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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

No benefit to bfing after six months?

14 replies

HarktheheraldAnglepoise · 13/12/2008 23:14

Someone has just said this elsewhere - it's wrong, isn't it? Does anyone have any good links to this effect (unless she's right!)? I have had a look but the ones I've found are a bit vague and wishywashy.

Ta

OP posts:
emkana · 13/12/2008 23:18

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

CharCharGaboriaInExcelsisDeo · 13/12/2008 23:18

Tis bollocks, breastmilk is beneficial for as long as a child drinks it. Here's one link, let me look and see if I can find any more.

ElectraInExcelsis · 13/12/2008 23:19

Who told you this? I'm sure it's not correct, if only because the WHO recommends feeding til 2. It doesn't make sense at all that suddenly at 6 months breast milk would become void - especially because the alternative would be formula at that point, which I don't believe would be as good or better at any stage. To me it sounds like an idea that just happens to fit in with western lifestyle and culture.

CharCharGaboriaInExcelsisDeo · 13/12/2008 23:22

Oh yes, and obviously the benefits after six months are the same as the ones before six months with added benefits as well. For example it helps to make the baby feel more secure as they become more mobile and conscious of the world. It provides comfort during teething and any discomfort caused by starting solids. I will try and think of some more, my brain is tired and fuzzy. Emkana, why couldn't I find that link, I looked everywhere on kellymom!

IAteTheWholeSelectionBox · 13/12/2008 23:30

IIRC BFed toddlers experience a lower incidence of (and less severe) tummy upsets, due to ongoing transfer of immunity. There are also great emotional benefits because BFing provides security and reassurance. Plus, it means you don't need to tie yourself in knots trying to get however much cheese, yoghurt and cow's milk down your child's neck.

The "no benefit after 6 months" crap is unusally spouted by less informed people who also love to suggest that "it's only for the mother", or "they'll still be feeding when they're 18" etc. [rolls eyes]

mum4d · 13/12/2008 23:45

My friend has just finished breastfeeding her daughter who's now 3. They tried to stop a year ago, but the little one is ill a lot, and it helped generally. Since stopping, d has been ill again, but no amount of calpol etc could get the child's temperature down, where BFing ALWAYS could before, and quicker than Calpol.

Cocobear · 13/12/2008 23:55

If you're enjoying Bfing, then it's of benefit to you. No further justification is needed.

Original poster
HarktheheraldAnglepoise · 13/12/2008 23:56

It's someone on another forum. To be fair, she is trying to reassure a bfing mum (baby 6.5 months) who wants a night off so she can take some kick-ass cold drugs, but I always feel the need to correct this kind of misinformation!

OP posts:
thumbElf · 14/12/2008 00:13

madness, really. Does rather seem to have come from some grasping interested party, such as a formula feed company, doesn't it. After all, they claim to know "what's best for babies" in their ads.

BouncingTinsel · 14/12/2008 08:13

I must admit before i had ds I thought I would only feed for 6 months maximum - not sure exactly wy it just didn't occur to me that you could feed for longer until I started reading people's experiences here. Even the NCT bfing class seem to emphasise starting and establishing bfing but not on how long to feed for, but to be fair because just getting it established can be a major hurdle to many women they want to concentrate their efforts there. Also, if someone told me that I should feed for 2 years+ when ds was a few days old and I had sore and bleeding nipples I think my response would be 'fuck off'
I suspect the '6mo' thing is from where thumbElf says, advertising for formula milk...

mrsgboring · 14/12/2008 08:22

I have had it said to me by a couple of friends who are highly qualified biologists/immunologists, on account of the "gut sealing" that goes on then. It means that some of the more dramatic benefits of conferring immunity may be reduced from 6 months.

People who are actually experts in breastfeeding don't say this though. Certainly, there are plenty of benefits detailed on KellyMom that have been linked to, and it can still confer protection for stomach bugs.

I still BF my DS who is 3. He recently had the horrible cold that's been going round and had a low level temperature most of the day. When he BFed though, the temp went down to normal for about half an hour afterwards, which I found an interesting effect - probably to do with BF's general brilliant ability to calm and comfort.

Whatever the immunity benefits, it remains one of the most nutritious and easily digested foods for all but a few desperately allergic babies and children.

Umlellala · 14/12/2008 08:25

Well, I will probably be bfing past 6mths, mainly cos it's so convenient! No bottles or milk to get, can just go out whenever knowing you are sorted for baby's milk. (V useful for someone like me, who always seems to forget a nappy or wipes or something... )

IAteTheWholeSelectionBox · 14/12/2008 12:03

mrsgboring - here's a link to a thread which explains more about immunological benefits of BM for older babies

Link

mrsgboring · 14/12/2008 19:22

Thank you for that link, IAteTheWholeSelectionBox. I can see that it's unlikely to be very conclusively demonstrated exactly what benefits are conferred when and how. After all, the protective effects of breastfeeding can continue to be observed long after BF has stopped (is it something like 7 years of reduced ear infections for 9 months BF? - too lazy to look up the actual quote from "Reasons to be Proud")

I sincerely hope the baby I'm carrying now can be breastfed as much as DS has been.

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