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Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from Abbott Labs' Ross Mothers Survey show a steady increase in the number of women who initiate breast-feeding, from 57 percent in 1994 to 72 percent in 2005. Less well-known is the gradual increase in the age at which breast-feeding stops. InI think it's great that moms are breastfeeding their children longer. The benefits of breastfeeding do not simply stop when a child turns one. There are both nutritional and developmental benefits for nursing a toddler, for both mom and baby.
1997, 26 percent of mothers were still nursing their babies at six months; in 2005, 39 percent were. In 1997, 14.5 percent of mothers were still breast-feeding at 12 months; by 2005, the number had climbed to 20 percent.
And while we are on this topic, a new documentary on extended breastfeeding was recently released in the UK, called Extraordinary Breastfeeding. Here's a little snippet:
Here is my personal stance on this issue: kudos to the women who do breastfeed that long. Could I breastfeed the Guppy until she is 7 or 8? I can't see myself doing it, but I wouldn't right it off completely. I couldn't see myself breastfeeding a two year old either, before the Mermaid was born. I am NOT stating that moms who do breastfeed that long are wrong, I fully support their decision to continue the breastfeeding relationship with their child as long as their child wishes to as well. My goal with the Guppy is to breastfeed until at least two years old, then let her lead. If she self weans, great. If she doesn't....well, I can see myself going as far as four years old, but beyond that, we'll just have to see when the time comes.
So what is your opinion on extended breastfeeding? What is the longest you've nursed your child/children, and how long is too long for you?
4 comments:
I am still nursing Gray and he's 18 months. That's the longest I've nursed, and I plan to continue until I know the time is right to wean, including Gray in on that decision, too. It's hard, because I too had different misconceptions about how long to breastfeed, but the longer I do it, the more I enjoy it and know it's right for us.
Steph
I'll start by saying my mom and MIL both did extended BFing and my bro self-weaned after 3. It's great that more moms are nursing longer and the health benefits are great.Obviously I dont' think you can just draw a line and say EBF is ok up until X age.
However, I had some issues about the video. We just had a discussion on it on an AP board I'm on.
I gotta say, I dont' really understand why an 8 year old should nurse. (I watched the whole video twice.) I mean, it just doesn't seem healthy...
And by that I mean, at a certain age MOST babies do self-wean and start drinking from cups.. and stop sucking their thumbs and using pacifiers... and using forks and spoons and getting their nutrition from other sources. And stop wearning diapers and bathing with mom and dad. And start talking to mom and dad about your feelings and getting emotional vailidation in other ways.
I guess I would be concerned that there is something very wrong if my third grader still feels the need to do an activity that is primarily for babies (and toddlers). Is she missing something else in her life that she still needs to nurse? I don't want to judge, but I know that children do go through stages of development and what is age-appropriate behavior for a 1yo is not for a 2yo or a 3yo, etc etc Who's to say what is age-appropriate? Of course that's always up for debate.
But at 8 you are aware of the opposite sex and on the brink of puberty yourself. And the obsession with the boobies (trying to touch them etc) just would send up a red flag for me.
So I guess my point is, that I don't have issue with the EBF, but I would be concerned that something else is wrong that the child still is so dependent on it (and fixated on it) at such a later age.
I nursed my DD until she was 3 1/2, at which point she was only nursing once per day and that first thing in the morning. The problem was that she wouldn't wake up entirely and would wind up nipping me. After a few months of waking up to wrestle her off the teat, I decided that we needed to finally wean ... it was either that or I was going to start sleeping on the sofa to avoid being gnawed. I talked to her about it for a week, then the night before, she got to nurse as much as she wanted and then say good-bye to "ba". It was a rough couple of weeks, but providing lots of morning cuddles in place of the nursing has helped.
Well, I nursed Tabby until she was ten years old.
GASP!
She is the most articulate, outgoing, self confident and loving child anyone could imagine.
As for the woman who posted about the sexuality of it--hogwash. It is about maternal love, not sexuality. Boys are crazy about my beautiful daughter, and she is interested in them. My "nursies" were symbols of love to her, not sexual at all.
If someone had told me I would have nursed so long in the beginning I would have severely doubted it, but it just never seemed to matter. She was always happy and very confident. I asked her what she thought about when she was nursing and she said, "That you love me so much."
I know she would have weaned around eight if I had not gotten pregnant with Shelby. Then all the good milk came in and she happily took her share. It was always tender and sweet.
Shelby will be five next month and still nurses about once an hour. She sleeps in bed with me and nurses a few times a night.
I am part Cherokee and the Cherokee nursed until at least seven years old. Since the mean to wean is over 4 years, that means 8 years in completely normal..and all the other great primates nurse until the baby teeth are out and the permanent teeth come in--in humans that is around eight/nine.
Come visit my blog and see my beautiful happy children. They are a joy to the whole world.
love, Kas
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