Breastfeeding Beyond 1 year

Posted by Desiree Ahrens @ahrensdesiree, Sep 21, 2018

What can you tell new moms about nursing beyond 1 year? For me, I was surprised with how nursing seemed to be like a conversation as my daughter got older. Sit in a quiet space with just alone time for us, laughing, pulling hair, smiling, etc.

I talk with a lot of moms who feel somewhat lost in this because we don't really talk about our experiences after the infant stage. Please share what surprised you-pleasant or not-to-pleasant!

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My son just turned one and I am still nursing. Everyone keeps asking me when I am going to stop. Hard to explain to them that it's hard. It's a process to stop you can't just stop.

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@taacevedo

My son just turned one and I am still nursing. Everyone keeps asking me when I am going to stop. Hard to explain to them that it's hard. It's a process to stop you can't just stop.

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That's interesting that people ask when you are going to stop! The World Health Organization recommends mothers breastfeed 2 years or beyond. The AAP also recommends feeding up to 2 years and beyond. You can cite those facts the next time someone asks.

A mom recently told me she is nursing her 4 year old. She said it in a way that she was ashamed. The breastfeeding relationship is something as you said, can't just be stopped. It is a beautiful bond between mother and child and an excellent way to pass on immunities to your child. The older the child gets, the more potent the breastmilk is. It has been likened to the liquid gold that is produced in the early days just after birth for it's potent concoction of protecting elements.

Hopefully those will give you some good responses to the people who ask and also some self-confidence to know you are doing the best you can. 🙂

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My little guy just turned One 3 weeks ago and I am still nursing him in the morning and at night. Most feedings during the day have been switched to whole milk by bottle but sometimes on the weekend if he's particularly fussy and won't take a bottle from be before nap, I end up nursing him and that does the trick. Nursing beyond 1 year is definitely more than just for nourishment but for comfort and relaxation. It is apart of his bed time routine and just about the only alone time he gets with me, unless his 3 year old sister barges in.

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@lindseymarx

My little guy just turned One 3 weeks ago and I am still nursing him in the morning and at night. Most feedings during the day have been switched to whole milk by bottle but sometimes on the weekend if he's particularly fussy and won't take a bottle from be before nap, I end up nursing him and that does the trick. Nursing beyond 1 year is definitely more than just for nourishment but for comfort and relaxation. It is apart of his bed time routine and just about the only alone time he gets with me, unless his 3 year old sister barges in.

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Absolutely @lindseymarx !

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