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Original poster

Why do people breastfeed past 1year old?

420 replies

Mommabear20 · 15/01/2022 14:07

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?

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Ann46 · 15/01/2022 15:11

Should add my dc just took to food so well as soon as she started eating. Milk isnt something she is interested in anymore

RedCandyApple · 15/01/2022 15:11

@Ann46

This makes me feel bad. I didnt realise they recommended to 2. I thought i was 1. My dc is 1 yr 2 months and ive stopped bfing not intentionally but she naturally weaned herself off. She doesnt even associate my nipple with food anymore. Can i start up bfing again? Its been almost a month since ive last given her a feed
It’s recommended, it doesn’t mean you have to.
SMBC2020 · 15/01/2022 15:11

My DD is 19 months and it's part of her bedtime routine. She still sometimes falls asleep feeding and I think it's adorable to have this baby sleeping on me and to lift her into her cot asleep.

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KatieKat88 · 15/01/2022 15:13

[quote Lifeisnteasy]@Ann46 a lot of toddlers lose interest and self wean anytime from 12 months. I would respect her decision if she isn’t interested. Nutritionally she has had the major benefits and will be fine Smile[/quote]
Agreed, don't feel bad! It's a great achievement to breastfeed for any length of time that works for you both.

HoliHormonalTigerlilly · 15/01/2022 15:13

My baby wouldn't drink any other milk. It's a convenient way to get them to sleep. It's good for them & good for you.

pastypirate · 15/01/2022 15:13

@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?

Because it IS needed for their nutrition.

And I'm an adult and I make decisions about my own body.

strawberrymilk7 · 15/01/2022 15:13

@Violet1988 I'd still give your DC the vitamin D, check with the midwife again to be sure if you want. But I can't imagine it is in breastmilk, this time of year anyway we don't get enough sun to generate vitamin D.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/how-to-get-vitamin-d-from-sunlight/

JanuaryPinks · 15/01/2022 15:14

@Lifeisnteasy I didn’t say anything about a link between feeding method and mother child bond, I said that breastfeeding is more than just feeding for a child, but also gives them comfort and emotional regulation. It absolutely does.

Smidgy · 15/01/2022 15:14

Because my dc got comfort from breastfeeding.

Adeleskirts · 15/01/2022 15:16

@Ann46

This makes me feel bad. I didnt realise they recommended to 2. I thought i was 1. My dc is 1 yr 2 months and ive stopped bfing not intentionally but she naturally weaned herself off. She doesnt even associate my nipple with food anymore. Can i start up bfing again? Its been almost a month since ive last given her a feed
Please don’t feel bad, the who recommends globally so recommends to the lowest common denominator, which is third world countries where women do not have access to sterilisation and clean water. For developed countries the benefits are really subjective, with arguments from scientists now that the most breastfeeding prevents is an occasional ear ache in early child hood. There is absolutely no correlation between healthy adults and how long they were breastfed.

The benefits in a developed country are softer, Ie comforting to parent and child.

pastypirate · 15/01/2022 15:16

@Norvo

Surely the question should be, why the rush to switch to drinking milk from another species.
Exactly
stuntbubbles · 15/01/2022 15:17

She liked it. I liked it. The end.

Lifeisnteasy · 15/01/2022 15:19

[quote JanuaryPinks]@Lifeisnteasy I didn’t say anything about a link between feeding method and mother child bond, I said that breastfeeding is more than just feeding for a child, but also gives them comfort and emotional regulation. It absolutely does.[/quote]
It wasn’t for mine. She used to drain the boob then ping off to look at something that interested her Grin

mayblossominapril · 15/01/2022 15:19

Because both of mine have CMPA and the alternative milks are not great nutritionally. It’s really easy to bf after the first couple of months, it’s free, with bf you are never without food and drink for them, it gives them comfort, it’s much easier to whip a booby out in the night than make a bottle up, and that’s before you get to all the health benefits.

I do find though that everyone is obsessed with when you’re stopping feeding though.

YukoandHiro · 15/01/2022 15:22

Because it's easier to keep going at that point than to stop. They mostly feed morning, bed and overnight at stage. It makes night wakes very easy and quick to deal with. It helps fight nursery bugs and keeps them hydrated when they get ill ana refuse everything else.
And also it's a nice read connection at a point they are first exploiting independence eg walking, mum returning to work etc.
Also it means you don't have to worry about calcium in their diet if they're not into cows milk/Cmp alternatives

StrifeOfBath · 15/01/2022 15:24

There was no reason to stop (fed morning and bedtime only, past about 1)
It is still nutritionally beneficial - why wouldn't it be?
They liked it
I was happy with it.

JanuaryPinks · 15/01/2022 15:26

@Lifeisnteasy really? Every feed? So you never offered the breast if she was ill/tired/had hurt herself? Mine went through distractible phases too, and actually dc2 has been much more into it than DC1 was, but it very clearly for both was more than just a nutritional thing.

Lifeisnteasy · 15/01/2022 15:28

[quote JanuaryPinks]@Lifeisnteasy really? Every feed? So you never offered the breast if she was ill/tired/had hurt herself? Mine went through distractible phases too, and actually dc2 has been much more into it than DC1 was, but it very clearly for both was more than just a nutritional thing.[/quote]
Nope, not did she ever ask for it. I had to offer at every feed time.

ArabellaScott · 15/01/2022 15:28

@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?

Why did you keep giving your daughter milk past one year old?
YorkshireIndie · 15/01/2022 15:29

My son did not want to stop plus they still get most of their daily vitamins through breast milk. He got a lot of comfort out of it all. Only stoped a week after his second birthday as I had been hospitalised with pneumonia and they gave me medicine which would have wreaked his teeth (despite me saying I was breastfeeding 🙄).

He would still happily feed but I am glad to get my breasts back and no longer be a dummy at night!

LemonLimelight · 15/01/2022 15:29

I carried on until 3.5years with DD1 and 4.5years with DD2 (just at bedtime to settle them to sleep past about 18mths) because:

  • they loved it and expressed their love for me through it (they would say things like, I love you so much mummy because your milk is so warm)
-they didn't move on to an attachment with a comforter or soft toy at bedtime, breastfeeding was their comforter. -it was a quick, easy, cosy, loving way to settle them off to sleep. I felt secure knowing I could always settle them to sleep no matter where we were or how the day had gone. -it helped us to bond when I struggled with PND. It was pretty much the only thing holding us together at times. -there are health benefits for mum and child and they continue for the whole time you breastfeed for. -they still seemed so little and still seemed to need it. -it didn't want to use formula, "growing up" milk or other substitutes and neither liked cow's milk. -might sound strange but I felt connected to all the other mother's round the world and throughout human history and all the other mammals who also breastfeed their babies in the same way and enjoyed feeling part of life in that way. They both happily stopped naturally when we were both ready. I miss it a bit now though.
ArabellaScott · 15/01/2022 15:30

The WHO recs at least two years breastfeeding, and then as long as both mother and baby wish to feed for.

There are lots of reasons to feed - nutrition, antibodies, getting to sleep, comfort, bonding. And no reasons not to feed for as long as both parties wish to do so.

Lifeisnteasy · 15/01/2022 15:30

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Violinist64 · 15/01/2022 15:32

Breastfeeding is good for babies but l found mine weaned themselves by nine or ten months old. They had cups after that. The one caveat I would add to those breastfeeding through the night or just before bed is to make sure that their teeth are brushed after the final feed. Breast milk can cause tooth decay as, like all milk, it has sugar in it.

Skeumorph · 15/01/2022 15:32

This is not meant at all to be goady but it is a question that would only ever be asked by someone who didn't breastfeed. The answer is, because it's just a great thing. The real question would be why wouldn't you.

  • It is brilliant nutrition
  • It's physiologically natural way past a year, so you actually have to make an effort to STOP something that, if it's continued to a year, is going to be a normal, easy, seamless part of a daily routine. If it isn't, and there are reasons why it no longer suits you, you'd have stopped by now anyway.
  • It's a really useful utility. For me, a key reason to not stop was illness- I found on several occasions that an upset/in pain child who needed to stay hydrated would breastfeed when they wouldn't drink or eat anything else. And when you find you've forgotten to pack a drink - well, you don't forget to buckle your boobs on, so, saved.
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