Extended Breastfeeding – Beyond Year One

Extended breastfeeding beyond your child’s first year is something that you may be criticized for by family, friends, and even strangers.  However, there are a lot of benefits of nursing your child beyond the first year, and as mother to your child, follow your instincts.

First of all,  continuing to breastfeed allows you to build on the bond that you and your child have already developed.  When your child is sick or hurt, nothing means more to your child than being comforted by being nursed.  That is only something that you and your child can share.

As well, breastfeeding beyond your child’s first year increases the health benefits for both of you.  For moms who nurse for two years, it decreases the risk of getting breast cancer before menopause.  It also decreases the chances of developing cancers of the ovaries or uterus, and bone loss due to osteoporosis.

For your child, extended breastfeeding has a lot of health benefits as well.  Your breast milk contains omega 3’s which are fatty acids that you get through your diet.  Fortunately, these omega 3’s also get passed on to your growing child throughout the nursing experience.  Omega 3’s are important for eye and brain development, which results in better eyesight and findings of higher IQ’s in breastfed babies.  The longer you nurse, the better it is for your child in decreasing his/her chances of developing diseases such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes in the future.  Your child’s teeth and jaw will also be better aligned due to the kind of suckling that nursing at a breast requires.

Extended breastfeeding beyond your child’s first year is encouraged by the American Pediatric Society and the World Health Organization.  This obviously shows that there are health benefits for the nursing child and mother.  If it feels right, then don’t stop.  You and your child will know when it’s time to quit.  For further support or information in your decision to nurse your baby after the first year, you will find Mothering Your Nursing Toddler helpful to read. It has some good information on what to do when your child demands to nurse in public, dealing with critics and so on. And if you find that you are pregnant and are considering nursing two children, you will like Adventures in Tandem Nursing: Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and BeyondEnjoy!