting the person and letting your guard down with them. When you catch yourself being jealous, talk yourself out of it and make an effort to do the opposite, like be nice to that person and get to know them. Try not to worry so much and trust people more.

Answer 8

according the American Academy of Pediatrics they suggest nursing to a year.After that nursing loses its nurtitional value, for food is now more nutritional, and becomes more for comfort. So its mainly preference after a year.

Answer 9

Id say till two at the very latest unless the child had a medical problem but i would pump and not breast feed...

Answer 10

Most of my friends started to ween at 6mos.