For how long can a woman breastfeed?

Question

I am just wondering because me and my friend had an argument about that, he thinks she will only "have milk" for about 2 months after they have the baby. But I told him that its different because I heard its about the time when she's around 5 months pragnet , until about 6 months or more if she wanted to. So can anybody make that clear?

Ok, so I am right. Thanks for the answers

Answer 1

My wife breastfed one of our kids 5 years. I can't say it's indefinite but it can be many years and certainly much longer than 2 months.

Often, if you like the idea of breast feeding a year is a good first marker to help the baby get all the immunity help etc. Many believe 2 or 3 years helps self esteem.

My wife is at home and is an "earth mother" type. Our daughter is very self confident and mature for her age.

Answer 2

Your friend is incorrect. You can produce milk for years and years! All it takes is the sucking stimulation after the baby's born. The first milk which comes in after birth is a clear, watery colostrum which has valuable antibodies and protects a newborn from many diseases. The creamier milk follows in a week or so.

I nursed all four of my sons for at least 9 months, and one son for 18 months. At no time did my milk dry up. I had milk available for several years after I stopped nursing. This is not uncommon.

In most of the world, women commonly nurse a baby for 2 years or more. The baby is also eating some food for the second year. After weaning, the mother often becomes pregnant again.
Nursing is NOT a guaranteed means of contraception, however. Lots of women get pregnant while nursing.

Answer 3

A woman can produce milk for as long as there is regular stimulation (sucking) after she gives birth. In the old days, before baby formula, many women worked as wetnurses (rich women who did not want to breastfeed would just put their babies out to wetnurses). Actually, it was one of the few occupations open to women and a very profitable one. A young woman could give birth once and become a lifelong wetnurse, breastfeeding numerous children over many years.

It is actually unusual to breastfeed for only 2 months, unless there are problems. In fact, 2 months is about what it takes for the mother and the baby to get used to each other, and for the milk supply to stabilize. I nursed my son for 6 months, but many women breastfeed for a year or two and even longer.

Answer 4

You're right.

Physically, you can press it for years.. but, there's no reason to do that.. since the baby can eat small pieces of solids & mushy foods (6-8+ months)...

In fact, and you'll know them when you see them... there are women that become borderline psycho's about over-breastfeeding.. long beyond 8-10 months, long beyond 1+ year and sometimes (I met one) beyond 4 years old... that woman, should have been put into an institution, until that was ironed out of her head.

Answer 5

I have heard of women breastfeeding a child as old as 5 yrs! The way I understand it, it is best to breastfeed for the first 1 - 2 yrs but the breast will continue to make milk as long as they are stimulated to produce.

Answer 6

Realistically as long as you express milk you can produce it. The longest I have heard of a woman continuing to give breast milk (not necessarily directly from breast to child but expressed and served from a cup) was 10yrs. My friends mom admits that when she was a young mom during the depression she just kept breastfeeding until they were 18 mos then expressed milk since it was so much cheaper. Her kids don't have weight issues and are extremely healthy even now so maybe her frugal efforts also helped her kids stay healthier longer.

Answer 7

some women have breastfed for over 2 years. doctors recommend that babies be breastfed for a year before being weaned to solid food. a woman's milk does not come in until about a week after the baby has been born. before that, she produces colostrum, starting right after birth. tell your friend that as long as she exclusively breastfeeds and is healthy, her body will produce as much milk as the baby needs to grow up healthy.

Answer 8

I breastfeed both my kids for over a year. Well my second I breastfeed for 18 months. And I know of others who breastfeed for 3 plus years. I say, once the baby can ask for it, and pull the top up, it's time to stop......(unless the baby has medical problems, then keep feeding).

Answer 9

I breastfed each of my 5 children for at least 18 months. In other cultures it is not uncommon to breastfed for 5 or more years. You will continue to have milk for as long as you continue to breastfeed. I had milk for months even though my children had cut down to once a day.

Answer 10

Your body will keep making milk as long as you are still breastfeeding. Some people breastfeed until their children are 2 years old or so.