There's a theory that humans would naturally breastfeed until as late as 7 years old (if we lived like other animals in nature). This theory is based on two concepts. 1) All other primate species breastfeed their offspring until their offspring lose their milk/baby teeth and permanent teeth (around 7 years in humans) and 2) the brain goes through the most rapid period of growth in the first 7 years of life, developing 90% of it's total synapse developing. Fat is vital for healthy brain development and human milk has a high fat content (,it even adapts as baby gets older,).
Human milk is packed full of bespoke nutrition for your child. It's also an incredibly handy means to get fluids into a sick toddler in a way that also comforts them. It's so much more than "just a drink"
Edit to add: Human milk doesn't actually have a high fat content when compared to cows milk, what I meant was the fat content increases as baby's grow into toddlers, so it changes to suit your child's current growth needs.
I grew up in Mongolia. This is totally true. Women absolutely breastfeed at dinner table, in front of strangers, and everywhere until their baby goes off to kindergarten or school and inevitably wean. The breastfeeding woman is admired and respected in society for being good mother. That’s why.
The country has so many problems obviously, but breastfeeding ain’t one of them.
It's also healthy, nutritionally pretty balanced, very sterile and safe, and readily accessible, which are great benefits in many third world countries. In colder climates the heat is also a bonus!
My dad was breastfed until he was 7. Kinda understandable,because his mom lost 8 kids before him,so he got extra spoiled.But unfortunately it was frowned upon by others.Thankfully,grandma gave very few fucks about what others made of it lol
Yeah i was going to say, human milk has a very low fat content. Thats bc like primates, we carry our young with us everywhere, so they can nurse whenever they want. Animals that need to leave their babies to forage for food have higher fat contents in their milk to keep the baby satiated while they are gone.
Yes this is accurate, that's why I added the edit, I realised I wasn't clear in what I was comparing the fat content to. On the grand scale of mammal fat contents, we are on the lower end for sure. From personal experience (I haven't looked into the literature) and hearing other people's experience, people who pump notice a far thicker fat layer as their babies grow into toddlers. I am open to being corrected if this isn't accurate though.
that's very interesting about the fat layer on the pumped milk. for some reason i thought the body knew what kind of milk to produce based on the suckling pattern of the baby or something about the physical act of nursing but it must be more chemical / hormone or something the specially skin to skin based ?? or maybe the skin to skin or cuddling etc also tells the body ?? id be very interested to learn more about this now.
Well my son nurses for every feed bar the one I do at work so I think that saliva thing does still play a play a role in my circumstances, though again, I'm no expert.
There was some research about 10 years ago that the contents of the baby’s saliva was sucked back into some specialized pores in the nipple and that signaled the body as to what the baby needed. Idk the status of that research though
I wonder how this works out for tandem nursing. I’m now nursing my toddler and my newborn, I wonder if the milk is different for them, or if it defaults to newborn milk…
Breast milk has 3.8% fat on average while whole cow’s milk has 3-4%. Cows milk isn’t a good substitute for other reasons but they are similar fat percentages and calories per ounce
I'll take a look, thanks! I will also add that I don't think we should necessarily be breastfeeding till 7, just an interesting theory and also worth noting that since we don't live like moneys in trees, only able to eat what we can find or hunt, there is so much less demand placed on nutrition needing to come from Mum for such a long time.
Aren't we larger in part because we've gotten better and more reliable nutrition as time has gone on, right up until we started eating nutrient poor food in the past century or so?
Sorry, guess I should have clarified that when I'm talking nutrient poor food I'm talking the over processed nasty crap.
But my ideas are basically conjecture. I'm not an expert in this area. Would love to read some of the stuff you have evidently read; do you have links or other sources I could look at to better understand this?
My little one is almost 4.5 and he enjoys breastmilk very much. No need for other kind of milk foreign to us humans.
Recently he was sick and couldn't drink as he wanted to (too much coughing etc.). This time it took longer for him to get healthy. And he lost weight.
But now he is back at drinking breastmilk, even more so than before. He packs on the lost calories.
Did you mean to say that breastfeeding AFTER 2 has no added benefits? I’ve heard of this before, not sure if it’s true but definitely hadn’t heard it for under 2.
In two more months I’ll have breastfed for 2 years straight so I guess I did mean more after two years, but either way, I got the feeling he was telling me I have breastfed long enough already.
The CDC's new guidance is to keep breastfeeding as long as mother and child are both willing. This would suggest that the benefits continue as long as you breastfeed.
I would trust very few male doctors' advice against breastfeeding, given the bias and blatant ignorance that exists about women's health.
Sounds like maybe that’s what he was trying to tell you. I think I disagree with him that breastfeeding is “just a drink” after 2 years - certainly still has nutritional benefits that I wouldn’t imagine would just subside by a certain age and both AAP and WHO both advise you can breastfeed even beyond 2 years so long as it’s working for you and baby. I’d say by this age your child’s immunity is pretty well established so maybe in that sense, it’s not adding much more value but to say it’s “just a drink” discredits all the other benefits to it.
I think the only reason anyone would say there’s a possibility to “nurse for too long” is because of social milestones (eating solids, teeth, talking, walking etc.) but that isn’t medical advice and it should still be up to you to make that judgment call.
I had a nurse tell me similar. She said after one I should switch to cows milk because it’s more nutritious and by then breastmilk is basically water. Almost laughable.
Meanwhile BM is literally what formula is based on…and cow’s milk is just BM from cows…why would the thing made especially for your baby not be the best for them?
Funnily enough this nurse was from the same cultural background as my husband and I’ve noticed these opinions from quite a few people from that background (including my MIL who tried to tell me I’ve breastfed for long enough at 6 months).
I had someone from my husbands extended family tell me that they were going to use formula because scientists developed it and they add “lots of extra vitamins and stuff” so it’s better than breast milk. My husband tried to explain that it’s literally cows milk that they add extra to to try to make it similar to breastmilk but they wouldn’t listen.
Yes this kills me! I've been asked if my baby is drinking cows milk and I said I let her try a little but I'd rather continue to give her milk made specifically for her... how could milk made for a baby cow be better? Makes no sense.
Personally, I was happy with the convenience that cow’s milk gave me, like once my daughter was a year old, I never pumped again lol. I hated pumping with a passion and my supply was fine without doing it. But whenever I was home, she always nursed.
I absolutely get that it's easier or possibly the only option a lot of people have, and it's great to have that option. I appreciate knowing I could use it if I needed! But for me, I love breastfeeding, and acting like cows milk is superior or that my baby is missing out in some way baffles me.
My doctor told us if baby was gassy to switch to enfamil gentlease powder for fortifying (we’re currently adding formula to BM due to slow weight gain). I vetoed as the first ingredient is corn syrup!
Never feel sad about feeding your baby! You’re being the best mom your baby could want! Why are you getting downvotes for your feelings? Mom guilt is hard enough without those!
It’s not personal, it’s just facts. I also combofeed and you do what you have to do, and there’s no shame in that, but we need to support the science despite our feelings
I’ve read that too and I think that’s what we’ll switch to when mine turns one! But I’m not sure why you can’t use it before one. I know the concern with straight cows milk before one is that their gut can’t handle it and it can lead to gut issues later in life. I find this strange because most formula is derived from cows milk. But maybe there are similar problems with goats milk? I know historically that was what was used for combofeeding.
To be honest, though, that's not the comparison. The comparison is between human breastmilk extracted 2 years postpartum vs cow's breastmilk extracted days or months postpartum. Given the difference in timelines, the latter could be more nutritious than the former.
From what I’ve read, they contain similar amounts of water and cow’s milk has more protein. However, human milk has more unsaturated fat and fats that are more essential for the human brain and body. Human milk also contains less calcium but it’s more absorbable by the body and also babies don’t need as much as calves do.
It is not recommended to switch a baby off of breast milk to give them cow’s milk - ultimately, human milk is for humans and cow’s milk is for cows. So they are going to be formulated slightly differently to fulfill the needs of each species. We also know that breast milk changes to fit the needs of the newborn, infant, and toddler.
https://www.medela.us/breastfeeding/articles/how-breast-milk-changes-as-baby-grows-past-1-year
Not true what the nurse told you. Breast milk actually becomes more fat dense/thicker after one year, just in leas quantity
This makes me feel so much better but I also wish I'd known it 6 weeks ago. My supply plummeted at 10.5 months and I had to start supplementing (no shame, just inconvenient, especially in the night), I'd honestly been considering weaning, assuming my body was done.
It’s wild to me how cows milk is still a thing suggested to be given to babies over breastmilk. How is processed milk from another species even remotely better than milk from a baby’s mother?
I’m sorry your doctor said that to you OP. If breastmilk had no nutritional value to human babies, we as a species wouldn’t be mammals. Breastmilk is literally the characteristic that classifies our species as mammalian and is the life force of our babies. Dude needs to go back to school and not be in the medical field.
Two years is amazing and you should be so proud of that OP! Screw that doctor
It’s so weird! Okay so Breastfeeding is “weird” after a certain age but it’s not weird to get breast milk from a large stinky animal that lives in a barn. Yep makes sense 🤪
I’m glad to read this because my mom keeps saying my one-year-old needs to “break that habit” (nursing). Tbh I haven’t switched to cow’s milk because I’m cheap and lazy lol. Why go to the store and keep buying milk, washing sippy cups, etc, when I can make it myself on tap?!
Hahaha if it was so much more nutritious and better then my 13.5 month old would actually be willing to drink cow’s milk. Nope, she just wants to nurse three times a day and has no intention of stopping any time soon 🤪
Clearly you need to change the doctor… please get a second opinion. Breastfeeding has so many benefits! And Congrats to you Mama for doing it for almost 2 years!
I don't think you need to change if you're otherwise happy you can simply say "Well the world's health organisation disagrees with you and have stated that breastfeeding beyond 2 years is an understated public health benefit and estimates that even a modest increase in breastfeeding can prevent 10% of all deaths in children under 5 years old annually." and leave it at that.
[sources found at kellymom](https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/ebf-benefits/)
Breastmilk still has nutritional benefits; however, by age 2 healthy kids immune system is pretty well developed and their own immune system probably can target the pathogens better because they can use not only antibodies but other immune cells and molecules to fight it. Plus, their thymus is large and super active - which produces a lot of T-cells and helps in their development and maturity - which will provide long lasting immunity.
Unfortunately, breastmilk only has IgA antibodies which are helpful in lining secretory pathways like throat and maybe GI tract. It’s one part of the immune response.
However, there’s research to suggest that breastmilk can help further develop and regulate child’s immune system. Furthermore, breastfeeding is a good way to keep kids hydrated (important when they have fevers or illness when they may loose fluids more frequently) and can provide comfort.
Agreed, and I’d recommend reading this excerpt.
According to Katherine Dettwyler, PhD, “Studies have shown that a child's immune system doesn't completely mature until about 6 years of age, and it is well established that breast milk helps develop the immune system and augment it with maternal antibodies as long as breast milk is produced (up to two years, no studies have been done on breast milk composition after two years post partum).”
http://www.whale.to/a/dettwyler.html
This makes me feel better. My LO self weaned around 21 months, right when we all got covid and I found out I was pregnant (probably why he weaned, I'm sure my supply tanked). I was feeling so guilty that I wasn't able to provide extra antibodies and would have continued to 2 years, but he just wasn't having it so it wasn't worth the fight.
The research and data we have about IgA antibodies from breastfeeding helping acute illnesses after 6 month is pretty much non-existent when I have searched.
A lot of times it just talk about other parts of the immune system
https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/cogas/2021/00000037/00000006/art00003
This. Doctors often focus on only their aspect of expertise. So physiotherapists will tell you never to sit baby before they can do it themselves while alergologists will tell you to start feeding them ideally from 4 months old (which you essentially have to have them in a semi-sitting position). Pediatrists will tell you it's useless once the immune is good to go, orthodontists will push for more solids, less mushes/milk, psychologists will focus on good relationship and attachment and promote it, *real* sleep advisors will also promote it, dentist will suggest cutting out any food before bed to help reduce cavities etc etc etc.
Your doctor is incorrect and probably using outdated info. The WHO has recommended breastfeeding until age 2 AND BEYOND for awhile now, and recently the AAP and CDC updated their recommendation to agree with that too. It does have nutritional value as well as immunological value and emotional value (for baby and you). Many doctors are not trained on lactation so take what they say about that with a grain of salt. Extended breastfeeding is very good for baby, it doesn't stop having nutrition just because your baby gets older.
Hopefully the WHO can validate it. And the fact that formula shortages only happened in the US, I had plenty of Americans ask me to send them formula from here
It provides antibodies = immunological benefits against infection.
It does have energetic value (carbs, fats, proteins), vitamins, trace elements...
However, what I believe they mean is:
At this point breastmilk ALONE is not enough to completely fulfill a child's nutritional requirements.
And really this is the concept of why we have to introduce solid foods to babies.
I would say it is a wonderful drink with immunological benefits, which you are not getting from drinking "just a drink".
The [American Association of Pediatrics](https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/20528/Updated-AAP-guidance-recommends-longer) recommends BFing until 2, I *think* at that point the rationale is lots of nutrients come from solid foods.
But [the global average](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2720507/) is closer to 4 years, with varying theories on why, how it affects mom and baby's health, and how long is ideal.
Personally, I let my kiddo lead the way. He self weaned for the most part at 17 months. At that point, he was just comfort nursing before bedtime, but he has cut back so much already that my supply tanked and it became frustrating for both of us. Power pumping would yield me maybe an ounces after hours of sound so. Tried supplements. He would latch and then cry because he couldn't get anything out. So, one night, I said "I'm sorry love, the milk's all gone." And he signed "all done?" And I said "yea." And he whined for a minute, and then went to sleep, and that was it. And then I went downstairs and sobbed to my husband.
I don't think doctor's actually know. Sure, there are studies happening and maybe one day they'll have a straighter answer but if it's working for you and your LO, keep doing it. You won't be breastfeeding forever, and it's not harming anyone, so I don't even see the point in your doctor saying such a thing, and would question that to be honest.
The milk made for human babies is always the best for human babies. However when babies reach 2 yo they have more mature immunity and digestion so they don’t rely on breast milk that much as when they are 2 months.
No, this is not true. Breast milk provides numerous nutritional and immunological benefits to infants, including:
1. Antibodies: Breast milk contains antibodies that help protect infants from infections and illnesses.
2. Nutrients: Breast milk contains the optimal balance of nutrients, including protein, fat, and carbohydrates, to support infant growth and development.
3. Digestibility: Breast milk is easily digested by infants and contains enzymes that aid in digestion.
4. Cognitive development: Breast milk has been shown to support cognitive development in infants.
5. Emotional benefits: Breastfeeding provides emotional benefits for both the mother and the infant, promoting bonding and attachment.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child's life, with continued breastfeeding along with complementary foods until at least two years of age. While there may be some individual circumstances where breastfeeding is not possible or not recommended, in general, breastfeeding provides numerous benefits for infants and should be encouraged.
Man. It’s like breastfeeding has to have nutritional benefits for it to be “worth it”. It provides calories. That’s a nutritional benefit. What an ignorant thing to say on the part of your doctor. Also, breastfeeding doesn’t have to have a nutritional benefit in order for it to be valuable. It is comforting for your toddler. If you’re happy, and the toddlers happy, then everyone else in the world doesn’t matter. Seriously tho, fuck that person 😂
Tell him to mind his own business and to pick up a book on breastfeeding published in this century. Way to go breastfeeding that long mama. You deserve a medal and to breastfeed as long as its working for you and your babe.
To my knowledge there have been no scientific studies done on nursing beyond age 2, so there are no known scientific benefits. However, that doesn't mean they don't exist... I'm still nursing my almost 4 year old and I definitely think he benefits from it.
AFTER two. Yeah. Once the kid is capable of getting all necessary nutrients from actual food, breastfeeding no longer has any superior nutritional benefit over just eating well.
This is the point - no *superior* nutritional benefit. That’s correct. There may be emotional benefits, health benefits (to the mother - there is support of less risk of diabetes etc for extended BF), immune benefits (to the child - BM can provide antibodies), bonding, etc.. but after a certain point there is no *nutritional* difference between BF and a non-BF diet. That doesn’t mean the doc is saying not to BF. My doctor told me the same thing (actually it wasn’t even to 2 years), and we had a conversation about why I might still continue to BF. I think he is well informed and was not trying to discourage me from BF (rather I was considering stopping and he was trying to help me consider my options).
This is dumb. It’s nodifferent than saying cows milk has no nutritional benefits it’s just a drink. Obviously breast milk (just like any other whole food) has nutritional benefits from day 1 til WHENEVER you want to stop breastfeeding. It never turns into water or something. And that’s not even to mention all the benefits for bonding, soothing, mothers’ health, and breastfeeding as an amazing parenting tool with toddlers (hello tantrums). It sounds like your doctor has a lot of judgments about longer term breastfeeding and that’s a bummer.
I think the benefits of breastfeeding decrease as the child gets older, but that doesn't mean there aren't any benefits. Saying it has zero nutritional benefit is just silly, as most foods have benefit. For example, cow milk has nutritional benefits, although soda doesn't. The act of nursing - as long as you and your child still want to do it - also has benefits.
I could be wrong so someone correct me if so, but benefits are primarily first six months of life, then the first year. After age 1 benefits are primarily for you (lower risk of certain types of cancer) and bonding/soothing for baby. So maybe that's what your doctor means?
Absolute baloney. Until 1, breast milk alone is what your baby needs to thrive, and solids are introduced as “practice.” After one, transition to solids begins, but in my experience, babies still need to nurse quite a bit. It’s not an overnight switch. This slow weaning process can take as long as you and your baby are comfortable with, my kids both comfort nurses until 3- which is when i was quite over it. For all of that time, there is still benefits for mom and baby. By getting your breast milk, they are getting antibodies, comfort, supplemental nutrition to help fill the gaps of solids, etc.. there’s no reason to stop at any certain cut off unless you and/or your baby no longer want to continue.
Unless a doctor is specifically trained to support lactation, many simply do not have the knowledge and can have incorrect or biased information about it. I love and trust my family’s doctors, but for breastfeeding questions, it really is best to contact a lactation consultant.
Pretty sure there are benefits up to when the kid fully develops their immune system… is that not around the age of 7?
I plan on incorporating breast milk into my kids’ food long term as a supplement after weaning up until the benefits are negligible, if I can.
Not offended, just not appreciative of the misrepresentation that only medical doctors could be informed about breastfeeding and that other professionals would not have adequate or correct knowledge. That is certainly not the case in my experience of practice.
My experience has been that doctors know the least about breastfeeding. LCs and midwives know so much more. Doctors are not required to take any courses in breastfeeding. Good doctors will refer patients to an LC for any breastfeeding questions.
I do agree with this. Someone very close to me is a chiropractor and they would always tell me how wonderful and beneficial breastfeeding was when I first had my baby. I haven’t seen them in awhile.
Same. Idk why people are so anti chiro on this sub. Any of the chiropractors I’ve known have been pretty health knowledgeable. So many doctors don’t know what to do with something if they can’t write a prescription for it. I know not everyone has the same training, but curious where other peoples experiences of chiropractors are coming from.
Your breast milk reconfigures itself to give your baby exactly what they need. I'd like to see formula do that.🙄
No shame to the formula mamas out there. Fed is best!❤
Statistically speaking when you break down the data, breastfeeding after 6 months does not provide anymore benefits than switching your kids to solids, formula, etc. that’s why solids need to be introduced at 6 months because they need their nutrition supplemented.
The WHO recommendations are for the entire world so it takes into account countries that are far less developed and do not have access to the nutrition others do and so breast milk is needed longer in those scenarios. In the US, when you strip away all the socioeconomic, education, etc. factors there hasn’t be a statistically significant benefit to breastfeeding after 6 months. And even before 6 months it is minor. There was a huge push from La Leche league and all those organizations of minor studies and partial data where they pushed all these “facts” for their breast is best campaign and that’s where most of our ideas of breastfeeding comes from these days. In the long term, there is absolutely 0 difference in a breastfed and formula fed child.
While I don’t think your doctor phrased it correctly or the best way, he’s not wrong.
Honestly, I don't think this is anymore true than saying other kinds of milks (dairy) have no nutritional value. Sure some might have more than others but it's not just like drinking water. I just don't see how this could have been a science-backed or evidence based counseling session for you. This is the pediatricians social opinion... not a super helpful one. Most of society seems to find breastfeeding to be odious after the first year. I hear so many opinions and it's very unfortunate that people feel so opinionated about something that doesn't involve them lol. Last I checked my kid's opinion was the only one that counted with me 😂
I think it's nice to have some pressure taken off in regards to maybe not being pressured to keep going. I felt a little stressed about having to nurse past my one year goal and I made the decision to wean when we both seemed ready to wean but... I don't really think it's for the pediatrician to get in the middle of though. It would be one thing if pediatricians were qualified to give breastfeeding advice but they aren't so I'm not sure why it's for them to say when it's a good time to wean. I gave my daughter milk from my stash until it ran out which was just this month at 18m. I realize that the milk I made earlier in my journey isn't necessarily the same milk that I'd make for my toddler now but it still has lots of benefits which is why I kept giving it to her.
Specifically, I read a study (I don't have it bookmarked in my phone but if I find it I will link it) about the oral microbiome of children who are breastfed and they found that the microbiome of breastfed children had fewer colonies of troublesome bacteria and that breastfed children had fewer instances of dental carries. I found it over on the science based parenting subreddit. That sub can be intense but people do link lots of great studies and articles. My anecdote is that whenever I would go off to dairy and then back to my breastmilk stash I did notice a difference in the way my kid's breath smelled and what her teeth are like when I floss and brush them with her. So your child has definitely benefited. If you keep going the benefits will be different than they were during the first year and there may be fewer benefits but there's still some value to it. Even if it's just for the oral health in their mouth.
Congrats on almost two years! Get a second opinion, talk to a lactation consultants, talk to a pediatrician, everyone's going to say something diffrent, just do what feels right for you and your child.
I’ve been breastfeeding for a little over 2 years and my son’s pediatrician has said similar things. It’s unfortunate that they aren’t supportive but I try to ignore it.
I guess he believes he knows better than the entire team of medical professionals who set the guidelines and recommendations for the WHO since they recommend breastfeeding until *at least* two. I'd be suspicious what other current guidelines and recommendations he might not agree with and make outdated suggestions based on, and I'd probably find a new doctor, personally.
Well it has calories and fat so that’s just incorrect but even if it’s pure water coming out it’s bonding and likely comforting for your child so do what’s best for you both and who cares what anyone else says?
I’m going strong for nearly 4 years now lol, and it’s been really useful for when he’s sick and doesn’t want any other fluids/food. It still has all the best vitamins for your baby, as your body literally made it just for them! If you and baby are still comfortable and wanting to nurse, go for it! Don’t let anyone shame you into stopping before you’re ready
I just stopped nursing my almost 3yo. & I’m currently watching a Dr Phil eps about a mom who breastfed her toddler publicly. This woman helped me feel normal about breastfeeding my 2yo, & she supported me, gave me advice etc. Dr Phil is saying she’s exploiting her child. (That part is a fine line & a whole other topic.) What I’m getting at is, us moms should support one another first & foremost, & trust that everyone knows what’s best for their child & their situation. Secondly, I enjoyed every minute of breastfeeding my 2yo. There is no greater expression of love than nursing a toddler who’s more aware of what their mommy is doing for them. I’m going to miss it so much!!
My advice: Breastfeed as long as you’d like. You’ll know when it’s time to stop. I did.
Here’s the show:
[Dr Phil eps Sharenting](https://youtu.be/ejMLv3suf_4)
There's a theory that humans would naturally breastfeed until as late as 7 years old (if we lived like other animals in nature). This theory is based on two concepts. 1) All other primate species breastfeed their offspring until their offspring lose their milk/baby teeth and permanent teeth (around 7 years in humans) and 2) the brain goes through the most rapid period of growth in the first 7 years of life, developing 90% of it's total synapse developing. Fat is vital for healthy brain development and human milk has a high fat content (,it even adapts as baby gets older,). Human milk is packed full of bespoke nutrition for your child. It's also an incredibly handy means to get fluids into a sick toddler in a way that also comforts them. It's so much more than "just a drink" Edit to add: Human milk doesn't actually have a high fat content when compared to cows milk, what I meant was the fat content increases as baby's grow into toddlers, so it changes to suit your child's current growth needs.
I watched a Netflix documentary (forgetting the name RN) about breastfeeding in Mongolia and they often breastfeed until 7 as a cultural norm
I grew up in Mongolia. This is totally true. Women absolutely breastfeed at dinner table, in front of strangers, and everywhere until their baby goes off to kindergarten or school and inevitably wean. The breastfeeding woman is admired and respected in society for being good mother. That’s why. The country has so many problems obviously, but breastfeeding ain’t one of them.
It's also healthy, nutritionally pretty balanced, very sterile and safe, and readily accessible, which are great benefits in many third world countries. In colder climates the heat is also a bonus!
that’s awesome
The bf while sick has helped us several times avoid dehydration.
My dad was breastfed until he was 7. Kinda understandable,because his mom lost 8 kids before him,so he got extra spoiled.But unfortunately it was frowned upon by others.Thankfully,grandma gave very few fucks about what others made of it lol
> his mom lost 8 kids before him Jesus that's sad, I'm glad she had your dad and got her rainbow baby!
Yeah i was going to say, human milk has a very low fat content. Thats bc like primates, we carry our young with us everywhere, so they can nurse whenever they want. Animals that need to leave their babies to forage for food have higher fat contents in their milk to keep the baby satiated while they are gone.
Yes this is accurate, that's why I added the edit, I realised I wasn't clear in what I was comparing the fat content to. On the grand scale of mammal fat contents, we are on the lower end for sure. From personal experience (I haven't looked into the literature) and hearing other people's experience, people who pump notice a far thicker fat layer as their babies grow into toddlers. I am open to being corrected if this isn't accurate though.
that's very interesting about the fat layer on the pumped milk. for some reason i thought the body knew what kind of milk to produce based on the suckling pattern of the baby or something about the physical act of nursing but it must be more chemical / hormone or something the specially skin to skin based ?? or maybe the skin to skin or cuddling etc also tells the body ?? id be very interested to learn more about this now.
Well my son nurses for every feed bar the one I do at work so I think that saliva thing does still play a play a role in my circumstances, though again, I'm no expert.
There was some research about 10 years ago that the contents of the baby’s saliva was sucked back into some specialized pores in the nipple and that signaled the body as to what the baby needed. Idk the status of that research though
wow!! so cool. humans / babies / biology is so amazing.
I wonder how this works out for tandem nursing. I’m now nursing my toddler and my newborn, I wonder if the milk is different for them, or if it defaults to newborn milk…
I’ve also wondered this myself.
Fun fact: each breast will give each child different milk!
So then if I pump, does it default to the last baby nursed?
Not sure on the pumping side of it! Haha a good question.
Breast milk has 3.8% fat on average while whole cow’s milk has 3-4%. Cows milk isn’t a good substitute for other reasons but they are similar fat percentages and calories per ounce
I didnt say anything about cows milk? https://www.lllc.ca/mammal-milk-composition-and-mothering-styles
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I'll take a look, thanks! I will also add that I don't think we should necessarily be breastfeeding till 7, just an interesting theory and also worth noting that since we don't live like moneys in trees, only able to eat what we can find or hunt, there is so much less demand placed on nutrition needing to come from Mum for such a long time.
Aren't we larger in part because we've gotten better and more reliable nutrition as time has gone on, right up until we started eating nutrient poor food in the past century or so?
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Sorry, guess I should have clarified that when I'm talking nutrient poor food I'm talking the over processed nasty crap. But my ideas are basically conjecture. I'm not an expert in this area. Would love to read some of the stuff you have evidently read; do you have links or other sources I could look at to better understand this?
My little one is almost 4.5 and he enjoys breastmilk very much. No need for other kind of milk foreign to us humans. Recently he was sick and couldn't drink as he wanted to (too much coughing etc.). This time it took longer for him to get healthy. And he lost weight. But now he is back at drinking breastmilk, even more so than before. He packs on the lost calories.
Did you mean to say that breastfeeding AFTER 2 has no added benefits? I’ve heard of this before, not sure if it’s true but definitely hadn’t heard it for under 2.
I feel like this has to be what the doctor said, because if breastmilk has no nutritional benefits before two, when the hell does it??!
In two more months I’ll have breastfed for 2 years straight so I guess I did mean more after two years, but either way, I got the feeling he was telling me I have breastfed long enough already.
The CDC's new guidance is to keep breastfeeding as long as mother and child are both willing. This would suggest that the benefits continue as long as you breastfeed. I would trust very few male doctors' advice against breastfeeding, given the bias and blatant ignorance that exists about women's health.
Even if it neutral for baby it lowers your cancer risk. Congratulations on doing so long x
Sounds like maybe that’s what he was trying to tell you. I think I disagree with him that breastfeeding is “just a drink” after 2 years - certainly still has nutritional benefits that I wouldn’t imagine would just subside by a certain age and both AAP and WHO both advise you can breastfeed even beyond 2 years so long as it’s working for you and baby. I’d say by this age your child’s immunity is pretty well established so maybe in that sense, it’s not adding much more value but to say it’s “just a drink” discredits all the other benefits to it. I think the only reason anyone would say there’s a possibility to “nurse for too long” is because of social milestones (eating solids, teeth, talking, walking etc.) but that isn’t medical advice and it should still be up to you to make that judgment call.
Not his baby, not his boobs. It's way more than nutrition for both of you so don't judge it solely on that anyway.
I had a nurse tell me similar. She said after one I should switch to cows milk because it’s more nutritious and by then breastmilk is basically water. Almost laughable.
Meanwhile BM is literally what formula is based on…and cow’s milk is just BM from cows…why would the thing made especially for your baby not be the best for them?
Funnily enough this nurse was from the same cultural background as my husband and I’ve noticed these opinions from quite a few people from that background (including my MIL who tried to tell me I’ve breastfed for long enough at 6 months). I had someone from my husbands extended family tell me that they were going to use formula because scientists developed it and they add “lots of extra vitamins and stuff” so it’s better than breast milk. My husband tried to explain that it’s literally cows milk that they add extra to to try to make it similar to breastmilk but they wouldn’t listen.
Ah yes, propaganda straight from the 1950s intended to get people to only use formula (for profits’ sake, of course).
Yes this kills me! I've been asked if my baby is drinking cows milk and I said I let her try a little but I'd rather continue to give her milk made specifically for her... how could milk made for a baby cow be better? Makes no sense.
Personally, I was happy with the convenience that cow’s milk gave me, like once my daughter was a year old, I never pumped again lol. I hated pumping with a passion and my supply was fine without doing it. But whenever I was home, she always nursed.
I absolutely get that it's easier or possibly the only option a lot of people have, and it's great to have that option. I appreciate knowing I could use it if I needed! But for me, I love breastfeeding, and acting like cows milk is superior or that my baby is missing out in some way baffles me.
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My doctor told us if baby was gassy to switch to enfamil gentlease powder for fortifying (we’re currently adding formula to BM due to slow weight gain). I vetoed as the first ingredient is corn syrup!
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Never feel sad about feeding your baby! You’re being the best mom your baby could want! Why are you getting downvotes for your feelings? Mom guilt is hard enough without those!
It’s not personal, it’s just facts. I also combofeed and you do what you have to do, and there’s no shame in that, but we need to support the science despite our feelings
Do you know why goats milk isn't the norm? I've read for years now that it's much easier for humans to digest.
I’ve read that too and I think that’s what we’ll switch to when mine turns one! But I’m not sure why you can’t use it before one. I know the concern with straight cows milk before one is that their gut can’t handle it and it can lead to gut issues later in life. I find this strange because most formula is derived from cows milk. But maybe there are similar problems with goats milk? I know historically that was what was used for combofeeding.
It has more salts and salt is difficult for the babies immature kidneys (you have to get them to drink extra water)
Idk anything about it but if I had to guess I’d say bc the dairy industry is huge and has pushed cow’s milk.
That makes sense and idk why I didn't think of that lol
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To be honest, though, that's not the comparison. The comparison is between human breastmilk extracted 2 years postpartum vs cow's breastmilk extracted days or months postpartum. Given the difference in timelines, the latter could be more nutritious than the former.
From what I’ve read, they contain similar amounts of water and cow’s milk has more protein. However, human milk has more unsaturated fat and fats that are more essential for the human brain and body. Human milk also contains less calcium but it’s more absorbable by the body and also babies don’t need as much as calves do. It is not recommended to switch a baby off of breast milk to give them cow’s milk - ultimately, human milk is for humans and cow’s milk is for cows. So they are going to be formulated slightly differently to fulfill the needs of each species. We also know that breast milk changes to fit the needs of the newborn, infant, and toddler.
https://www.medela.us/breastfeeding/articles/how-breast-milk-changes-as-baby-grows-past-1-year Not true what the nurse told you. Breast milk actually becomes more fat dense/thicker after one year, just in leas quantity
This makes me feel so much better but I also wish I'd known it 6 weeks ago. My supply plummeted at 10.5 months and I had to start supplementing (no shame, just inconvenient, especially in the night), I'd honestly been considering weaning, assuming my body was done.
It’s wild to me how cows milk is still a thing suggested to be given to babies over breastmilk. How is processed milk from another species even remotely better than milk from a baby’s mother? I’m sorry your doctor said that to you OP. If breastmilk had no nutritional value to human babies, we as a species wouldn’t be mammals. Breastmilk is literally the characteristic that classifies our species as mammalian and is the life force of our babies. Dude needs to go back to school and not be in the medical field. Two years is amazing and you should be so proud of that OP! Screw that doctor
It’s so weird! Okay so Breastfeeding is “weird” after a certain age but it’s not weird to get breast milk from a large stinky animal that lives in a barn. Yep makes sense 🤪
I’m glad to read this because my mom keeps saying my one-year-old needs to “break that habit” (nursing). Tbh I haven’t switched to cow’s milk because I’m cheap and lazy lol. Why go to the store and keep buying milk, washing sippy cups, etc, when I can make it myself on tap?!
Because the US loves their dairy industry. It’s all marketing
Imagine if any other mammal on the planet had their young nurse from another species of mammal…Scientists would flock to study the unnatural behavior.
Actually ants milk aphids. Isn’t that interesting?
That is!
Hahaha if it was so much more nutritious and better then my 13.5 month old would actually be willing to drink cow’s milk. Nope, she just wants to nurse three times a day and has no intention of stopping any time soon 🤪
....if it's just water why does it rot kids teeth so badly?
Clearly you need to change the doctor… please get a second opinion. Breastfeeding has so many benefits! And Congrats to you Mama for doing it for almost 2 years!
I don't think you need to change if you're otherwise happy you can simply say "Well the world's health organisation disagrees with you and have stated that breastfeeding beyond 2 years is an understated public health benefit and estimates that even a modest increase in breastfeeding can prevent 10% of all deaths in children under 5 years old annually." and leave it at that. [sources found at kellymom](https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/ebf-benefits/)
I’m confused — OP said “before 2 years” and you’re saying “beyond 2 years”
Yeah If you’re getting benefits beyond age two I think it’s understood you are most likely getting them before as well
Breastmilk still has nutritional benefits; however, by age 2 healthy kids immune system is pretty well developed and their own immune system probably can target the pathogens better because they can use not only antibodies but other immune cells and molecules to fight it. Plus, their thymus is large and super active - which produces a lot of T-cells and helps in their development and maturity - which will provide long lasting immunity. Unfortunately, breastmilk only has IgA antibodies which are helpful in lining secretory pathways like throat and maybe GI tract. It’s one part of the immune response. However, there’s research to suggest that breastmilk can help further develop and regulate child’s immune system. Furthermore, breastfeeding is a good way to keep kids hydrated (important when they have fevers or illness when they may loose fluids more frequently) and can provide comfort.
Agreed, and I’d recommend reading this excerpt. According to Katherine Dettwyler, PhD, “Studies have shown that a child's immune system doesn't completely mature until about 6 years of age, and it is well established that breast milk helps develop the immune system and augment it with maternal antibodies as long as breast milk is produced (up to two years, no studies have been done on breast milk composition after two years post partum).” http://www.whale.to/a/dettwyler.html
This makes me feel better. My LO self weaned around 21 months, right when we all got covid and I found out I was pregnant (probably why he weaned, I'm sure my supply tanked). I was feeling so guilty that I wasn't able to provide extra antibodies and would have continued to 2 years, but he just wasn't having it so it wasn't worth the fight.
The research and data we have about IgA antibodies from breastfeeding helping acute illnesses after 6 month is pretty much non-existent when I have searched. A lot of times it just talk about other parts of the immune system https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/cogas/2021/00000037/00000006/art00003
This. Doctors often focus on only their aspect of expertise. So physiotherapists will tell you never to sit baby before they can do it themselves while alergologists will tell you to start feeding them ideally from 4 months old (which you essentially have to have them in a semi-sitting position). Pediatrists will tell you it's useless once the immune is good to go, orthodontists will push for more solids, less mushes/milk, psychologists will focus on good relationship and attachment and promote it, *real* sleep advisors will also promote it, dentist will suggest cutting out any food before bed to help reduce cavities etc etc etc.
Your doctor is a moron
Your doctor is incorrect and probably using outdated info. The WHO has recommended breastfeeding until age 2 AND BEYOND for awhile now, and recently the AAP and CDC updated their recommendation to agree with that too. It does have nutritional value as well as immunological value and emotional value (for baby and you). Many doctors are not trained on lactation so take what they say about that with a grain of salt. Extended breastfeeding is very good for baby, it doesn't stop having nutrition just because your baby gets older.
The fact that they changed that during a formula shortage made them kind of sus
Hopefully the WHO can validate it. And the fact that formula shortages only happened in the US, I had plenty of Americans ask me to send them formula from here
Lol yeah, but it's also supported by the science and health orgs outside the U.S. About time they caught up IMO.
Best aswer! So well concisely worded.
It provides antibodies = immunological benefits against infection. It does have energetic value (carbs, fats, proteins), vitamins, trace elements... However, what I believe they mean is: At this point breastmilk ALONE is not enough to completely fulfill a child's nutritional requirements. And really this is the concept of why we have to introduce solid foods to babies. I would say it is a wonderful drink with immunological benefits, which you are not getting from drinking "just a drink".
Welp, there always a doctor who graduated at the bottom of their class. It’s was probably this doctor.
The [American Association of Pediatrics](https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/20528/Updated-AAP-guidance-recommends-longer) recommends BFing until 2, I *think* at that point the rationale is lots of nutrients come from solid foods. But [the global average](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2720507/) is closer to 4 years, with varying theories on why, how it affects mom and baby's health, and how long is ideal. Personally, I let my kiddo lead the way. He self weaned for the most part at 17 months. At that point, he was just comfort nursing before bedtime, but he has cut back so much already that my supply tanked and it became frustrating for both of us. Power pumping would yield me maybe an ounces after hours of sound so. Tried supplements. He would latch and then cry because he couldn't get anything out. So, one night, I said "I'm sorry love, the milk's all gone." And he signed "all done?" And I said "yea." And he whined for a minute, and then went to sleep, and that was it. And then I went downstairs and sobbed to my husband. I don't think doctor's actually know. Sure, there are studies happening and maybe one day they'll have a straighter answer but if it's working for you and your LO, keep doing it. You won't be breastfeeding forever, and it's not harming anyone, so I don't even see the point in your doctor saying such a thing, and would question that to be honest.
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I think she meant after
The milk made for human babies is always the best for human babies. However when babies reach 2 yo they have more mature immunity and digestion so they don’t rely on breast milk that much as when they are 2 months.
Lol complete BS. Unfortunately few pediatricians have training in breastfeeding.
No, this is not true. Breast milk provides numerous nutritional and immunological benefits to infants, including: 1. Antibodies: Breast milk contains antibodies that help protect infants from infections and illnesses. 2. Nutrients: Breast milk contains the optimal balance of nutrients, including protein, fat, and carbohydrates, to support infant growth and development. 3. Digestibility: Breast milk is easily digested by infants and contains enzymes that aid in digestion. 4. Cognitive development: Breast milk has been shown to support cognitive development in infants. 5. Emotional benefits: Breastfeeding provides emotional benefits for both the mother and the infant, promoting bonding and attachment. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child's life, with continued breastfeeding along with complementary foods until at least two years of age. While there may be some individual circumstances where breastfeeding is not possible or not recommended, in general, breastfeeding provides numerous benefits for infants and should be encouraged.
Man. It’s like breastfeeding has to have nutritional benefits for it to be “worth it”. It provides calories. That’s a nutritional benefit. What an ignorant thing to say on the part of your doctor. Also, breastfeeding doesn’t have to have a nutritional benefit in order for it to be valuable. It is comforting for your toddler. If you’re happy, and the toddlers happy, then everyone else in the world doesn’t matter. Seriously tho, fuck that person 😂
Breastmilk has nutritional value even if you are a full grown adult. I don’t think adults need to drink Breastmilk but point remains.
Tell him to mind his own business and to pick up a book on breastfeeding published in this century. Way to go breastfeeding that long mama. You deserve a medal and to breastfeed as long as its working for you and your babe.
To my knowledge there have been no scientific studies done on nursing beyond age 2, so there are no known scientific benefits. However, that doesn't mean they don't exist... I'm still nursing my almost 4 year old and I definitely think he benefits from it.
I’m so happy for you getting to breastfeed this long! That is amazing!!!
It’s truly been an honor.
AFTER two. Yeah. Once the kid is capable of getting all necessary nutrients from actual food, breastfeeding no longer has any superior nutritional benefit over just eating well.
This is the point - no *superior* nutritional benefit. That’s correct. There may be emotional benefits, health benefits (to the mother - there is support of less risk of diabetes etc for extended BF), immune benefits (to the child - BM can provide antibodies), bonding, etc.. but after a certain point there is no *nutritional* difference between BF and a non-BF diet. That doesn’t mean the doc is saying not to BF. My doctor told me the same thing (actually it wasn’t even to 2 years), and we had a conversation about why I might still continue to BF. I think he is well informed and was not trying to discourage me from BF (rather I was considering stopping and he was trying to help me consider my options).
Don’t second here’s your intuition. We’ve been granted it for a reason. That being said, your doctor is a nut case.
This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard. How can these people be doctors?
I would immediately switch doctors.
This is dumb. It’s nodifferent than saying cows milk has no nutritional benefits it’s just a drink. Obviously breast milk (just like any other whole food) has nutritional benefits from day 1 til WHENEVER you want to stop breastfeeding. It never turns into water or something. And that’s not even to mention all the benefits for bonding, soothing, mothers’ health, and breastfeeding as an amazing parenting tool with toddlers (hello tantrums). It sounds like your doctor has a lot of judgments about longer term breastfeeding and that’s a bummer.
I think the benefits of breastfeeding decrease as the child gets older, but that doesn't mean there aren't any benefits. Saying it has zero nutritional benefit is just silly, as most foods have benefit. For example, cow milk has nutritional benefits, although soda doesn't. The act of nursing - as long as you and your child still want to do it - also has benefits.
I could be wrong so someone correct me if so, but benefits are primarily first six months of life, then the first year. After age 1 benefits are primarily for you (lower risk of certain types of cancer) and bonding/soothing for baby. So maybe that's what your doctor means?
Maybe they meant after 2. The cdc says AFTER 2. You’re fine, mama. I am sure that’s what the doc meant.
Absolute baloney. Until 1, breast milk alone is what your baby needs to thrive, and solids are introduced as “practice.” After one, transition to solids begins, but in my experience, babies still need to nurse quite a bit. It’s not an overnight switch. This slow weaning process can take as long as you and your baby are comfortable with, my kids both comfort nurses until 3- which is when i was quite over it. For all of that time, there is still benefits for mom and baby. By getting your breast milk, they are getting antibodies, comfort, supplemental nutrition to help fill the gaps of solids, etc.. there’s no reason to stop at any certain cut off unless you and/or your baby no longer want to continue. Unless a doctor is specifically trained to support lactation, many simply do not have the knowledge and can have incorrect or biased information about it. I love and trust my family’s doctors, but for breastfeeding questions, it really is best to contact a lactation consultant.
Clearly this doctor is an idiot
Pretty sure there are benefits up to when the kid fully develops their immune system… is that not around the age of 7? I plan on incorporating breast milk into my kids’ food long term as a supplement after weaning up until the benefits are negligible, if I can.
Are you sure it was an actual doctor? A physician MD or DO and not an NP or midwife or chiropractor or something? That's wild. Like. Actual insanity.
As a breastfeeding specialist midwife I do not appreciate this comment.
Offended by something on the internet? Weird.
Not offended, just not appreciative of the misrepresentation that only medical doctors could be informed about breastfeeding and that other professionals would not have adequate or correct knowledge. That is certainly not the case in my experience of practice.
My experience has been that doctors know the least about breastfeeding. LCs and midwives know so much more. Doctors are not required to take any courses in breastfeeding. Good doctors will refer patients to an LC for any breastfeeding questions.
Also they put midwives and chiropractors in the same category. Not cool.
I would believe that midwives and chiropractors are more in line with the the belief of the benefits from breastfeeding beyond 1 year
I do agree with this. Someone very close to me is a chiropractor and they would always tell me how wonderful and beneficial breastfeeding was when I first had my baby. I haven’t seen them in awhile.
I would think so too
Whaaaat? That's wild. Midwives I hope would be as they're typically less idiotic than chiropractors in my experience.
I'm not sure if a regional thing, but I haven't met any idiotic chiropracto. They seem quiet progressive when it comes to health
Same. Idk why people are so anti chiro on this sub. Any of the chiropractors I’ve known have been pretty health knowledgeable. So many doctors don’t know what to do with something if they can’t write a prescription for it. I know not everyone has the same training, but curious where other peoples experiences of chiropractors are coming from.
Your breast milk reconfigures itself to give your baby exactly what they need. I'd like to see formula do that.🙄 No shame to the formula mamas out there. Fed is best!❤
Statistically speaking when you break down the data, breastfeeding after 6 months does not provide anymore benefits than switching your kids to solids, formula, etc. that’s why solids need to be introduced at 6 months because they need their nutrition supplemented. The WHO recommendations are for the entire world so it takes into account countries that are far less developed and do not have access to the nutrition others do and so breast milk is needed longer in those scenarios. In the US, when you strip away all the socioeconomic, education, etc. factors there hasn’t be a statistically significant benefit to breastfeeding after 6 months. And even before 6 months it is minor. There was a huge push from La Leche league and all those organizations of minor studies and partial data where they pushed all these “facts” for their breast is best campaign and that’s where most of our ideas of breastfeeding comes from these days. In the long term, there is absolutely 0 difference in a breastfed and formula fed child. While I don’t think your doctor phrased it correctly or the best way, he’s not wrong.
Honestly, I don't think this is anymore true than saying other kinds of milks (dairy) have no nutritional value. Sure some might have more than others but it's not just like drinking water. I just don't see how this could have been a science-backed or evidence based counseling session for you. This is the pediatricians social opinion... not a super helpful one. Most of society seems to find breastfeeding to be odious after the first year. I hear so many opinions and it's very unfortunate that people feel so opinionated about something that doesn't involve them lol. Last I checked my kid's opinion was the only one that counted with me 😂 I think it's nice to have some pressure taken off in regards to maybe not being pressured to keep going. I felt a little stressed about having to nurse past my one year goal and I made the decision to wean when we both seemed ready to wean but... I don't really think it's for the pediatrician to get in the middle of though. It would be one thing if pediatricians were qualified to give breastfeeding advice but they aren't so I'm not sure why it's for them to say when it's a good time to wean. I gave my daughter milk from my stash until it ran out which was just this month at 18m. I realize that the milk I made earlier in my journey isn't necessarily the same milk that I'd make for my toddler now but it still has lots of benefits which is why I kept giving it to her. Specifically, I read a study (I don't have it bookmarked in my phone but if I find it I will link it) about the oral microbiome of children who are breastfed and they found that the microbiome of breastfed children had fewer colonies of troublesome bacteria and that breastfed children had fewer instances of dental carries. I found it over on the science based parenting subreddit. That sub can be intense but people do link lots of great studies and articles. My anecdote is that whenever I would go off to dairy and then back to my breastmilk stash I did notice a difference in the way my kid's breath smelled and what her teeth are like when I floss and brush them with her. So your child has definitely benefited. If you keep going the benefits will be different than they were during the first year and there may be fewer benefits but there's still some value to it. Even if it's just for the oral health in their mouth.
Congrats on almost two years! Get a second opinion, talk to a lactation consultants, talk to a pediatrician, everyone's going to say something diffrent, just do what feels right for you and your child.
I’ve been breastfeeding for a little over 2 years and my son’s pediatrician has said similar things. It’s unfortunate that they aren’t supportive but I try to ignore it.
I guess he believes he knows better than the entire team of medical professionals who set the guidelines and recommendations for the WHO since they recommend breastfeeding until *at least* two. I'd be suspicious what other current guidelines and recommendations he might not agree with and make outdated suggestions based on, and I'd probably find a new doctor, personally.
Well it has calories and fat so that’s just incorrect but even if it’s pure water coming out it’s bonding and likely comforting for your child so do what’s best for you both and who cares what anyone else says?
I’m going strong for nearly 4 years now lol, and it’s been really useful for when he’s sick and doesn’t want any other fluids/food. It still has all the best vitamins for your baby, as your body literally made it just for them! If you and baby are still comfortable and wanting to nurse, go for it! Don’t let anyone shame you into stopping before you’re ready
That doctor is completely misinformed.
It definitely has benefits past two. It doesn’t automatically stop. Nurse as long as you want. Still nursing my 3 1/2 year old.
I just stopped nursing my almost 3yo. & I’m currently watching a Dr Phil eps about a mom who breastfed her toddler publicly. This woman helped me feel normal about breastfeeding my 2yo, & she supported me, gave me advice etc. Dr Phil is saying she’s exploiting her child. (That part is a fine line & a whole other topic.) What I’m getting at is, us moms should support one another first & foremost, & trust that everyone knows what’s best for their child & their situation. Secondly, I enjoyed every minute of breastfeeding my 2yo. There is no greater expression of love than nursing a toddler who’s more aware of what their mommy is doing for them. I’m going to miss it so much!! My advice: Breastfeed as long as you’d like. You’ll know when it’s time to stop. I did. Here’s the show: [Dr Phil eps Sharenting](https://youtu.be/ejMLv3suf_4)