Whether they’re asking if there’s any harm in letting their little ones nurse a little longer, or they’re asking when they have official permission to stop, many breastfeeding moms wonder about the benefits of breastfeeding past the first year and into the toddler years. In either case, the answer isn’t any more definite than any other about feeding Baby – there are a few general guidelines, but the answer that’s right for your little one and your family will be based on their individual needs and desires, and your own.
Official recommendations
The World Health Organization and The American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend breastfeeding exclusively through the first 6 months, and continuing to breastfeed along with feeding complementary solids through the second year, and then as long as mutually desired by parent and child.
Nutritional benefits of extended breastfeeding
One reason that neither the WHO nor the AAP gives a cut-off date after which babies and young children should stop breastfeeding is because there is no evidence of a point when breastfeeding stops being a nutritious food source for children. In fact, as babies grow older, and start nursing less and less often on their own, breast milk starts to change in composition to meet the new pattern.
This means that breast milk that’s been pumped by moms who have been breastfeeding for longer than a year is more concentrated, containing antibodies, nutrients and more energy from fat than breast milk pumped earlier in the nursing relationship.
Immunological benefits of extended breastfeeding
Like the nutritional benefits of extended breastfeeding, the Mayo Clinic reports that evidence suggests that there’s no upper limit for the point when breast milk can benefit a growing immune system. Because immune systems are much less robust until age 5, older babies and young children greatly benefit from the immune-boosting quality of breast milk.
Emotional checks and balances of extended breastfeeding
The emotional effects of extended breastfeeding are more subjective, and are something each family will need to evaluate for themselves when considering weaning. Many argue that extended breastfeeding gets in the way of a child’s development of independence, while the science of childhood development suggests that the attachment and bond of breastfeeding helps build confidence and independence. More than that, extended breastfeeding may actually make weaning easier, since longer breastfeeding gives a greater chance for a child to initiate weaning on their own, which is generally easier than trying to convince them to wean.
In the end, it’s how each parent and baby feel about breastfeeding that should determine how long a breastfeeding relationship lasts. Breastfeeding is a personal relationship, and it’s important for both parent and child to feel comfortable with breastfeeding as the relationship extends. Because we know each culture and family views breastfeeding differently, we want to acknowledge how much those outside influences can impact decision making and the way you may feel about continuing to breastfeed.
Benefits of extended breastfeeding for you
Research suggests that longer phases of breastfeeding can also have a positive effect on a mother’s health, including reducing the life-long risks of contracting certain illnesses, like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. That’s true of breastfeeding generally, but the Mayo Clinic says that research suggests that the longer a woman breastfeeds, the greater the health benefits might be.
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Sources
- M.T. Perrin, A.D. Fogleman, D.S. Newburg, J.C. Allen. “A longitudinal study of human milk consumption in the second year postpartum: implications for human milk banking.” Maternal and Child Nutrition. Web. January 18 2016.
- Kathleen M. Buckley. “Long-Term Breastfeeding: Nourishment or Nurturance.” Journal of Human Lactation. 17(4): 304-312. Web. November 2001.
- Jen Davis. “Breastfeeding Beyond a Year: exploring benefits, cultural influences, and more.” New Beginnings. 24(5): 194-205. Web. September-October 2007.
- K.G. Dewey, D.A. Finley, B. Lonnerdal. “Breast milk volume and composition in late lactation (7-20 months).” Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 3(5): 713-20. Web. November 1984.
- Sally Kneidel. “Nursing Beyond One Year.” New Beginnings. 6(4): 99-103. Web. July-August 1990.
- Dror Mandel, Ronet Lubetzky, Shaul Dollberg, Shimon Barak, Francis B. Mimouni. “Fat and Energy Content of Expressed Human Breast Milk in Prolonged Lactation.” Pediatrics. 116(3). Web. September 2005.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. “Extended breastfeeding: What you need to know.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, April 17 2015. Web.
