Breastfeeding not more than 2 years

[Danellie]

I breastfeed my son. Although not exclusively 'coz sometimes he wants to feed on bottle.
He is 23 months old now.

One day, a friend saw me breastfeeding him and told me not to breastfeed after he turns 2.
She said that according to her doctor, breastfeeding for more than 2 years will not bring good to a child
for he may also get the toxins his mother has.

I've read a lot from another thread here that some moms breastfeed their babies for more than 2 years
My son's pediatrician is out of the country so I think I can count on you guys.

Do you have any idea about how long should we really be breastfeeding our babies?

[kmum]

You should breastfeed your baby for as long as you both wish to continue.  It is totally a personal decision.   I plan to breastfeed dd until past 2 yrs. of age & then let her wean herself whenever she is ready. 

 I totally disagree with your friend. I have done a lot of reading on breasfeeding & never heard anything about toxins from the mom.  If you think about it, most of what we eat has some sort of toxins in it. Breastfeeding probably gives him more immunity to cope with the toxins that are in our food supply.  As I noted in the other thread, studies have shown that a breasfeeding 2 yr old will be sick less often than one who is not.  This even includes kids who are nursing only once every 2 days.  Isn't mother's milk amazing.

Your 2 yr. old will definately continue to benefit from breastfeeding.

[DomanMom]

One day, a friend saw me breastfeeding him and told me not to breastfeed after he turns 2.
She said that according to her doctor, breastfeeding for more than 2 years will not bring good to a child
for he may also get the toxins his mother has.

That's a bit ridiculous, to say the least. Toxins are NOT passed on through breast milk - which is why mother can be completely sick and still breastfeed without her baby getting sick. Breast milk actually produces antibodies for the baby: every time the baby nurses, the breast milk changes to meet the needs of the baby. So if the baby has picked up some germs, when he breastfeeds Mommy's body will create antibodies against those germs and pass them onto baby at the next feeding.

As kmum said, studies consistently show that the longer a child breastfeeds, the healthier he will be, and IQ points go up too. It seems silly that a doctor would assert himself and say that breastfeeding at 23 months is fine, but 24 months is harmful.

I exclusively breastfed until 14 months, but now I look back and wish I would have gone at least a little longer, simply because breast milk is the most supreme, perfect nutrient in nature, and is the best gift (health-wise) that you can give your child.

My personal choice, for my future babies, would probably be to be weaned by about 2 1/2, maybe 3, because for Hunter, by 2 1/2, was so much a little man at that point, he wasn't a baby anymore at all, and it seems like a good time for me to stop. But that's just my personal option, what I think would work for me, what I will probably do next time, and everyone has there own feelings about weaning. However it is completely a personal option and you shouldn't let anyone influence your decision other than you. I let the culture influence me to believe that a baby "should" be done breastfeeding at one year, so when he was 14 months old and still breastfeeding I was convinced that he was "too old". I regret that now, so don't make a choice that you will regret later, because you're the one who will have to live with it, not your doctor or your friend or the lady at the check-out isle.

[Nikolett]

While living in  Africa local emphasis was to encourage mothers to breastfeed at LEAST till 2y.o. Some 4 y.o.were still nursing. I agree, it's a personal choice, no physical harm will come. On the other hand your kid can become overdependent on you (clinging) as they need to learn a bit about independence after 2y.o. and if you nurse often you might have him/her around all the time, that could get too much. Personally I stopped breastfeeding exclusively when my baby would stop sleeping through the night as it's a sign they need more food. Total weaning happened differently as each kid was ready, but never "on the schedule."

[spiritess]

Go tell her to mind her own business, stupid woman    I am still breast feeding my youngest Holly who is 2years and 3 months, and will continue to do so, until she decides otherwise :tongue2: Breast feeding her is natural, and at times when she is getting "stressed and upset" putting her on, quickly calms her down.  You do what you think is right, and don,t be put off by (in my opinion, busy bodies, who don,t know what they are talking about)
She is not clingy at all, and she does have cow,s milk as well, and is eating a well balanced diet. All in all a happy little girl


Fiona

[meandlinc]

It kind of sounds like your friend may be put off by it and perhaps looking for something to say to have you do what she views as appropriate. My son weaned himself a 6 months and I wish I could have nursed him longer but he was done - he also had 8 teeth and more coming in, so it may be that he just didn't need it anymore. My father-in-law grew up in the country & he was breastfed till age 2 and apparently, that was pretty common. He is very smart - we call him google. His brother was also breastfed till 2, and he is of average intelligence.  I don't know if  all of you had the same experience, but after becoming a parent, it seems everyone wants to impart wisdom on you - like their way is best, sometimes a little intrusively (don't get me started) but I believe that if people can raise kids to shoot poisonous blowdarts at monkeys in the rainforest and Hollywwod celebs raise kids also (good or bad), then there must be as many ways to do this as there are kids and parents, no? Do what is right for you - you and your child are both unique.

[Tanikit]

My daughter is 13 months old and I am still breastfeeding her and plan to continue for now. When I started breastfeeding I just wanted to cope with the first six weeks and then to three months and then six months then a year and so on. I have never set out to say how long I will breastfeed for and even now I cannot say - I will breastfeed til it is no longer right for the two of us - maybe she will decide to self wean and maybe I will have to wean her. Its so personal. You have already given your child the best start so if you want to stop, don't ever feel guilty, but at the same time if you want to continue you are feeding her what God planned you to feed her and it is perfectly natural.

I live in South Africa and many woman breastfeed til quite late though I don't think I have ever seen anyone breastfeeding in public past the early toddler stage (about 18 months) but perhaps that is because the child can feed at home and doesn't need so much milk.

There is no more harm in giving a two year old breastmilk than there is in giving a three month old breastmilk - yes some drugs do go through breastmilk so as long as you remain as careful as you have been up til now you will do no damage. Full cream cows milk has also got hormones in it and can carry disease (although they do at least pasteurise it most of the time) Everything has its pros and cons so do what works for the two of you.

[Diana_UA]

I don't know if  all of you had the same experience, but after becoming a parent, it seems everyone wants to impart wisdom on you - like their way is best, sometimes a little intrusively

Oh, yes, I am sick and tired of such advisers. Some people ask me if I still breastfeed my daughter and after my reply they give me pieces of advice on how to wean her.  > Then I just tell them that I'll nurse my child as long as it is necessary for her. I think it is up to her to decide when it is enough. I just hope that I'll have milk for her. I had C-section, that's why I hadn't milk for a week, so now when I have it I think it is a crime to deprive my daughter of it. It is as if you immunize your child every day. Couple of days ago I got really sick with flu. I was afraid that Bozhena would get sick as well. But thanks God and breastfeeding she is fine. Moral: Long live breastfeeding mummies and breastfed babies!

[winth]

Hi, I would have chosen to breastfeed too my 2nd child if not for a medical condition.

He is a G6PD deficiency child, inherited from me as I am G6PD deficiency too. It is a common human enzyme defect. And G6PD infants tend to be yellow, my boy was yellow and had to be hospitalised. I was advised against breastfeeding by the doctor as it is said that G6PD infants will have difficulty trying to break down a certain nutrient from mummy's breastmilk, therefore aggravating his 'yellowish' condition.

That's when I gave up and had to turn to bottle milk. Really envy you mothers who persist in breastfeeding.

[Maddy]

I just read this online and wanted to share it with you guys:

"The average age of weaning around the world is 4.2 years."

It's an old fact (1992), but I think it's still quite a liberating one to have on hand the next time someone makes a stupid comment or asks why you're STILL BFing your child.

I also blogged on the subject just now... Do leave a comment, if you're interested!

Maddy

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