Why you should breastfeed your toddler

Dec 21, 2011 11:00 AM by Monica Beyer

Posted in Parenting / Age by Age / Baby & Toddler

Breastfeeding Benefits Don't End At One

If you've made it a full year breastfeeding your baby, you are doing great. But the benefits to nursing, for both you and your little one, don't end when her first 12 months do, especially during the colder months when colds and the flu run rampant. Read on to learn why you should continue breastfeeding and a few tips on what to say to those who may raise their eyebrows.

toddler breastfeeding

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until at least two years of age -- and beyond that if desired. However, mothers in the U.S. don't often breastfeed past one year. Nursing, while becoming more of a cultural norm for mothers of infants, still suffers from social stigma, particularly the topic of nursing in public and breastfeeding beyond 12 months of age. The good news is that nursing your toddler is healthy, normal and recommended. Here's why.

Learn why Target is facing a nurse-in >>

Overwhelming benefits

Your breast milk, which has been a valuable source of nutrition for your little one from the day she was born, continues to help provide nourishment for as long as you nurse her. As your baby grows older, the nutritional content of your milk changes to suit her needs.

Even better, you will continue to produce antibodies -- valuable disease-fighting bonuses -- the entire time you breastfeed your child. This can make the duration of your child's illness, if she were to get sick, shorter.

Jolene, mother of three, nursed her second child for 16 months and is currently breastfeeding a newborn. "She was never very sick," she explained. "I'd get a nasty cold and she would get a sniffle. I'm tempted to mix expressed breast milk into her milk to give her more antibodies."

Adverse health effects have been documented in developing countries when children are weaned before three years of age. In Guinea-Bissau, for example, children of this age group who no longer breastfed had a mortality rate 3 1/2 times higher than their nursing peers. While the consequences are not as dire in the industrialized world, those statistics are startling enough to consider how breastfeeding beyond one year continues to have its merits.

Keeping Mom close

Breastfeeding isn't solely about nutrition, either. Babies learn to love nursing for the warmth and closeness it provides. The breast becomes their home and a physical connection to their mother. As your baby grows, he may reach out to you to nurse after a tumble or a scare. Continuing to nurse beyond one year can also help alleviate stress in new situations or when your little one needs some extra comfort or reassurance.

What to say

If you get the stink eye for nursing your 1-, 2- or 3-year-old, you may feel flustered, defensive or embarrassed. You may choose to nurse "in the closet" because of how you picture your family, friends or the public reacting.

Bolster yourself in advance with a few things to say, such as:

The WHO recommends a minimum of two years
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least 12 months
Both organizations encourage breastfeeding beyond these recommendations
Your toddler can fight off illness easier while still nursing
Breastmilk helps fill in any nutritional gaps left behind by a toddler's picky diet

You can also smile and say, "This is what works best for my family." Simply knowing the peace it instills in a child can be reason enough. Lisa, mother of a 23-month-old girl, said, "All I know is Madison still enjoys it and it makes her happy and comforts her."

More breastfeeding info

Breastfeeding help: Getting baby to latch on
How to breastfeed in public
Why moms choose to breastfeed

Tags: breastfeeding extended breastfeeding

Comments

Comments on "Why you should breastfeed your toddler"

Also I would like to add that I did not potty train my child, let him speak, or walk until he was seven either. This helped keep him in the house away from jezebels and life experiences that could lead to personal development.

I personally believe that their is nothing wrong with breast feeding. However, when the child gets teeth and is able to eat solid food, then I believe it is time for them to stop breastfeeding. As they get older they don't *need* to breastfeed. I was never breastfed, and neither were my sister or brother. My mom just couldn't produce milk. We are all well-rounded and extremely close to our parents. My friend, who was breastfed, is not close to her parents at all. In fact, she hates them. Breastfeeding has absolutely nothing to do with how close you are to your parents. I don't breastfeed my nephew, yet he's closer to me than he is to his own mother...

truely sick! Breast feeding passes the mother's immunity on to the child. It also helps the mother avoid having another child before she has fully recovered from her pregnancy, such as in 3rd world countries where health care is very lacking. The purpose is to feed the child. Once the teeth have come in, the child is able to eat solid food. If this is how you interprete the world, how do you feel about teachers? Have any done a study of over 250 plus individuals that were breast fed and remember the experiance and seen the final results over life times?

I breast fed my son until he was seven and it's perfectly normal. It's also helped him weed out false women in his life and, I'm proud to say that, while so many other men like to gallivant around, my son, now 26, has chosen to stay living home with me. He is what he was raised to be, a kind, mother-is-first kind of gentleman and I'm very proud of him.

I am a mother of three, breast fed two of them for at least 20mo or more. Currently nursing #3. All i have to say is... I did. They did, Sam does. And THAT'S WHAT GOD INTENDED. if you don't like it don't look. And worry about your own child. The things our children are exposed to now days. And your worried about the most natural thing. How sad....

I am currently nursing my 22½-month old, and she will self-wean. Some people who throw out the argument about pumping for toddlers apparently do not understand that the pump is not as efficient as a nursling at removing milk from the breast. Pumping can work fine for many months (I pumped for 21 months at work) because the amount of milk that is being produced is so much greater in the beginning. But, as the child gets older and his or her diet begins to depend more and more on solid food, the supply of milk decreases and pumping becomes more difficult. The weaning process is something that takes place over many months, beginning with the introduction of solids. Weaning from dependence on expressed breast milk is one of the steps, so to speak. But, just because a child is no longer drinking expressed breast milk in a cup doesn't mean that he or she cannot benefit from consuming breast milk into his or her toddler years. There is nothing more effective at soothing a teething toddler than nursing. There is nothing more effective when a toddler has a nightmare. There is nothing more effective when a toddler simply gets frustrated or doesn't feel well. Mothers who choose to breast feed their children should be supported and encouraged and not ridiculed because the benefits of breastfeeding continue for as long as you continue to do it.

My mother never breast fed me, and I think I turned out fine. I was always at the top of my class in school, I am rarely ever sick (once every two years, for a few days at most), and have a close relationship with my parents, whom love more than anyone else in the world. None of my friends were breastfed either, and they are all intellegent, well adjusted, caring adults. Breast feeding may be great, but in my case (and in the case of most of my friends and family), your pro-breast arguements don't even apply. Great parenting, encourgaging a love of learning (and not making it a chore or punishment like most paernts seem to do nowadays), and simply using common sense makes for healthy, intellegent, well adjusted children. Not just breast milk. And on the topic of breastfeeding in public, I don't mind it if the woman adequately covers herself... but I don't think it's right when they don't even try to cover up a little. I don't see women's breasts as solely being sexual things, but I still don't enjoy when some lady whips her boob out to feed her child. It's just awkward. Really, when women breastfeed in public I see it as a lack of respect for everyone else. Just because you decided to have a child doesn't give you the right to whip your breast out whenever you please. It may be an inconvenience to find a private place, but that's life. Most breastfeeding mothers I know use a breast pump to bottle milk for when they are going somewhere with little private space for breastfeeding. Makes sense really. I don't know, to each their own I guess.

people should stop and realise why this is so much diecease in America,the children immune system is weak and no resistence to any type of cold or flu. Also there is no connection between mother and children that is the reason the nursing home is overcrowded. there is no love. i support breastfeeding 100%

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the BREASTFEEDING Advocates! Stephanie are you sure your teenagers are horrified by the thought of having their mouth on your breast?. By the way that you express yourself and disrespect others it is obvious that what they are really telling is that they are HORRIFIED by having you as their mother!. I BREASTFED my son for 5+ year and I am very proud of that!he stopped when my daughter was born. My daughter is 17 months old and I will breastfeed her for as long as she wishes!. Saying that a mother is forcing a child to breastfeed shows that you have no idea about how breastfeeding works!why talking about a subject that you don't even know? FYI a mother can not force a child to breastfeed and a mother and her baby should breastfeed for as long as they wish to breastfeed!. I do get my I don't give a damn attitude with ignorants like you! and like Al said, we do care about society! by breastfeeding we are creating a better, healthier, smarter and more caring society for all of us. THANK YOU Al for your wonderful words! like your wife I am also bless to have a wonderful husband who has the same feelings towards breastfeeding as you. God bless you all!

Looking at this long list of comments, it's obvious that there are more breastfeeding advocates :-) That's because their experience proves that the benefits for children's health far outweigh the nasty comments of people who have no appreciation for it. It's so good to see that there are many mothers out there who acknowledge that their body is designed by God to nurture life. For all the Mother's out there, Happy Mother's Day!

Stephanie, You are the one who started the name calling, with your original post. Perhaps, if you had decided to argue this with some decency, people wouldn't be name calling you. You said things such as "disgusting", "cave people", "makes me want to vomit", forcing your kids, "born in a hay bail", and that our kids might hate us. You provoked people to not like you and frankly, neither do I. You clearly have your opinion, and so do the others here. As a male, I absolutely love that my wife continues to breastfeed our 19 month old. He loves his mother and the thought of taking him away from something he absolutely loves (nursing), makes me want to vomit (to use your own words). I would never force my wife to continue breastfeeding but completely support her desire to do so. When I see a woman breastfeeding in public, it in no way disgusts me. Breasts are not sexual; they are first and foremost functional. It's sad that our society has made them that way and that you have fallen for that trap. What exactly is so disgusting about a 1, 2 or 3 year old nursing? It's not the milk itself, obviously, because you don't mind a bottle. Just the thought of a toddler latching on? Seriously? Besides, how many babies never would take a bottle (such as ours). What would you suggest then? Would your solution be to deprive them of milk entirely since the thought of a nipple in a mouth is so revolting to you? You know what's disgusting? Your hate for your own body. Something must have happened in your life and I'm sorry for whatever that was. But don't accuse others of being defensive and somewhat offensive when you started this argument with the tone that you did. To all the breastfeeding mothers out there; thank you! You may not realize it, but I firmly believe you are creating a better, healthier, smarter and more caring society for all of us.

I agree with Stephanie somewhat, but the firmness is something I have had to give up somewhat. Some people are fiercely into breastfeeding in ways that we may not agree with. Our society--and many for a long time, let's not pretend everything sexual is a modern invention--sexualizes breasts. I believe we have evolved to see them sexually somewhat. As a female myself, I cannot help but enjoy looking at them. But let's not give into popular naturalistic fallacies (it is natural, therefore OK, always!), or seek to destroy culture because we feel our society is too prudish. Each culture is different. Many people in the west view breastfeeding as being a healthy, but private act, as well as one that should be done by the time our kids will start making memories. in my personal opinion, three is a little late. But it is not so bad comparing it to mothers who continue at say, 6. Some of them seem to be doing this "healthy" thing for themselves, isolating their children from their peers. I would feel very strange remembering Mom's breasts. I'd rather not, even if she was loving and doing the "right" thing. If you think that is sad, well, we cannot change our culture overnight, or even in a decade so easily. Let's compromise. That is the adult thing to do. Do consider what society thinks. I think there are too many people out there with a "I don't give a damn" attitude. I think it hurts us quite a lot. Let's compromise.

Yes, I am entitled to my own opinion, and yes, if I saw someone breastfeeding a toddler it would look like pedophilia to me. Maybe it's because I live in NY and things are different here. I'm just saying how I feel. It doesn't make me a moron, or ignorant, or in need of therapy. It makes me a person who happens to have a different opinion than you. I think part of being a responsible parent is seeing all sides of the story. If you choose not to weigh both sides of the equation, you are doing a great disservice to yourself and your children. And truthfully, I couldn't care less what society thinks of me. If I did, I wouldn't be the only one who has the guts to be saying this right now. I do, however, care what society thinks of my children, and I will not give anyone any reason to pick on them. If I was the only person who thought extended breastfeeding was a bad idea, this article wouldn't have been written in the first place.

In the 21 months I have been nursing my daughter I have NEVER had one negative comment. Why are you so worried about what society is going to think about what you choose to do? You're entitled to your own opinion, but when you compare breastfeeding a toddler to molestation and pedophilia that is plain ignorance.

Thank you to the people who had intelligent responses. I do not have an unhealthy body image, or an unhealthy image on sexuality. But I think that the parents who think that extended breastfeeding is okay should think about the way society is going to treat your child. They will be made fun of. Have you ever seen that movie "Grown Ups"? There is a 4 year old breastfeeding, and a good part of the movie is poking fun at him and his mother. Is that what you want for your children? I think that if you want your children to have the benefits of breast milk at an older age, you should pump it. I'm sorry if you all think I need therapy, but honestly, I'm not the only one who feels this way. I just happen to be one of the few who have the guts to speak my mind.

Wow. What a rebuttle. I hope your children grow up to be as smart as you so they can call people names too. How very second grade of you.

Stephanie, I'm so sorry you seem to have such a warped view of sexuality and your own body and that you feel there is something dirty or wrong about breastfeeding at all let alone extended breastfeeding. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have such disgust for one's own body or to somehow view a loving bond as something dirty and shameful. I think probably there are reasons you feel this way, ones which are not appropriate for a comments section on the Internet but ones which I hope you have found someone with whom to discuss them so that you can heal. I breastfed until I was 5. I love my mother. I love myself. Thankfully I don't view my body as nothing more than some sort of sexual device that I should feel shame about. I hold two university degrees. I'm well adjusted. I hold no deviant views about sexuality nor do I turn every body I see into a sexual object. Please don't worry about me. I hope you can overcome the issues that have made you see your body as something shameful and to view a healthy bond as something perverse.

Stephanie, have you forgotten that women have breasts for the main reason of feeding our children? The fact that you are sexualizing breastfeeding a toddler deeply saddens me. Molestation and pedophilia? Give your head a shake.

Stephanie is a moron, plain and simple.

I agree with Linda. It's disgusting. You are forcing your child to give you some sort of pleasure, or because you're too lazy to make a bottle. They don't know any better. Yes, breast milk is best, but they make breast pumps for a reason. Pump it and give your kid a bottle. The same immunities come through. If you use a cell phone, a microwave, or a laptop, you are not a "natural" person, so don't use the excuse that breasts were made for that, and it's natural. I am horrified at the thought that I was breastfed. It makes me want to vomit. I also think breastfeeding a 3 year old borders on molestation and pedophilia. I have 3 children, who are now teenagers, and are horrified by the thought of having their mouths on my breast and glad it was never forced on them. You are not cave people. Unless you go out and kill your own food every day, you should stop acting like you were born in a hay bail. When your children get older, they might just hate you for it.