Extending breastfeeding

Extended breastfeeding...breastfeeding a baby beyond one year of age. Why would one do such a thing? I breastfed Harrison for 14 months and plan on letting Kadie determine when she wants to stop. This is actually a very common to nurse beyond age one everywhere else but the US. I stopped breasfeeding Harrison mainly due to social pressure which was silly. By the time they are one year of age, most kids get a large portion of their nutrition from solid food but breast milk still provides calories, valuable immunities, vitamins and enzymes. Studies do show that BFing toddlers get sick less than their peers.

During those toddler years your little one becomes so independent so extended BFing can be great for reassurance and emotional support. It will foster independence rather than making them clingy or overly dependent as well intended bystanders may say.

In our culture we tend to push kids to grow up to fast and do not let them be babies for long enough. If you sit in a room full of moms with babies the same age, you will observe the conversation of what all milestones your baby has reached.Why do we push these sweet little ones to grow up so fast? They are only little for such a short period of time, enjoy it, savor it, treasure it because they will be some of the fondest memories you have!

Studies show that forcing a child to wean before he/she is ready developmentally can contribute to a more clingy child.

Ok so there are also countless studies on how good breastfeeding is for you baby. I'll hi-light them:

Risk of illness lowered: diabetes, heart disease, and central nervous system degenerative disorders (such as multiple sclerosis) to name a few

The longer a baby nurses, the smarter the child is to become: the brain triples in size during the first two years of life - breast fed babies get the smart fats (DHA) which are uniqure to breast milk and cannot be duplicated.

Healthier in general over lifespan

Leaner bodies/less risk of obesity

Improved vision

Better hearing due to less ear infections

Dental health due natural suckign action which helps new teeth align properly

Breastmilk contains IGA which coats the lining of intestines and keeps germs from penetrating so it helps the immune system.

Less digestive problems

Smoother/supple skin

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially recommends mothers breastfeed until three years of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mothers should breastfeed "at least until one year of age and then as long as baby and mother mutually want to.

Here is something cool I read in one of my Mothering magazines:

Breastfed toddlers get complete nutrition
Research shows that the fat and energy content of breastmilk actually increases after the first year.⁸ Breastmilk adapts to a toddler's developing system, providing exactly the right amount of nutrition at exactly the right time.⁹ In fact, research shows that between the ages of 12 and 24 months, 448 milliliters of a mother's milk provide these percentages of the following minimum daily requirements:

Energy 29%
Folate 76%
Protein 43%
Vitamin B12 94%
Calcium 36%
Vitamin C 60%¹⁰
Vitamin A 75%

Benefits for mama:

Emotional well being due to release of prolaction and oxytocin and endorphins

Reduces risks of ovarian, uterine and breast cancer and even diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis

I can be a natural birth control for some women due to absence of menstruation (not me!)

I've got a bunch of more info to add but my family is being needy right now

Here are some links:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBextended.html
http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Feeding/Ask-Dr.-Sears-Extended-Breastfeeding----Handling-the-Criticism
http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/breastfeeding/extended-breastfeeding.html