anyone seen this months junior magazine-peadiatric nutritionist says she 'draws the line' at breastfeeding two-yaer-old

[violeteyes]

weird letter written in with someone claiming to be worried that a friend was still bfeeding her two-year-old! expert really quite derogatory, as well as above, said that was bad for mothers health; setting herself up for problems later;not nutritionally any value......
although she said she supported breastfeeding up to six months and no specific cut off was advised, the implication was that 6 months should be it
i was really shocked at the tone of the reply

I'm not disputing the health benefits of bfing. Just wondering if, when you stop, your tot then picks up loads of germs. When they're tots they are more sociable and hang around other kids more so I reckon they are exposed to more germs than when they are babes.

Have you seen Mitchell and Webb's bfing sketch? Very funny!

Some babies/toddlers do (scratch) -- there were outbreaks of chicken pox at DS's nursey when he was around 16 months and again at 24 months and on both occasions I remember the other parents bemoaning how their DCs could not be prevailed upon to stop scratching (the nappies comment was another from them... had never occurred to me before but nasty toddler poo on top of chicken pox was apparently not at all pleasant for anyone involved). Granted a younger baby wouldn't scratch, but even expert-woman agrees with breastfeeding younger babies.

Morticiasmother, I think you're wrong. Have no time to cite references for this, but the big Dundee study showed that protection against infection lasted into toddlerhood for babies who had been bf. So protection lasts for longer than the actual time bf...and why even if what you are saying is true is 'balancing it out', I don't know. If you can keep 'em healthier and less prone to infection by bf, then what's wrong with that?

But heavens, if you have a 'theory', don't let us stop you voicing it here on the basis of, um.....well, what, exactly?

nursery, that is. Am now imagining DS with a Nursey as in Blackadder II. Which would be interesting, but isn't what he currently has...

What I love is that the ones who think this is a decent reply have done NO research of their own, just go "yeah, that sounds plausible and an expert said it, so it must be true".

Well, I say "love", I mean "what makes me bang my head repeatedly on the pebbledash"...

There was another thread on this the other day, btw. Didn't kick off, iirc.

Well I have another theory that breastfeeding boys are more likely to be smokers when they grow up and girls will want boob implants.

That is scientifically based that is!

Sorry, just being naughty!

Here you go

When I stopped bfing my 2 got every bloody infection going!

My Theory (or text version...

This isn't really "kicking off", is it? I do hope not, we're all (or nearly all) being very polite at the moment.

I get very frustrated when experts put their own personal opinions across as fact.

My sil is a dentist and she takes great delight in telling me how bad breast milk is for the teeth (which isn't actually true)- which pisses me off greatly.

Lemonaid, it is compared to the last thread

My dd2 had chicken pox at the age of 16 months whilst still being bf.

why on earth would she assume he is exclusively breastfed???

let's imagine a similar question:
my friend still gives her son milk in bottles, he is now two, is this a good idea?
well no he shouldn't just be drinking milk by now....
er WHAT???

But she doesn't really assume that she is exclusively BF does she? Later on she says "The nutritional benefits of breast milk will also be insignificant, as he is unlikely to be taking large volumes." - which surely he would be if exclusively BF at 2.

Well spotted, Jacanne. The woman's a bit useless, isn't she?

What an idiotic, ill-thought out response from an expert in paediatric nutrition.

Her 'facts' are aged, and not current. Some of them are now incorrect.

I also believe that a HCP should be promoting b/feeding, and defining the good points, and not being entirely negative about something that is good for both babies/toddlers and the mother.

The few studies that have come up, have shown that b/feeding for at least 6 months can protect someone well into adulthood for various things.

I wonder if she has associations with certain sponsors?

Imo she is just speaking from prejudice, I mean the comment about being bitten is just pure ignorance tbh.
yes well spotted Jacanne, what is her point?
If he is taking a pint of bm or even half a pint of bm (say) then is that without value nutrtionally? if he was drinking a half a pint of cow's milk would she say "oh well there's no point drinking cow's milk, he isn't taking any volume so the nutrtional value will be insignificant"
Ihave said before and I think it would make a huge difference - if scientific "fact" is reported int he media, the writer should be obliged to reference the remark. so when she says "Breastfeeding is also detrimental to the mother's health" I would like to see what evidence she has for that.

to answer morticia further below.

it seems that a child's immune system reaches maturity at around 5 yo. so if a toddler is bf past 2yrs, and that immunity continues past the weaning time, surely it is still beneficial to bf past 2y.

by the time he is weaned his immune system will be as developed as anyone elses.

have written my letter of complaint and emailed it.
did i do good?

Depends what you wrote....?

oh yeah, right.
i wrote this:

I've just read the response to a letter printed in the
November issue of Junior magazine.
Your columnist, Dr Elaine Crabtree, gave a
misleading, prejudiced and wholly incorrect answer to
the letter asking about breastfeeding a toddler.

There are numerous studies (mainly from the American
Association of Pediatrics and the World Health
Organisation) which show that breastfeeding a child
beyond the age of 1 has significant benefits for
mother and child.

The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that
children weaned before two years of age are at
increased risk of illness (AAFP 2001).

The World Health Organization emphasizes the
importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond
(WHO 1992, WHO 2002).

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that
"Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the
first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually
desired by mother and child... Increased duration of
breastfeeding confers significant health and
developmental benefits for the child and the mother...
There is no upper limit to the duration of
breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or
developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third
year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

There is no evidence anywhere to suggest that
'breastfeeding is detrimental to the mothers health'.
In fact, breastfeeding reduces the risk of uterine
cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Breastfeeding also protects against osteoporosis. (It
does not cause it as suggested by Dr Crabtree)

The opinion that a mother may be bitten while
breastfeeding not based on any research and is of no
concern to anyone but the mother.

It may be that Dr Crabtree is referring in her answer
to mothers exclusively breastfeeding toddlers and
offering no other foods. If this is the case, she
should be advising extreme medical intervention as
this is clearly not recommended by any health
authority. Either way, her resoponse was both ill
informed and lazy.

Dr Crabtree owes your readers an apology or an
explanation.

Yours sincerely,

I'm sure its not comprehensive or anything, but I was really cross when i read this post. i like Junior magazine and bf a 14mo who shows no signs of stopping, so wanted to say something. Is it ok?

actually I think it's great - measured and based on research.
nice work