"No one can make you feel inferior
without your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt
Disclaimer -*Any "you" mentioned in this post is not directed at you the reader personally...it is a general "you". If this blog makes you feel guilty or inadequate or like I am accusing you of not taking good enough care of your child, that's on you. It is simply an informative post to let you know why I am making the decision to continue breastfeeding past one year. If you don't think you can handle it don't read on*
Recently I've gotten some negative remarks about my decision to continue to breastfeed Danica past one year. I breastfed Sawyer to 16 months so I don't know why this hasn't been discussed but I'm going to "discuss" it now simply to clear up some misinformation, myths, and ignorance. Make no mistake. Ryan and I are secure in our decision for me to continue breastfeeding for as long as Danica and I are comfortable.
Turning one, being able to talk, having teeth, walking, lifting a mother's shirt, and other such common reasons for suggested weaning do not magically turn breast milk into water. It is still the same life sustaining substance it was at 1 week old, or 6 months old, or even 11 months and 30 days and in some circumstances is even more beneficial than at earlier breastfeeding times. It is still custom made for each individual child. Can the same be said for cow's milk? No. It is made for baby cows. From 12 months to 24 months 15 ounces of breast milk contains: 29% of energy requirements, 43% of protein requirements, 36% of calcium requirements, 75% of vitamin A requirements, 76% of folate requirements, 94% of vitamin B
12 requirements, and 60% of vitamin C requirements. (per
kellymom.com)
Just because you may not be comfortable with breastfeeding past a certain milestone or age does not make it wrong or inappropriate for everyone else and it certainly does not make it any less beneficial to a child.
According to Dr Sears, a well respected pediatrician and breastfeeding advocate, "The most fascinating studies show that the longer and more frequently a mom nurses her baby, the smarter her child is likely to become. The brain grows more during the first two years of life than any other time, nearly tripling in size from birth to two years of age. It's clearly a crucial time for brain development, and the intellectual advantage breastfed babies enjoy is attributed to the "smart fats" unique to mom's breast milk (namely, omega-3 fatty acid, also known as DHA). From head to toe, babies who breastfeed for extended periods of time are healthier overall. They tend to have leaner bodies with less risk of obesity. They also have improved vision, since the eye is similar to the brain in regards to nervous tissue. They have better hearing due to a lower incidence of ear infections. Their dental health is generally good, since the natural sucking action of the breastfed infant helps incoming teeth align properly. Intestinal health is also much better than those of non-breastfed babies, as breast milk is easier to digest, reducing spit-up, reflux, and constipation. A toddler's immune system functions much better since breastmilk contains an immunoglobulin (IGA) which coats the lining of the intestines, which helps prevent germs from penetrating through. Even the skin of these babies is smoother and more supple."
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least one year and then for however long is mutually okay with the mother and the child. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding beyond infancy. Specifically it advocates breastfeeding exclusively (without any substitute) for the first 6 months and then in combination with nutritionally
adequate and safe complimentary foods for two years and beyond.
Unfortunately, in the United States, it takes a lot of continued support and much encouragement to be successful because it goes against cultural norms.
"What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular."
Breastfeeding beyond one year continues to protect the child from illnesses by passing antibodies from the mother to the child just as in infancy. In fact according to some studies immune factors become more concentrated after the first year of breastfeeding. The AAP also states that children weaned before two years of age are at an increased risk for illness.
Contrary to the opinion of many who push weaning at one year, there is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child, physically or psychologically. On the contrary toddlers who are breastfed often are better socially adjusted and are more secure and independent than those who are weaned at one year or earlier.
Elizabeth N Baldwin was a La Leche League Leader, a member of the LLLI's Professional Advisory Board, Legal Advisory Council, and an atttorney and family mediator who's law practice focused on young, securely attached and breastfed babies in divorce cases. She said , "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." "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 are allowed to become independent at their own pace are often more secure in their independence and less clingy than their earlier weaned counterparts.
Breastfeeding past one year not only is beneficial to the child but also to the mother.
It Reduces the Risk of Cancers - The more exposure a woman has to estrogen the higher her risk for breast, ovarian, uterine, and endometrial cancers. Because breastfeeding lowers estrogen levels for significant periods of time it consequently lowers a woman's risk for those cancers. So it can be said the longer a woman breastfeeds the lower her risk becomes. According to one study of Chinese women who breastfed for at least 6 years their risk for breast cancer was lowered by 63%.
(Chinese women breastfeed their kids til 6?!
Hmm...China has some of the smartest kids in the world..coincidence? I think not... )
It Reduces Osteoperosis - bone density has a rebound affect after weaning. Even though breastfeeding uses the mother's calcium stores, when the mother stops lactating her body actually INCREASES prior bone density therefore lessening bone loss later.
It Reduces Rheumatoid Arthritis - According to a Swedish study breastfeeding for more than 12 months can reduce a woman's risk for rheumatoid arthritis by 50%. Info from this
Medical News Today Article
It Continues to Help with Weight loss - The longer a mother breastfeeds the longer she burns the extra calories needed to produce milk therefore losing weight easier and faster and keeping it off longer.
It Reduces Coronary Disease - A 2009 study at the University of Pittsburgh showed that breastfeeding at least two years lowers the risk of coronary heart disease by 23 percent.
So as you can see there are many very good reasons to continue breastfeeding beyond one year not only for Danica but for me too. I respect any mother's decision to wean at one year or earlier, or to not breastfeed at all. I just ask that you offer me the same respect of my decision to breastfeed for longer than one year, past those first few steps, first teeth, signs for milk, words, or sentences, etc, etc...
