The good news is that there is so much evidence to support the benefits of your choice. You will eventually toughen up to the critique, or at least learn to ignore it. It can also be really helpful to amass a group of friends who also nurse their little ones past infancy. You can find these like-minded parents at breastfeeding support groups, both in-person and online.
Some parents only nurse at nap time and nighttime. Others only do so at other set times each day. Your child may be upset at first, but your mental health is important too, so if setting nursing boundaries is important for you to make this work, your child will adjust. Many toddlers continue to want to nurse at night. If nighttime nursing works well for you, go for it. You can substitute nighttime sessions with water, a back rub, or other soothing techniques.
Some parents find that a partner has to take over for a few nights, as their child only wants to nurse if the breastfeeding parent is around.
Doing so is a very personal decision that each family has to make on their own. Most nursing toddlers naturally wean sometime between 2—4 years. Extended breastfeeding has been taboo for many years, but fortunately, the tide seems to be turning.
Celebrities such as Mayim Bialik, Salma Hayek, Alanis Morissette, and Alyssa Milano have all shared their experiences of breastfeeding to 12 months and beyond, helping normalize the experience.
Your decision about whether to nurse long term is one that you should feel empowered to make on your own terms and in whatever way works for you, your child, and your family. Breastfeeding has many benefits for both babies and their mothers.
It can protect against illness and disease while promoting a healthy weight. It adds: "You and your baby can carry on enjoying the benefits of breastfeeding for as long as you like. The World Health Organization agrees that breastfeeding should continue "up to two years of age or beyond". But Dr Max Davie, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, says there is limited evidence of additional nutritional benefit beyond the age of two.
However, there are lots of factors involved in any woman's decision to carry on, cut back or stop breastfeeding. They include going back to work, support from family and friends, and feeling comfortable and confident breastfeeding. There is also the emotional attachment it can promote between mother and child.
By six months of age, only a third of babies are getting some breast milk and this drops to 0. According to an international study published in early , the UK has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. Child health experts say women can experience problems getting breastfeeding started and they may not always receive enough practical advice and support. Weiss regularly tells her patients that nursing has just as many benefits for a baby who is 18 or 24 months as it does for a newborn.
She shares the top benefits of extended breastfeeding here. Regardless of how old your baby is, he or she will continue to benefit from the protein, calcium, fat, vitamin A, and other nutrients in breast milk. Weiss compares the nutrition benefits to a vegetable, like spinach. The amount of spinach you eat doesn't take away from its nutritional value. Spinach, whether it's your first serving or your 1,th, is still good for you.
Babies who breastfeed have decreased incidences of illness and lower mortality rates. The immunity benefits improve the longer a baby breastfeeds. Moms who breastfeed are less likely to have breast cancer.
There's also a reduced risk of ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer. The benefits are cumulative, meaning that if a mom breastfeeds two babies for two years each, the benefit is equal to that of a mom who breastfeeds four babies each for a year.
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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Babies and toddlers Home Babies and toddlers Breastfeeding - deciding when to stop. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Breastfeeding Breastmilk in the first year Breastfeeding benefits Stopping breastfeeding early Take your time to wean your baby When to introduce solid foods Iron requirements Breastfeeding while pregnant Extended breastfeeding The child who does not want to be weaned Where to get help.
Breastfeeding The World Health Organization recommends that all babies be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then gradually introduced to appropriate foods after 6 months while continuing to breastfeed for 2 years or beyond. Breastmilk in the first year Breastmilk contains all the nourishment needed to promote normal healthy growth and development in babies in their first 6 months of life and remains the most important food during their first year. Breastfeeding benefits Breastfeeding even for a short time is beneficial.
Stopping breastfeeding early Sometimes, weaning needs to happen earlier or more quickly than planned. Iron requirements A baby born at full term has a store of iron passed on from the mother during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding while pregnant If you become pregnant , you may choose to continue to breastfeed or you may like to gradually wean your baby. Extended breastfeeding Some parents and babies enjoy breastfeeding so much they are in no hurry to stop. The child who does not want to be weaned You may be ready to cease breastfeeding, but your child may resist all your attempts to do so.
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