dd is coming up to 6 months thinking about whether to contine bf or not, can anyone tell th health benefits after 6 months

[pregnantbabyelephant]

thanks

im not sure how long to carry on for

[LadyOfWaffle]

the benefits never stop really, I am sure someone better will come along in a minute

[NineUnlikelyTales]

Well the main benefit is that you don't have to give formula, which is nutritionally inferior to breast milk. And easier to prepare/administer

If you don't want to BF any more you don't have to but BF will always be better in every way than FF. Why not just carry on until one or both of you want to stop?

[137wallis]

I'm not sure of the health benifits, but I fed my 4th son until he was 20 months, and only stopped then as I was very pregnant and he struggled to reach it! lol, and he is the most confident, well adjusted of my 5 kids so far! plan on feeding 5th til he wants to stop, the first three I fed till 6 months, but he was quite poorly, so hospital told me to keep feeding for as long as possible, and I think it really helped him, I know thats not answered your question but thought i'd let you know anyway, sadly lacking in conversation at the moment! just feed until you think its the right time to stop!

[pippylongstockings]

The health benefits of anti-bodies etc. all still continue as far as I am aware. I agree with the above keep on feeding as long as you feel it is right for you. With my 1st I did it for 9 months with my 2nd he is 11 months and I still am and will continue as I feel it is right for us.

Agree with feeling that b/f being much easier than giving a bottle, but obviously does have the disadvantage of being reliant on you.

Do what suits and well done for doing 6 months!

[AussieSim]

Besides the health benefits I would say that to continue to 12mths saves you the entire experience of bottles and formula as you can move straight onto cows milk. I have done this twice and it has worked a dream. At 6mths I drop to 3 bf's a day (breakfast, afternoon and bed time) with water given out of a cup at lunch. Never had to wean off the bottle - never had to sterilise a bottle or BUY formula. The convenience and the savings should talk for themselves - anyway, they do for me and I will take the same approach for DC3 (due May). HTH, Sim

[Philomytha]

The health benefits basically just continue - fewer ear infections, colds, tummy upsets and all that, as well as the benefits for you. The longer you breastfeed for, the stronger the benefits are.

One of the things I've found most useful about bfing my son past 6 months (he's 2 now) is that when he gets really upset or has a tantrum or hurts himself, putting him to the breast calms him down like magic. And when he does get ill and doesn't want to eat anything else, he'll always take breastmilk.

[NoBiggy]

I'd second that. DD1 recently started pre-school, and is bringing all manner of bugs home. I'm so glad that DD2 is still able to have BM when she catches them too, when she'll have nothing else.