what ur opinion on extended breastfeeding?

Question

many have different opinion on this issue but i wanan hear yours opinion about this issue. im not gonna judge people about it.
for moms to be: do you plan to do it? why/why not?
moms: do you do it? again why or why not?
dads and others; whats you opinion on this?

Answer 1

Extended nursing is normal and healthy.

The AAP recommends nursing *at least* 12 months and thereafter as long as mutually desired by mom and baby. Their policy statement goes on to say, "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." (BTW.....did you know Michael Jordan was breastfed until he was 3 years old!? I'd say he turned out pretty good!)

The World Health Organization recommends nursing *at least* 2 years, and thereafter as long as mutually desired by mom and baby.

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

According to research by anthropologist Kathryn Dettwyler, the biologically natural age of weaning in humans is between 2.5 and 7 years.

Most moms who are extended nursers it don't plan on it prior to having the baby (at least the first time) but instead evolve into it since it never feels right to them to wean the child. Many mothers choose to practice "child lead weaning" meaning that the mother lets the child gradually give up breastfeeding on his own as he outgrows the need.

Children who nurse beyond the first year continue to receive all the same benefits they got during the first 12 months. It's not like the milk turns to water. The nutrients and the antibodies are all still there. As the child gradually weans, the good stuff in the mlk becomes more concentrated to meet their needs.

Nursing toddlers benefit NUTRITIONALLY
Nursing toddlers are SICK LESS OFTEN
Nursing toddlers have FEWER ALLERGIES
Nursing toddlers are SMART
Nursing toddlers are WELL ADJUSTED SOCIALLY
Nursing a toddler is NORMAL
MOTHERS also benefit from nursing past infancy

My oldest self weaned at 3 years 5 mos.
My middle self weaned at 22 months.
My youngest is still nursing and will turn 4 years old in about 2 weeks.

Answer 2

I planned to nurse until a year. Unfortunately, I don't have enough milk, and, because of subsequent nipple confusion, I now pump. Baby Kate is now almost 7 months old (next Thursday). I planned to nurse just because I know that it's healthier and cheaper for the baby. That's why I continue to pump, even though it's somewhat inconvenient. However, if someone chooses to formula feed their child, I don't have a problem with that. I believe that as long as the sustenence is delivered with love, THAT is what ultimately matters in the end. My best friend breastfed all three of her children, but spends very little time with them and seems to resent when her youngest (now 13 months) nurses. I nurse and suppliment, but spend nearly every waking hour with and enjoying my Katie.

At first, because of all of the difficulties, I set a goal for six weeks of pumping. Then, I decided three months. Next, six months. Now, I'm looking at nine months, but, who knows how long I'll go. It seems to help Kate (she's yet to have a real cold, and is very regular as far as BMs), and, truth be told, I have a guilt complex about not being able to do it "the right way".

My husband goes either way on this. It doesn't impact him at all, really. I'm still the same sexually, he gets to feed the baby regardless, and it doesn't take much time for me to pump (about 10-15 minutes every 2-3 hours).

As far as extended breastfeeding, as long as both parties (mother and child) are comfortable with it and want it, I don't see any reason to just end it. If one or the other is forcing the breatfeeding for whatever reason, then, yes, it needs to be ended, but otherwise, I think it's healthy. Humans aren't supposed to wean until at least 2.5 years in most cases (sometimes much longer).

One thing...someone posted that breastfed babies are more intelligent. In actuality, that is not an effect of breastfeeding. Mothers with higher IQs breastfeed in larger numbers, and, because of heredity, those babies tend to have higher IQs compared to the general population. But, it's not a causal relationship.

Answer 3

I breastfed my daughter for a full year. I plan to do the same with all my future children as long as I am physically capable. The first month was difficult, but after that, it was just natural. I dont think there is anything wrong for breastfeeding for a year. That is optimal for their health. I sometimes even wish I had gone a bit longer, because as soon as I stopped, I missed getting to take naps with my daughter (because the nursing would put her to sleep) and she also got sick as soon as she was weaned because she no longer had the vitamins and immunities that my milk had provided her with. Also, my daughter had a sensitive tummy and couldnt tolerate anything but my milk for the first 10 months. My mom had to nurse my brother for 15 months because of a condition he had. I do find it a bit creepy to nurse say, a 3 year old, but I believe it is a womans choice, and that as long as her doc says its ok, then she has the right. Inuit people were known to nurse as long as 12 years. I personally think there are a lot worse things a parent can do to their child than nurse too long. I also think that if we all looked further into the health benefits for child and mother, and what is NATURALLY meant to happen, and could get past the shallowness of social taboos, then we would discover that extended nursing is not at all harmful to a child, and is far better than giving them store-bought cow milk that is natually intended for baby cows NOT humans. I am personally considering weaning my next children from the breast at a year as well, but continuing to pump my milk for them, so that they can have the health benefits, but so I can have a bit more freedom.

Answer 4

I nursed my son for 15 months until I became pregnant with his sister, then nursed her for 2 years. I also worked for a lactation consultant, so I got to learn the early benefits of breastmilk.

You're not just talking about whether or not it's *you* you're talking about significant advantages for the baby. And not only during infancy, but throughout their lives. Breastfed babies are generally healthier, they have higher IQs, they receive immunities from their mother that they wouldn't get otherwise. Breastfeeding helps YOU lose weight, and it's Free. Formula can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars over the time that the child uses is.

Breastfeeding increases the mother/child bond, and usually ends up with snugglier kids.

Answer 5

What is your definition of extended breastfeeding.

I breastfed my son for eight months, I am having a baby next week and would LOVE to make it the full year....my goal is 8 months because I know I can do that.

WHY? Because all the experts (even the formula companies agree) it is the BEST thing for your baby.....that's my job to give my baby my best....it is cheaper too!

It is the hardest thing you will ever do in your entire life, but I think it is selfish to not at least try, unless there is a medical reason not to. There is so much in that first milk that cannot be replicated!

Past a year....hey ok....past 18 months...a little odd...past 2....there's an issue in my opinion.

My husband was VERY supportive of my decision...he used to have to cut up my food for me if the baby was eating...my son ate ALL the time. He encouraged me and reminded me of how important it was to me and the baby without pushing me.

Answer 6

my next baby i plan to bf until he/she is 1. with my son i was only able to breastfeed for 3 weeks, i really wanted to do it longer but i was unable to.

i could really care less how far along other mothers feed their child. i don't like to judge. i think whatever works for each woman is how it should go. i just hate it when other people try to force breastfeeding on others. my cousin chose to formula feed and everyone had a problem with it and giving her a lecture. she had a medical issue that she was not ready to share with everyone and she was put on some strong medication for it.

Answer 7

My son is 11 months old, and I will be nursing him for a long time to come. Today he ate half an egg for breakfast and two bites of banana, he reused any food for the rest of the day. I am unworried that he does not each much solid food (except some days) because I know that human beings are not meant to be weaned until between the ages of 2-5years of age. There are many arguments that prove this.

Until my son is no longer depending upon milk for a key part of his diet I will not substitute it for a very poor substitute - pasteurized cow's milk with added synthethic vitamins that also has antibiotic, growth hormones and god knows what other contaminants from modern farming and packaging practices. If I am, for some reason, forced to wean than of course I will do the best that I can.

The most obvious is that lactase the enzyme used to digest lactose - the main form of energy in breastmilk (and in theory formula, though formula contains a large amount of fructose from corn syrup). Does not begin to decline until past age three.

You may be intereted in this article entitled "A Natural Age of Weaning". It studies the factors that influence primate weaning, and thus may explain some of human weaning.
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html

Here is a fact sheet on the benefits of extended breastfeeding:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

The benefits in brief are:
•Nursing toddlers benefit NUTRITIONALLY
•Nursing toddlers are SICK LESS OFTEN
•Nursing toddlers have FEWER ALLERGIES
•Nursing toddlers are SMART
•Nursing toddlers are WELL ADJUSTED SOCIALLY
•Nursing a toddler is NORMAL
•MOTHERS also benefit from nursing past infancy
•Additional Resources


I can not fathom why people are offended by the natural way things are meant to be. I do not judge, nor am I offended by those who stop breastfeeding before a year - as long as they do not lie about the reasons why. I will do what is right for me and my children, and you do what you think is right for you and yours. My breastfeeding does not effect you in anyway.

Answer 8

how extended? my aunt breast fed constantly for about 6-7 years. she had three children close together and breast fed each one until she delivered the next. i think breast feeding is fine until the child can say "gimme milk" is fine but when the child is old enough to walk around and ask for the breast... switch to food or start pumping. that's just my opinion. i plan on breast feeding my children as long as i can but with my long work hours (12 hour shift work) i don't know how long that will be. i will probably not go more than 9 months.

Answer 9

scientific learn have chanced on the organic human weaning age to be someplace from 2.5-7 years previous. i might say as quickly as their infant tooth (or milk tooth) are commencing off to fall out that they are formally turning out to be too previous to nurse. I see that as nature's way of telling us. yet for me, in my view... i do no longer think of i might nurse previous 3.5 or years previous. this is only my convenience point. EDIT: i might want to function... I watched the video of the British female and that i'm no longer likely disturbed by skill of her. I do think of her babies are fixated on it too lots on the entire subject. That did disturb me somewhat. they're drawing photos of the breasts and named them and communicate approximately them together and don't need their mom to ever positioned on a bra reason they do no longer want them to circulate away. That looks style of undesirable to me. The breast-feeding attachment is super.. inspite of the incontrovertible fact that it would be an attachment with a mom and baby it is allowed to progression as they age.. no longer only a relationship between a breast and baby. In her case this is totally almost develop into that.

Answer 10

I think that breast feeding is a great thing. I breast fed with my first child and intend on doing it with the one I am about to have. I wish I could have done it longer but I dried up after only 6 weeks. I don't however think that starving a child because they don't latch on is acceptable. I breast fed, but my child wouldn't latch, so I just pumped and he ate out of a bottle.