Why do people breastfeed past 1year old?

[Mommabear20]

Not a bashing thread, I'm genuinely interested in peoples reasons!

My DD was formula fed and once she was a year old and could drink cows milk, she stopped formula completely and no longer uses bottles at all.

So my question is, if you have breastfed your DC past 1 year when it's no longer needed for their nutrition, why do/did you continue?

I disagree. I think you can be completely in favour of mothers having the choice about how to feed their babies while acknowledging the scientific reality that breastfeeding confers more advantages. It is objectively better to breastfeed if you can, but that doesn't mean that women should feel pressurised to do so or that they should be made to feel guilty if they can't or don't want to.

You can support free choice without having to pretend that all choices are identical.

You can support free choice without having to pretend that all choices are identical

🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

Breastmilk is nutritionally the best, anyone who argues otherwise is a plonker.

That doesn’t make breastfeeding the best in every scenario. Women have enough agency to decide for themselves without it putting down other peoples choices.

I agree with this.

Especially not when the objections are based in complaints that population level statistical patterns didn’t apply in this or that case.

And given how effective the formula (and the dairy) industries have been in shaping public perception (over decades) so that breastfeeding is positioned as a ‘choice’ rather than the standard biological process.

Of course, formula is valuable and a good enough substitute on which babies can - and do - thrive. And they continue to do so when switched from formula to cow’s milk. But it’s still a substitute to try to mimic the standard biological processes. And being touchy about that doesn’t help anyone.

Nor should people feel like they’ve failed if they struggled with breastfeeding (in a cultural context that doesn’t make it easier). They made use of a perfectly reasonable alternative. Many of us do all sorts of things to mitigate the quirks of our individual biology. I wear glasses/contact lenses because my eyesight is shit.

And if it was a definite choice, then that’s fine too. But the standard should really be breastfeeding. Without weird moral weight either way.

@AlexaShutUp

I disagree. I think you can be completely in favour of mothers having the choice about how to feed their babies while acknowledging the scientific reality that breastfeeding confers more advantages. It is objectively better to breastfeed if you can, but that doesn't mean that women should feel pressurised to do so or that they should be made to feel guilty if they can't or don't want to.

You can support free choice without having to pretend that all choices are identical.

I’ve acknowledged breastfeeding confers more health benefits - but that benefit is tiny, in fact negligible.

@Lifeisnteasy

But this is the point *@Xenia* - if you are truly pro choice, there is no ‘worst’ rate, it just is what it is.

I disagree. Eight out of ten women in the UK stop before they want to. Our very low breastfeeding rates might not matter if women were truly choosing not to breastfeed despite adequate support but this isn't the case.

I’ve acknowledged breastfeeding confers more health benefits - but that benefit is tiny, in fact negligible.

But if you acknowledge that there are benefits - however tiny - then "best"/"worst" rates of breastfeeding can surely be discussed? There are benefits, ergo a higher rate of breastfeeding in society is objectively better than a lower rate. As a pp has said, that doesn't mean that breastfeeding is necessarily better for each individual mother, as there are other factors that need to be considered in each case. But at a societal level, a higher rate of breastfeeding is undoubtedly desirable.

@AlexaShutUp

I’ve acknowledged breastfeeding confers more health benefits - but that benefit is tiny, in fact negligible.

But if you acknowledge that there are benefits - however tiny - then "best"/"worst" rates of breastfeeding can surely be discussed? There are benefits, ergo a higher rate of breastfeeding in society is objectively better than a lower rate. As a pp has said, that doesn't mean that breastfeeding is necessarily better for each individual mother, as there are other factors that need to be considered in each case. But at a societal level, a higher rate of breastfeeding is undoubtedly desirable.

Well no because the health benefits aren’t the only ones to be considered. Formula has released mothers (that want to be released) from being the sole carers of babies, enabling them to go back to work, have breaks, go out for the day, let somebody else do the night wakings. Formula is also a better source of vitamin D than breastmilk.

I certainly would have gone mad had DD not been able to have the odd bottle so I could get some sleep (sometimes it was EBM, sometimes formula), and in cases such as mine formula enables women to breastfeed for longer because it gives them the short breaks they need to carry on. Countries with high breastfeeding rates such as Switzerland are much more relaxed about giving the odd bottle to enable the mum to rest, they’re less hung up on the ‘EBF’ label than we are & it works for them.

I’m so sick of every thread about bf turning into this oh so tedious debate.

The point of this thread was why continue to breastfeed past 1. It’s not why breastfeed vs formula feed. It’s why breastfeed vs cows milk. And most of the answers have been about ease and convenience and the mother and/or baby’s enjoyment, with the nutritional and other benefits pretty much a bonus.

I don’t know why certain posters have waded into this banging on about negligible benefits of bf…it’s just completely beside the point. I doubt you’d be able to find a single person who continued to breastfeed past age 1 solely because of the health benefits of doing so.

As someone who carried on breastfeeding for a long time after going back to a full time job, I don't necessarily think that the two are mutually exclusive. I recognise that there are situations in which that would be difficult, but I also think that society could be set up to support breastfeeding women much more effectively. It's entirely possible to give babies expressed milk in a bottle if needed in order to give the mum a break - my dd resolutely refused to take one, but I imagine she would have caved eventually if we had persisted.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm completely in favour of women having a free choice about what works best for them, but I do think that higher levels of breastfeeding are desirable and that we should be supporting women more effectively so that those who want to breastfeed feel able to do so.

I breastfed both mine to 14 months. It was a lovely experience for both of us. I only stopped because I wanted to ttc after baby 1, and dc2 was always less into it.

@Lifeisnteasy I wouldn’t say you’re being nasty, just kind of irrelevant? I doubt anyone who wanted to breastfeed and couldn’t would choose to read this thread, and even jf they did, if they’re that gutted about it, it will be because they really wanted to do it in the first place and your posts aren’t going to suddenly make them feel fine about their situation.

Agree that the breastfeeding Vs formula feeding thing is a tedious debate. People get so defensive about both choices and it just goes round and round infinitely.

In answer to the original question. I never breastfed for nutritional purposes. I was blasé about starting in the beginning, wasn't particularly wedded to breastfeeding and had no intention of feeding a toddler!

I did not realise beforehand that breastfeeding is fucking magic, it is the solution to every problem. I ended up needing to feed during the night as it was the only/quickest way to get DS back to sleep and he was bloody impossible to wean (I had several attempts). I carried on until my final successful attempt at weaning, at 2.5 years.

@FolkSongSweet

I’m so sick of every thread about bf turning into this oh so tedious debate.

The point of this thread was why continue to breastfeed past 1. It’s not why breastfeed vs formula feed. It’s why breastfeed vs cows milk. And most of the answers have been about ease and convenience and the mother and/or baby’s enjoyment, with the nutritional and other benefits pretty much a bonus.

I don’t know why certain posters have waded into this banging on about negligible benefits of bf…it’s just completely beside the point. I doubt you’d be able to find a single person who continued to breastfeed past age 1 solely because of the health benefits of doing so.

I don't know why someone who didn't breastfeed would click on a thread about extended breastfeeding anyway.

Probably dead boring if you haven't done it. The only intention is start up this debate that happens every time someone bring a up the word 'breastfeeding'.

If you're happy with formula, you don't need to justify it. If it's the best for you, fine. Why do people care so mix about such a mundane topic?

@AlexaShutUp

As someone who carried on breastfeeding for a long time after going back to a full time job, I don't necessarily think that the two are mutually exclusive. I recognise that there are situations in which that would be difficult, but I also think that society could be set up to support breastfeeding women much more effectively. It's entirely possible to give babies expressed milk in a bottle if needed in order to give the mum a break - my dd resolutely refused to take one, but I imagine she would have caved eventually if we had persisted.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm completely in favour of women having a free choice about what works best for them, but I do think that higher levels of breastfeeding are desirable and that we should be supporting women more effectively so that those who want to breastfeed feel able to do so.

There needs to be higher levels of choice. I used ff from day one - never wanted to bf - never tried but there is very little support for ff. At NCT it’s a dirty word and ignored.

@onreee I did breastfeed, but only for 6 months. Stopped for a number of reasons. You don’t need personal experience of something to contribute to a thread numerous people on here were asking why people use formula so I responded. And also to the poster who asked whether it makes a difference to the bond.

Life I’ve acknowledged breastfeeding confers more health benefits - but that benefit is tiny, in fact negligible

Does it matter? Do you only feed your child foods that have major health benefits?

Sorry for screenshot but I can't quote. @Letsallscreamatthesistene what are you referring to and why? I'm confused by your comment.

I still feed my 16-month-old and plan to feed her for a few more years. We both enjoy it, and it seems to make her get ill less often.

@Bitofachinwag

Life I’ve acknowledged breastfeeding confers more health benefits - but that benefit is tiny, in fact negligible

Does it matter? Do you only feed your child foods that have major health benefits?

No. Where did I say for that reason anyone should stop?

The reasons I did was because I enjoyed the closeness, I found it such a useful tool for sending them straight to sleep or comforting them instantly but mainly because I wanted to follow the world health organisation recommendation to breastfeed to 2 years.

It's recommended to breastfeed until age 2 by the WHO
There are continuing health benefits for both mum and baby
Because both mum and baby want to

@MajorCarolDanvers

It's recommended to breastfeed until age 2 by the WHO There are continuing health benefits for both mum and baby Because both mum and baby want to

Yes but isn't that WHO recommendation intended for places/countries where infant mortality and malnutrition are a big problem? It's not necessary in the UK where we have access to safe drinking water, many type of milk, plenty of food etc.

but that benefit is tiny, in fact negligible
Hmm, I don’t really think you can say it’s negligible.

The NHS push it because it’s reduces obesity and subsequently millions of pounds from direct and indirect health issues. I worked out, whilst discussing on one of these threads before exactly what the cost is on the NHS from FF instead of BF. IIRC it worked out as one person from every class (1:30) that would not have been obese if they were breastfed. That’s quite huge..

@zurala

Sorry for screenshot but I can't quote. *@Letsallscreamatthesistene* what are you referring to and why? I'm confused by your comment.

I'm not them, so can't speak for them, but suspect the suggestion is that, having not had them in childhood, my DC will be more susceptible to these illnesses in adulthood, when they'll suffer worse.

It's a genuine concern, with chicken pox if not so much the others (because I'm not aware of them worse in adulthood). But there's not a lot I can do. I wasn't trying to keep them away from these infections, quite the opposite. They had contact, and just didn't catch them. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@FTEngineerM

but that benefit is tiny, in fact negligible Hmm, I don’t really think you can say it’s negligible.

The NHS push it because it’s reduces obesity and subsequently millions of pounds from direct and indirect health issues. I worked out, whilst discussing on one of these threads before exactly what the cost is on the NHS from FF instead of BF. IIRC it worked out as one person from every class (1:30) that would not have been obese if they were breastfed. That’s quite huge..

I don’t think 1 in 30 is huge, and it doesn’t really ‘work’ that way - it doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of obesity for 1 in X people, it just reduces the risk of obesity ever so slightly for each person breastfed. I’m not saying that’s not a good reason to do it - it is - but the benefits are most definitely overstated, particularly on here.

It doesn’t work like that - you can be obese whether you were bf or ff. it’s not that simple or straightforward.