Forums > Parents with InfantsPage > 11by: God

Extended breastfeeding

posted 27th Feb '08

(Please note: You by no means have to agree with extended breastfeeding. However, the purpose of this is to attempt to debunk the notion that extended breastfeeding is harmful, unnatural, and will cause children to become "freaks" with "sexual issues". The AAP, LLL, etc. all support extended breastfeeding... and while you do not need to agree with them, they are the experts thus I think they deserve at least the consideration of your time reading what they have to say on this. Thank you.)

The Evidence in Favor of Breastfeeding

There is no evidence that breastfeeding a child beyond infancy is harmful. Quite the opposite is true: breastfeeding benefits toddlers and young children, both nutritionally and psychologically. Breastmilk remains a valuable source of protein, fat, calcium, and vitamins well beyond two years of age. (1) Immunities in breastmilk become more concentrated as nurslings mature; (2) at the same time, the likelihood of allergies decreases. (3) Mothers who nurse past infancy derive benefits as well, including a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancer the longer she continues nursing. (4)

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. In fact, prolonged nursing is associated with better social adjustment. (5)

Breastfeeding past infancy is as old as humanity. Still common in Western cultures as recently as a hundred years ago, the practice then underwent a sharp decline. Now, extended breastfeeding is becoming more popular, and medical professionals are beginning to recognize how valuable it is. While the American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledges the value of breastfeeding for the entire first year of life, (6) the US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (7) The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond. ( 8 ) What's more, the number of mothers currently nursing past infancy has created a nationwide market for a book on the subject, which includes an entire chapter on nursing past age four. (9)

Some people are upset, if not shocked, to learn that children can nurse for so long. Curiously, these same people are hardly surprised to see kindergartners sucking their thumbs or fingers. The truth is that the need to suck, like many other dependency needs, does not disappear overnight, and often lasts longer than we as a society are willing to accept. Indeed, the average age of weaning around the world is 4.2 years. (10)

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. Some youngsters who continue to nurse well into childhood are for many years nearly weaned. Actual weaning, says La Leche League, is a personal decision to be made by each mother, based on her particular family situation and individual circumstances. (11) Mothers instinctively know when the time is right.

Legality:

There is no evidence that breastfeeding a child beyond infancy is harmful. Quite the opposite is true: breastfeeding benefits toddlers and young children, both nutritionally and psychologically.

Over the past year, mothers have expressed growing concerns about the legality of extended breastfeeding. And with little wonder. The media has been giving more and more publicity to the subject, and social service agencies throughout the United States have been addressing these issues in their cases. Rest assured, however, breastfeeding is not child abuse or neglect, and no reported decisions to date claim that it is.

To the contrary, upon learning of the normalcy and frequency of extended nursing in this country, several social service agencies have closed out cases involving breastfeeding. A Minnesota mother was accused of abuse for nursing a six year old in public. In reality, she was nursing a three year old; and as soon as the child's age was established, the case was closed. In Tennessee, accusations against a mother nursing a four and a half year old were dropped. In Florida, a mother was cleared of abuse for nursing a six year old!

Although our society as a whole may not be knowledgeable about or supportive of extended breastfeeding, nursing mothers need not conclude they are at increased risk of encountering problems with social service agencies. In only a handful of cases has breastfeeding been involved, and most of these were resolved easily and favorably.

...

Prospects being what they are, what should breastfeeding mothers do? Should we hide our parenting practices? Lie to doctors, friends, and relatives? No! This course of action can only enhance any appearance of guilt and will in no way reduce the likelihood of problems. The best approach is to acknowledge the sad fact that social service agencies are in a state of crisis, and to realize that we as citizens have basic rights and protections built into the law.

http://www.llli.org/Law/LawExtended.html

Nursing a toddler is NORMAL

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired." They also note that "If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned." (AAFP 2001)

A US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (Novello 1990)

The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond (WHO 1992, WHO 2002).

Scientific research by Katherine A. Dettwyler, PhD shows that 2.5 to 7.0 years of nursing is what our children have been designed to expect (Dettwyler 1995).

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

The following link has comments from mothers who choose to extended breastfeed:

http://www.gentleparenting.com/ebf_faq.html

There is absolutely nothing at all unusual about a 20-month-old continuing to enjoy breastfeeding. Unfortunately, in our country, we don't see many toddlers and older children openly nursing, so many nursing mothers begin "closet nursing" to avoid confrontation with family, friends and strangers!

The natural time of weaning, of course, varies from child to child.

"In societies where children are allowed to nurse 'as long as they want,' they usually self-wean, with no arguments or emotional trauma, between three and four years of age ... The minimum predicted age for a natural age of weaning in humans is two and a half years, with a maximum of seven years." -- Katherine Dettwyler, PhD, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition at Texas A&M University, and author of "Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives."

http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tpweaning/0,,3x0w,00.html

C.

Extended breastfeeding

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