Benifits of breastfeeding after are year

[alfiesmadmother]

Are there any??

I breastfed my first 3 chiuldren for a year and stopped only as I had had enough and wanted to have a drink and my body back. My DD is 9 months and we are enjoying breastfeeding and I want to continue as long as she wants to!

But I have heard there aren't any nitritional benefits after a year. My DD has approx 4/5 feeds a day and the occasional night feed, I'm worries I'll be filling her up on watery milk that won't be any benefit to her. Of course I know the benefit of feeding her in that the bond will be strong and the comfort if she is sick. Would it be worth introducing some formula milk on her cereal for added vitamins and iron???

1 year olds need milk don't they? So it's up to you if you give her human milk or animal milk. It's not like a child turns one and stops needing milk in their diet - you never hear anyone argue that cow's milk has no nutritional benefits.

The world health organisation recommend exclusive breastfeeding til 6 months, and then continuing alongside solid foods until they are at least two years old! So you have a very good reason to continue, if you both want to!

Your milk is not watery it is very very rich in calories. As she starts to take more solids she will naturally take less BM and you may find drops the daytime feeds eventually. Let nature take its course if you don't have any other reasons to limit it!

"Would it be worth introducing some formula milk on her cereal for added vitamins and iron???"

Oh I could just SCREAM. BLOODY formula marketing :(

No.

The food she's eating, if it's a normal varied diet will give her the vits and iron she needs. Cereals have added vits and iron anyway so even if she's not a 5 a day kinda gal (and how many are) she'll be getting plenty.

Follow on milk / Growing up milk "iron" and vit claims are utterly immoral and unethical.

You're doing brilliantly. If you're happy to continue, do so in the knowledge that you're continuing to give your gorgeous child protection against illness, and lots of useful fats and other nutrtional benefits.

Oh, and have a glass of wine if you want one!

Your milk doesn't suddenly lose its goodness at 12 months. From what people on here have said, it's just that the nutritional benefits of breastmilk can be got from a solid diet after a year (for most children).

However, the World Health Organisation recommends that a third of children's nutrition between 12 and 24 months comes from breastmilk.

Obviously there are many other benefits to breastmilk not available through solid food eg protection for the immune systm. IIRC the levels of antibodies in your milk increase as time goes on (to compensate for the fact that your LO is usually drinking less of it).

The iron in breastmilk is far more easily absorbed than iron from other sources, including formula.

Kellymom info on feeding past a year is here.

You're doing a great job: keep going as long as you're happy to and enjoy a drink if you feel like it. :)

The no nutritional benefits thing is just a line trotted out by formula-feeding mothers who feel hugely resentful towards you because you are still feeding and they're not. They want you to stop so they feel better about their own decision.