A: How Long To Breastfeed?
With the release of the movie "Grown Ups" this summer, in which a mom and dad are parodied for breastfeeding their four year old child, a lot of people are wondering about this! Breastfeeding has no set time to end. Children start talking at different ages, so using that as a benchmark for stopping doesn't make sense. In terms of nutrition, the question of when to stop varies much less. The per pound nutrition needs of infants and toddlers are different; what supported your baby at 6 or 8 months old will not work well when they are 16 or 18 months old. Breastmilk - that perfect food for infants - actually stops being perfect for toddlers when they rely on it to the exclusion of other foods they need. In my pediatric nutrition practice, I have encountered two and three year old children still nursing above 30 ounces per day. This is an intake that is not calorically dense enough for that age. It lacks key minerals, and fills the child's stomach with so much fluid that they don't take in other foods they need. Often, this is a scenario that can trigger anemia and poor growth pattern. That said, there is no harm in continuing some breast feeding to age 2 or even 3 years, as long as the child is mostly relying on nutrient dense foods for calories, varied fats, varied proteins, and minerals/vitamins.
Many moms stick with breastfeeding for the emotional connection it provides - but end up being surprised by how ready the baby is to advance to the next developmental stage in his or her emotional connection to you. Weaning is just as natural as breastfeeding itself. Your baby may be ready to let go if he is eager to sample solids, hungry most the time, or waking at night for feedings when he is more than a year old. These are signs that he is not getting enough solid food. Let him advance and experience the joy in that next little step of growing up!
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