So a dietician just told me there is no real point breastfeeding past one...

[naturelover]

Am I right to think this is poor advice?

I know the WHO guidelines say two years. I'm aiming for 18-24 months. DS has eczema which seems to get worse if I eat dairy (and many other things), so it's not like there's an obvious alternative.

Surely she should realise that there are benefits to feeding beyond a year! She seemed to be saying that nutritionally, it doesn't offer much beyond one. Well for a start breastmilk makes up about 80% of my son's diet (he's 12mo), so it can't be totally lacking in nutrition (he's on 99.6th centile for weight, btw).

It's true I'm rundown from extremely limited diet and I can understand she is worried about me... but really? I am getting sick of everyone telling me to stop breastfeeding.

Rant over!

I think lots of so-called long term bfs avoid mentioning it to hcps as this sort of attitude is so prevalent.

Are you seeing the dietician for your own problems?

Dietician is worryingly wrong... from kellymom:

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B12 requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements
-- Dewey 2001

see: www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

I think the confusion in some HCPs' minds arises because you can replicate the nutritional aspects of breastmilk with other foods and a baby aged one can have a range of other foods which would supply these.

If a baby is not getting a range of other foods in large enough quantities, then it would be unsafe and unhealthy to stop breastfeeding.

What you cannot replicate are the antibodies present in breastmilk, and the species-specific qualities (ie the human-ness of human milk).

You also cannot recreate the relationship aspects of breastfeeding, which can be very important.

Saying there are no nutritional benefits to breastmilk after some arbitrary date is to imply breastmilk changes to water or something, which is clearly stoopid...but some HCPs don't seem to mind appearing this way.

Everything the others said

...but also

What do you mean 'rundown from an extremely limited diet'? My dd is also 12 months and I am quite run down too. I don't know whether it's the breastfeeding or the nightfeeding specifically but if my diet was limited I reckon I'd be totally knackered.

What's the background to your dietician's advice?

Ds's dietician told me I "shouldn't" be bf at 4 months .

blinder, my diet is limited because of the various foods that seem to trigger DS's eczema (no dairy, eggs, citrus, tomatoes). I'm taking lots of supplements but I'm hungry a lot of the time and have lost a bit of weight.

I'm also run down because I have a toddler, no childcare, no family nearby, DH working long hours and (unsurprisingly) PND too.

I'm hoping to nightwean DS soon as being up twice a night after 12 months is probably not helping. I'm permanently exhausted.

Everyone is telling me to stop breastfeeding but I tend to think if I can cut the night feeds then maybe I can cope with the limited diet. I'm not a vegan after all - I do eat fish and meat.

Tiktok I'd welcome your view of the kindest way to nightwean, if you have a minute. Thanks

historygirls that is outrageous!

Natirelover, I had a restricted diet due to IBS for three years, during almost one of which I was bf. I started it when DS2 was about 20 months (fed him to 21/2.)

Obviously everyone's metabolism and energy levels are different but the key 'rules' I followed which still stand me in good stead as a generally healthy way of eating, were: to eat protein with every meal, including breakfast; any carbs would be 'brown'; anszavoid all forms of sugar.

I appreciate the last one is contentious and not easily done, but you really do find energy you didn't know you could have by doing this.

When you get hungry have a few nuts and dried apricots or bread with peanut butter. Will fill you up but avoid a drop in blood sugar levels which is what makes you feel lousy.

Sorry not to be more diplomatic - am about to go out.

Naturelover, I had a restricted diet due to IBS for three years, during almost one of which I was bf. I started it when DS2 was about 20 months (fed him to 21/2.)

Obviously everyone's metabolism and energy levels are different but the key 'rules' I followed which still stand me in good stead as a generally healthy way of eating, were: to eat protein with every meal, including breakfast; any carbs would be 'brown'; anszavoid all forms of sugar.

I appreciate the last one is contentious and not easily done, but you really do find energy you didn't know you could have by doing this.

When you get hungry have a few nuts and dried apricots or bread with peanut butter. Will fill you up but avoid a drop in blood sugar levels which is what makes you feel lousy.

Sorry not to be more diplomatic - am about to go out.

Oops

What about the antibody aspect of breastmilk? I thought that was the reason WHO recommended breastfeeding until at least 2, particularly in developing countries where it protects against gastro-intestinal viruses and bacteria. Not enough research has been done to see how breastfeeding protects from illness beyond one year in developing countries, it would be interesting to find out.

WHO says that between 12 and 24 months bm should provide a third of a child's nutrition, IIRC.

Have you had your iron levels checked? If you're sensitive to iron levels you can be exhausted even if you're within the normal range and not anaemic.

Naturelover that's dedication, to bf and have to cut out foods too. Well done.

I'd be interested in the night weanng tips too. But they do say that sometimes when the night feeds go, supply can dry up. Night milk contains more prolactin and seratonin.

I think everyones magic answer to everything is to give up breastfeeding. But I know so many women who did give up, o ly to regret it cos they are still just as tired months later.

Self care is so important. I understand you don't get much practical support. Do you ever get an hour to yourself?

Oh stupid hcp. I agree with tiktok

Nightweaning might indeed help your tiredness but I put it off because I knew I'd have to have less sleep to have more (whilst nightweaning) and tbh when your sleep is so interrupted any less sleep, even in the aim of getting more, feels like a terrible option!

It has not been a quick or easy option for us but DS (22m) is now nightweaned. He still wakes but less often. What proved key for us was not feeding to sleep. It involved tears, but I was there shushing, rubbing etc so he wasn't left to cry. (Later did leave him to cry to try and stop the night wakings which was a terrible disaster and a whole other thread!)It has all been a bit of a muddle through approach to nightweaning but not feeding to sleep really kicked it off. And having a teddy foisted upon him to bond with!

I really feel for you with the limited diet, I gave up ALL sugar (incl fruit, white bread, pasta and anything yeasty) due to terrible thrush so I feel your pain.

When I night-weaned dd I worked out when she was waking and then gradually pushed it back - so initally no milk until 2am, then moved to 2.30am and so on until she was going through the night - I would shush pat when she woke.
Not holding myself up as an expert at all, but that worked for me.
My supply didn't seem to be affected.