How long should you breastfeed?

[Frankie Lee]

I have always been told that after a year you should ween them away, but I know people who would breastfeed until their children were 4 and 5....is that right??? The children would go up an lift up the Mom's shirt and just start sucking, I think that's a little over the top! But I know everyone has a different opinion.

[Brandi]

I am totally for mom's right to choose. If you're comfortable going to 2 or 3, then whatever floats your boat (anything after 3 is unacceptable to me... preschoolers do not need to nurse and should be getting their nutrients from food). That said, I have heard from three different peds that there is really no added benefit from breastfeeding past 1 year of age. if it were me personally, 1 year would be the definite limit. Jaxon was totally off the bottle and formula by 12 months (Shelby will be also), so I don't see why breastfeeding past that point would be necessary either. For most moms who don't give it up until the child is older, I truly believe it's more for mom's benefit (likes the bonding, doesn't want to fight the weaning battle, etc), but past 12 months I really don't think there are any real nutritional benefits.

[IgglesmumX2]

I agree with Brandy...my personal opinion is if the kid is old enough to ask for the boob they are too old to get it! But anyway, everything I've ever been told says after 1 year its purely emotional nursing.

[mara_jade81]

yeah i agree that if the kid is asking for the boob then they don't need it

madison weaned herself at a year. if she hadn't i would have tried to have her weaned by 15-18 months at most. by then they can eat so many other foods and can have cow's milk so i don't think they need the breast milk.

Aiden weaned himself at 13 months. I think Gwen will take a little longer, probably around 18 months before she is completely weaned. She is still BF 3-4 x's a day, but she's only 11mos. She will probably only BF in the morning and at bedtime after 1yr until she is 18 months old.

[Bex]

i had to go back to work when z was 2 weeks old. i was a manager for my dad's restaurant so she came to work with me and i bf her a couple times during the day and in the morning and at night. then at 2.5 months, i went to work for countrywide home loans, and had a hard time pumping during my breaks. i continued to BF when we woke up in the morning, before bed, and during the night when she woke up, but my supply died at about 5 months....

i don't think there should be a "set" period of time for BF. it should be based on what the mother is comfortable with (what she feels is right for her and her baby) because if the mom isn't happy or comfortable with BF, it makes it harder to do so and thus stresses her and the baby out.

[Bex]

i must add, though... if the kid is old enough to ask for your "tits" and/or lift your shirt up demanding boob, thats probably too old....

[Jill]

my goal is to last 1 year. after that it is when trent wants to stop. my personally opinion is that your BM changes as the child grows. so what nutrients trent needs now is different from what he needs 3,6, or 9 months from now.

Originally Posted by exNavychick But anyway, everything I've ever been told says after 1 year its purely emotional nursing.

I'm sorry, but that is a load of crap. My peds when I was back in PA said it was just fine to nurse up to 18 months without it being "emotional nursing". My mother AND friend's mother were also RN's involved with LLL. Here is a quote directly off ot the LLL website:
{and if you want proof, here's the link-> http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/bflength.html }

How long should a mother breastfeed? A mother and her baby should breastfeed for as long as they wish to breastfeed. The American Academy of Pediatrics currently (2005) recommends: "Pediatricians and parents should be aware that exclusive breastfeeding is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first 6 months of life and provides continuing protection against diarrhea and respiratory tract infection. Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child." * As solids are introduced, usually around the middle of the first year, your baby will shift his primary source of nutrition from your milk to other foods. All the benefits of human milk--including nutritional and health--continue for as long as your baby receives your milk. In fact, as your baby takes less human milk, these advantages are condensed into what milk is produced. Many of the health benefits of human milk are dose related, that is, the longer the baby receives human milk, the greater are the benefits. *See http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;115/2/496

Now it is a mother and child's mutual desicion on how long to breastfeed, but do not give me this **** that it's all emotional. Sorry, this is just one comment that pisses me off. There are nutritional benefits to continued nursing. Granted it my MY choice to continue up to 18 months IF my child wants to. Anyone else can do what they want too.

[Brandi]

I personally do not believe there that many NUTRITIONAL benefits to extended nursing (past one year). I do think it's more emotional than nutritional after that point, but that doesn't mean that moms and babies should stop if they are not ready to. Just as I didn't jerk away Jaxon's paci when he was exactly one year, I wouldn't expect a nursing mom to just up and stop on their 1st birthday either. I do realize some peds will say there are nutritional benefits to extended nursing, but there are also others out there (such as the three I spoke of) who said there really isn't THAT much extra benefit from it (besides the emotional side). Just because it's emotional, that does not make it BAD. Babies are emotional creatures and I don't think breastfeeding should always be stopped b/c the baby is mainly benefiting emotionally and not so much nutritionally. But like someone stated before, when they are old enough to ask for it, I think that's pretty much too old, and I believe the same thing about the bottle and pacifier, as well.

No need to get upset, Jen. Its okay to have different beliefs