How often does your 1 year old nurse?

Question

My littl'n is turning a year and I was just wondering how often other mothers are nursing their 1 year old. He nurses about 7 times a day, and wakes about 3-4 times at night to snack a bit. He eats solids, but not a lot. It seems that every time I place food in front of him it makes him think "Oh, food....hey, I'm hungry, I wanna nurse!" LoL. I really don't have an issue with this, don't mind the frequency of nursing at all, nor do I mind waking at night to nurse. I really just am wondering how other 1 year olds are doing in their nursing patterns.

Answer 1

My son was still nursing 2-3 times an hour at age one, and 2-5 times during the night (if not more). It isn't uncommon to hear of a one year old going through a phase where they nurse "like a newborn" (mine just never stopped nursing like a newborn).

Also a toddler who is not nursing at least 3-4 times a day requires breastmilk substitutes in their diet. Usually this is cow's milk but a toddler is not a calf, of course their needs *could* be met through other foods (green veggies for calcium, meat/meat substitutes for protein and fat, etc) but not nearly as easily as these needs can be met from breastmilk. Also cow's milk is not as rich a source of vitamin C or A among other things.

Limiting breastmilk feeds has also been shown NOT to increase solids consumption.

Even now at 20 months he is nursing about once every 1-2 hours, and would nurse more but I am 8 months pregnant and can only take so much between my belly being in the way and my nipples being a little tender.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/toddlernursing.html
How long do nursing sessions last?

First off, it's really normal for the nursing sessions to get shorter as baby gets older - this doesn't necessarily mean that baby is getting ready to wean. As baby gets older, she can get milk more efficiently (by this time your baby is an expert nurser) so she doesn't need as much time to get the same amount. Another factor that comes into play is distraction - baby gets so interested in the other things going on around her that she doesn't like to take the time to nurse as long. A typical toddler nursing session may last only a couple of minutes - just enough time to take a sip and reconnect with mom for a moment before running off to do toddler things. Naptime, nighttime, and waking up nursing sessions usually last longer, since baby is usually sleepy and not as intent on jumping into the middle of things.
How often do toddlers nurse?

Nursing frequency for toddlers is usually pretty erratic and varies greatly from child to child. It's normal for toddlers to be interested in everything around them and, as a result, not as interested in nursing. At other times, baby will be so focused on the big changes within herself (developmentally), that she will want to spend lots of time at the breast to reconnect with mom and adjust to all the new skills in her life. Some children nurse often ("like a newborn" is a frequent comment that you hear from the moms of 12-15 month olds), some nurse only once or twice a day, and some nurse a few times a day on some days and frequently on others. No matter what the nursing pattern, average nursing frequency decreases gradually as baby gets older. Once or twice a day nursings can continue for months and even years, depending upon the child and mom.

Toddlers nurse for comfort, in addition to nutrition. Nursing can work wonders when baby is hurt, sad, upset (nursing is a great tantrum-tamer), or sick. Toddlers may also use nursing as a quick way of "checking in" and reconnecting with mom throughout the day.

Sometimes your toddler may go through phases of increased night nursing. Common reasons for increased night nursing in toddlers include teething, decreased nursing during the day because of distraction, developmental advances and reconnecting with mom.

It is typical for a toddler to nurse more often when away from home for a few days, or when there are other big changes in the typical day-to-day routine. To a toddler, nursing is warmth, comfort, reassurance... it's their "home away from home" that they tend to retreat to when things are unfamiliar or uncertain. Once you are back at home and settled in (or once your child has adjusted to the change, regardless of what it was), the increased nursing tends to fall by the wayside.

Congrats on nursing this long, of course *you* know that it is the right thing to do... but just in case some of the other *ahem* uninformed people come back....


American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/b/breastfeedingpositionpaper.html
"If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned"

American Academy of Pediatrics
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496
# Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother, especially in delaying return of fertility (thereby promoting optimal intervals between births).196
# 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.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
* 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

Nursing toddlers benefit NUTRITIONALLY

* 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.

* "Human milk expressed by mothers who have been lactating for >1 year has significantly increased fat and energy contents, compared with milk expressed by women who have been lactating for shorter periods. During prolonged lactation, the fat energy contribution of breast milk to the infant diet might be significant."
-- Mandel 2005

* "Breast milk continues to provide substantial amounts of key nutrients well beyond the first year of life, especially protein, fat, and most vitamins."
-- Dewey 2001

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

* Studies done in rural Bangladesh have shown that breastmilk continues to be an important source of vitamin A in the second and third year of life.
-- Persson 1998

* It's not uncommon for weaning to be recommended for toddlers who are eating few solids. However, this recommendation is not supported by research. According to Sally Kneidel in "Nursing Beyond One Year" (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.):

Some doctors may feel that nursing will interfere with a child's appetite for other foods. Yet there has been no documentation that nursing children are more likely than weaned children to refuse supplementary foods. In fact, most researchers in Third World countries, where a malnourished toddler's appetite may be of critical importance, recommend continued nursing for even the severely malnourished (Briend et al, 1988; Rhode, 1988; Shattock and Stephens, 1975; Whitehead, 1985). Most suggest helping the malnourished older nursing child not by weaning but by supplementing the mother's diet to improve the nutritional quality of her milk (Ahn and MacLean. 1980; Jelliffe and Jelliffe, 1978) and by offering the child more varied and more palatable foods to improve his or her appetite (Rohde, 1988; Tangermann, 1988; Underwood, 1985).

References
Nursing toddlers are SICK LESS OFTEN

* 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).

* "Antibodies are abundant in human milk throughout lactation" (Nutrition During Lactation 1991; p. 134). In fact, some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration during the second year and also during the weaning process. (Goldman 1983, Goldman & Goldblum 1983, Institute of Medicine 1991).

* 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." [emphasis added]

References
Nursing toddlers have FEWER ALLERGIES

* Many studies have shown that one of the best ways to prevent allergies and asthma is to breastfeed exclusively for at least 6 months and continue breastfeeding long-term after that point.

Breastfeeding can be helpful for preventing allergy by:
1. reducing exposure to potential allergens (the later baby is exposed, the less likely that there will be an allergic reaction),
2. speeding maturation of the protective intestinal barrier in baby's gut,
3. coating the gut and providing a barrier to potentially allergenic molecules,
4. providing anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the risk of infections (which can act as allergy triggers).

References
Nursing toddlers are SMART

* 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.

References
Nursing toddlers are WELL ADJUSTED SOCIALLY

* 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.

References
Nursing a toddler is NORMAL

* 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).

References [see also position statements supporting breastfeeding]
MOTHERS also benefit from nursing past infancy

* Extended nursing delays the return of fertility in some women by suppressing ovulation (References).

* Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer (References). Studies have found a significant inverse association between duration of lactation and breast cancer risk.

* Breastfeeding reduces the risk of ovarian cancer (References).

* Breastfeeding reduces the risk of uterine cancer (References).

* Breastfeeding reduces the risk of endometrial cancer (References).

* Breastfeeding protects against osteoporosis. During lactation a mother may experience decreases of bone mineral. A nursing mom's bone mineral density may be reduced in the whole body by 1 to 2 percent while she is still nursing. This is gained back, and bone mineral density may actually increase, when the baby is weaned from the breast. This is not dependent on additional calcium supplementation in the mother's diet. (References).

* Breastfeeding reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. (References).

* Breastfeeding has been shown to decrease insulin requirements in diabetic women (References).

* Breastfeeding moms tend to lose weight easier (References).






A Natural Age of Weaning
http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detwean.html
Some of the results are as follows:

1. In a group of 21 species of non-human primates (monkeys and apes) studied by Holly Smith, she found that the offspring were weaned at the same time they were getting their first permanent molars. In humans, that would be: 5.5-6.0 years.

2. It has been common for pediatricians to claim that length of gestation is approximately equal to length of nursing in many species, suggesting a weaning age of 9 months for humans. However, this relationship turns out to be affected by how large the adult animals are -- the larger the adults, the longer the length of breastfeeding relative to gestation. For chimpanzees and gorillas, the two primates closest in size to humans and also the most closely genetically related, the relationship is 6 to 1. That is to say, they nurse their offspring for SIX times the length of gestation (actually 6.1 for chimps and 6.4 for gorillas, with humans mid-way in size between these two). In humans, that would be: 4.5 years of nursing (six times the 9 months of gestation).

3. It has been common for pediatricians to claim that most mammals wean their offspring when they have tripled their birth weight, suggesting a weaning age of 1 year in humans. Again though, this is affected by body weight, with larger mammals nursing their offspring until they have quadrupled their birth weight. In humans, quadrupling of birth weight occurs between 2.5 and 3.5 years, usually.

4. One study of primates showed that the offspring were weaned when they had reached about 1/3 their adult weight. This happens in humans at about 5-7 years.

5. A comparison of weaning age and sexual maturity in non-human primates suggests a weaning age of 6-7 for humans (about half-way to reproductive maturity).

6. Studies have shown that a child's immune system doesn't completely mature until about 6 years of age, and it is well established that breast milk helps develop the immune system and augment it with maternal antibodies as long as breast milk is produced (up to two years, no studies have been done on breast milk composition after two years post partum).

And on and on. The minimum predicted age for a natural age of weaning in humans is 2.5 years, with a maximum of 7.0 years.

In terms of the benefits of extended breastfeeding, there have been a number of studies comparing breastfed and bottlefed babies in terms of the frequency of various diseases, and also IQ achievement. In every case, the breastfed babies had lower risk of disease and higher IQs than the bottle-fed babies. In those studies that divided breastfed babies into categories based on length of breastfeeding, the babies breastfed the longest did better in terms of both lower disease and higher IQ. In other words, if the categories were 0-6 months of breastfeeding, 6-12 months, 12-18 months and 18-24+ months, then the 18-24+ month babies did the best, and the 12-18 month babies did the next best, and the 6-12 months babies did the next best, and the 0-6 months babies did the worst of the breastfed groups, but still much better than the bottlefeeding group. This has been shown for gastrointestinal illness, upper respiratory illness, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, heart disease, and on and on and on. Likewise, the babies nursed the longest scored the highest on the IQ tests. One important point to notice is that none of these studies looked at children who had nursed longer than 2 years. Anyone 18-24 month or longer was lumped into big category. Presumably, the benefits continue to accrue, as your body doesn't *know* that the baby has bad a birth day and suddenly start producing nutritionally and immunologically worthless milk.

However, no one has yet proved, either way, that the benefits of breastfeeding either continue or stop at two years of age, because the appropriate studies have not been done. The trend during the first two years is clearly for continuing benefits the longer you nurse. Clearly the phenomenon of dimishing returns is at work here -- the first six months of breastfeeding are clearly much more important in terms of the baby's nutrition and immunological development than the six months from 3.5 to 4.0 years. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't continue to provide breast milk if your baby wants and you don't mind. It would be like saying, "Well Mabel, we don't get very much income from that oil well anymore. Used to get $56 a month in royalties, now we're lucky if we get $25 a year. Guess we should tell that oil company just to keep their durn money." And Mabel says, in return "Good grief, Clyde, don't be ridiculous. That check still buys $25 worth of food. Where has your mind gone to now?"

Clearly, babies born in the U.S. don't have to contend with all the diseases and parasites and contaminated water that babies in Third World countries do. We have more supplementary foods that we can generally trust to be safe and clean. We can get our children immunized, and get them antibiotics for infections when necessary. The fact that we *can* does not mean that breastfeeding is unimportant. Breastfed babies still have the "edge" over bottlefed babies, even in a squeaky clean environment with wonderful medical care. They get sick less often, they are smarter, they are happier. Another important consideration for the older child is that they are able to maintain their emotional attachment to a person, rather than being forced to switch to an inanimate object such as a teddy bear or blanket. I think this sets the stage for a life of people-orientation, rather than materialism, and I think that is a good thing. I also can't imagine living through the toddler years without that close loving connection to a child going through enormous changes, some of which are very frustrating to the child. I could go on forever, but will stop here.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How often does your 1 year old nurse?
My littl'n is turning a year and I was just wondering how often other mothers are nursing their 1 year old. He nurses about 7 times a day, and wakes about 3-4 times at night to snack a bit. He eats solids, but not a lot. It seems that every time I place food in front of him it makes him think...

Answer 3

To the people that said he should be drinking from a sippy cup by now, how do you suggest she turns her breast into a sippy cup? Children are supposed to nurse for as long as they still need milk. That means at least 2 years, and even longer.

My baby's going to be 11 months next week, and she still nurses like a newborn. So reading your question, and Mystic's answers, I feel better that we're not weird, and not the only ones.
I think as long as he wants to nurse, let him nurse. Breastmilk has more nutrients than any solid food. He knows what's best for him.

My daughter doesn't like solids much either. I figure when she's ready she'll start eating.
Good luck to you, and hang in there with the night nursings! My little one still nurses every hour at night!!!!

Answer 4

Good for you for giving your child the best. The World health orginization recomends that babies be exclusivly breastfed for the first 6 months after which solids can be introduced with breastmilk still being the primary sorce of nutrition for the first year. At a year, my kids nursed 6-8 times a day. I noticed a big change between 12 and 18 months in their intrest in soild food. By 18 months my son had selfweened. My daughter was still nursing 2-3 times a day at 2 but stopped shortly after.

Answer 5

I breastfed all mine over a year. They weaned on their own between 13 and 21 months. At 1 they all had a different pattern My daughter was nursing 3 times a day and none at night, her twin brother was nursing 6 times a day and 2 times during the night. They were 13 and 15 months old when they weaned. my oldest weaned at 18 months. After she turned 1 she nursed 5 times a day and none at night. My youngest weaned at 21 months. After she turned 1 She was still nursing 7-8 times a day and 3 times a night. She gradually cut back on her own.
With all of mine once they turned 1 I never offered to nurse them, but if they asked I let them.
Every child is different, every mom is different. If you are comfortable keep going. He will eventually wean on his own, probably before you realize it happened. I thought my youngest was never going to wean and then next thing I knew she was weaned.
Sounds like to me what his pattern is falls within the normal range.

Answer 6

Don't pay any attention to the little negative remarks on here. You have given your baby a wonderful head start in life by feeding him the perfect food, breast milk. It probably is time for him to start eating more solids, which doesn't mean you have to wean him, just cut back a little. Experiment w/baby food to see what flavors he likes. My daughter was always crazy about squash! Only introduce one kind at a time in case of allergies. At 1 year he would be able to have little finger foods, like cheerios too, and he may like being able to experiment w/feeding himself that type of thing. You may also want to start expressing some of you milk for a sippy cup. That way he could still have breast milk w/his solid meal. The most important thing, is you are both happy and healthy!

Answer 7

I breastfed my daughter until 15 months, but after 12 months it was more for comfort not for sole nutrition. She would nurse about 4-5 times a day and never at night (unless she was really sick and woke up - which maybe was once or twice in a 4 month period). She slept through the night since about 7 weeks. I think you might be catering to your son too much. By this age, she didn't have a nursing pattern since she was eating meals and drinking milk and juice. I would recommend you start lessening those times from 7 times a day to about 4 times a day and from 3-4 times a night to maybe one, so when you do want to wean it isn't so sudden for your son. Good luck!

Answer 8

When my daughter was one, she was nursing three times a day. Once in the morning, once in the evening and once around midnight.

Answer 9

While surfing on the internet found this site http://mynursinghelp.com might help you

Answer 10

wow amazing. I guess your staying at home to be able to feed him so many times a day.

But at age 1, the feeding should be limited to at least 3. Give him chunky food now, mash potatoes, cereal, steamed carrots (mushed up a little) and finger foods that you know he'll like.

Also if you have some one to help you, have them give him a meal. That way he won't see "lunch" right in front of him and feel that he can nurse when ever he wants to, ask your husband / spouse to help with this.

There is NOTHING wrong with feeding him that much, but you have to slowly decrease the frequency and then stop at like age 2 or 3.

Good luck!!

Answer 11

I didn't nurse mine that often at 3 months old!

It's great that you're still nursing, but you should probably start making a serious effort to get him eating more solids, and also drinking ordinary milk, juice and water from a cup. Breastmilk's a great baby food, but it's short on the energy requirements for an active crawler/toddler.