Nursing Beyond A Year

I always knew I wanted to be a mom and I always knew I wanted to breastfeed. I am the youngest of four children, and my mom successfully breastfed all of us. It was just in my DNA to breastfeed!

A 36 hour labor with my first, Taj, and ten day stay in the NICU was not the ideal start for breastfeeding bliss. He was diagnosed with “breastfeeding jaundice”. The doctor had me stop feeding at the breast (which was going great) and pump and feed my milk. They do this to make sure the baby is getting enough. The hard part was getting him back to the breast. I tried so hard, and after days of tears and frustration I left the NICU with zero success at feeding at the breast. I then committed myself to pumping and feeding or what I like to call double duty! With much dedication, I pumped every three hours. My pump never left my side and the sound of the pump “eeh-ha eeh-ha eeh-ha” is burned into my memory for life! Formula was just not an option for me.

So I pumped and I fed and I pumped and I fed for five long months. Dealing with the loss of my sister brought me so close to my breaking point. I probably would have succumbed to the formula gods when suddenly my luck shifted. Taj awoke in the middle of the night (out of our normal routine) and he was HUNGRY!!! I had forgotten to clean my pump the night before. I had two choices: I could get up clean my pump and then pump for 15-20 minutes while listening to him scream his head off, or I could just try to latch him. So, in a pitch black room Taj latched on perfectly and we continued this perfect relationship for 14 months.

Looking back there are a few things I would have done differently. First of all, I would have contacted a lactation professional immediately and attended support groups until I was able to feed Taj at the breast, thus shortening the duration of all that FUN pumping and giving me more time to spend with Taj. Another thing I wish I would have considered was nursing well beyond the first year. In my head I had committed my nipples for at least one year, but didn’t fully understand that there are benefits to breastfeeding beyond a year.

From what I know and have witnessed, breastfeeding children substantially advances their cognitive development. My cousin Daniel was breastfed well into second year of life and mastered the rubix cube by age three! Then there is my neighbor’s daughter, Brooke, who is swimming, potty trained and having conversations all before age two! There is research to prove this. Extensive research on the relationship between cognitive achievement and breastfeeding has shown the greatest gains for those children breastfed the longest.

Breastfeeding children are sick less often. Antibodies are present in human milk throughout lactation. Studies show that immunity actually increases during the second year and weaning process.

Breastfeeding children adjust better and thrive socially. Breastfeeding is a soft and gentle way to meet the never ending needs of toddlers and young children. It is natures way of soothing the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early life.

Breastfeeding beyond a year 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 psychological or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer.” The World Health Organization recommends nursing well into the second year of life!

Moms also benefit from nursing beyond a year. Extended nursing delays the onset of fertility in some women by suppressing ovulation. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and endometrial cancer. Studies have found a significant inverse association between duration of lactation and breast cancer risk. Breastfeeding protects against osteoporosis. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Breastfeeding has been shown to decrease insulin requirements in diabetic women. My favorite benefit helps mom to return to pre-pregnancy shape quicker due to the calorie demand of making milk! "Breast milk continues to provide substantial amounts of key nutrients well beyond the first year of life, especially protein, fat, and most vitamins." -- Dewey 2001

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breast milk provides: 29% of energy requirements 43% of protein requirements 36% of calcium requirements 75% of vitamin A requirements 76% of folate requirements 94% of vitamin B12 requirements 60% of vitamin C requirements -- Dewey 2001

WOW! That was an earful or an eyeful however you want to put it! If you are thinking about nursing beyond a year DO IT! Do it for me! Oh, and I am jealous of all you moms out there with your cute toddler feeding stories! But don’t feel bad. I plan to have some with Junie!

So tell me what you think? How do you feel about nursing a toddler? Tell me your thoughts. How have you enjoyed breastfeeding beyond a year? Do you wish you would have nursed longer? Happy Breastfeeding,Shannon