Experts:
- Yuri Kopanev, Candidate of Medical Sciences, pediatrician, gastroenterologist-infectious disease specialist, consultant physician at the Moscow Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after G. N. Gabrichevsky
- Olga Lovi, psychologist-consultant on the psychology of motherhood, IEAPP GLE-International
Heroine: Zoya Ignatieva, chief accountant, 38 years old
You can hear from old school doctors that there is no point in breastfeeding after 6 months. The World Health Organization recommends that children not be weaned until they are 2 years old. Enthusiastic mothers are ready to continue feeding even until the first grade of school. Where is the truth and who is right in this endless dispute? Our heroine breastfed her daughter until she was 2.5 years old, and continues to breastfeed her 4-year-old son now.
To feed or not to feed
WHO, UNICEF, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the American Academy of Pediatrics unanimously recommend continuing breastfeeding for children up to two years, emphasizing the conditionality of the upper limit of maternal lactation. True, here too there are special cases when lactation lasts much longer, up to 4–5 years. In this case, the benefits of long-term feeding will be in question. You need to understand that each case is individual, so you should choose a breastfeeding regimen not only based on the child’s wishes, but also on the characteristics of his health and the pediatrician’s recommendations.
Nutritional value of breast milk
No matter what opponents of breastfeeding say, it is mother’s milk that fully satisfies the child’s needs for food and water. Up to 4-6 months, the baby can eat exclusively on it; there is no need to supplement it either (unless otherwise advised by the pediatrician). From 4–6 months, the first complementary foods are introduced, but in parallel with it, it is necessary to continue to put the baby to the breast. The fact is that human milk is unique in its composition: it cannot be reproduced in the laboratory; it contains more than 500 important components that help the child’s body develop correctly and harmoniously. Scientists have repeatedly confirmed the benefits of breastfeeding for infants. After weighing the pros and cons, you can move on to the next points.
Breastfeeding - tips for mothers:
We take into account the following:
1. Dynamics. The child grows, the frequency of breastfeeding and their duration changes. This is very noticeable during the first 4-6 weeks of a newborn’s life. At first, the baby's stomach is very small. He eats in small portions and quite often. By about 3-4 weeks, the stomach increases significantly, and the baby himself becomes stronger. He eats less often and eats more at one feeding. Changes are also noticeable in sleep patterns. Children who, from birth, woke up to breastfeed at night, and sometimes several times, begin to withstand a night interval of 4-5, and sometimes up to 7 hours. Breastfeeding rates also change by month. For example, three-month-old babies often show different activity at the breast throughout the day, and in general can feed much faster than newborns.
2. Individuality. Each baby is born with its own temperament and character, and has its own biological rhythms. This is reflected in his activity, adaptability, and regularity of behavior. No two babies behave the same. Different mothers, in turn, have different breast characteristics. Feeding on demand is a process of mutual adjustment. In which the baby latches on as often and sucks for as long as he needs to be satisfied. And this allows the mother’s body to produce enough milk at the right time. Everyone is happy: the baby is full, and the mother does not have stagnation of milk or other troubles. This is normal breastfeeding for a particular baby and his mother.
3. Possibility of influence. It has been proven that you can influence a child’s biorhythms, help organize them and change them in the right direction. It is important to do this gently, taking into account the natural characteristics of the baby. In this case, a regime suitable for you and your baby will definitely be formed. This will be your normal breastfeeding. The regime can be flexible and changing throughout life. But it will become predictable and convenient for the whole family.
Benefits for immunity
The child's immune system is not fully formed; it cannot resist all the microorganisms that surround the baby from the first days of life. This is especially true for those babies who were born prematurely and by caesarean section. Immunity is finally formed only by the age of 6–7 years, when it “grows” its normal defense mechanisms. In the first years of life, the child is protected by immune factors that are transmitted to him along with breast milk. Of course, many formulas for the first year of life are also saturated with useful substances that help maintain the baby’s immunity. But if a woman has the opportunity to breastfeed her child, it is better not to replace it with IV. This is permissible in cases of allergic reactions, serious illnesses and a number of other factors, which the pediatrician will definitely tell you about.
Brief reminder on weaning
- No matter what age the child is, it is important to postpone weaning when he is especially vulnerable - during illness, visiting, moving.
- Don't let others criticize your baby for taking so long, in their opinion, to breastfeed. No one has the right to interfere in an intimate moment between you and your baby.
- If you know about the obvious benefits of breastfeeding, but the process gives you discomfort or makes you depressed, then you shouldn’t endure it - it’s better to contact a breastfeeding specialist who will give proper feeding recommendations, or start “winding down” lactation.
- How long to continue breastfeeding is up to you. If you don’t want reproaches and misunderstanding from loved ones, you can simply not raise this topic in conversations.
- Remember: no matter how long you breastfeed your baby, you are still the best mother for him!
- share with your friends!
Other benefits for the child
Long-term breastfeeding is considered the best way to maintain closeness between mother and baby. The benefit of this is obvious: psychologists say that it is precisely those children who were on breastfeeding, who were more often picked up, who grow up to be more mature and formed individuals without complex social problems. What other advantages do long-term feeding have?
- Up to one and a half to two years, being in the arms of the mother, the child feels safety and protection. This helps him grow up to be a confident, calm and balanced person.
- GV reduces the risk of developing allergic reactions, especially food ones.
- Nutrients contained in abundance in breast milk help the normal formation of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
- Human milk contains substances that relieve pain during teething.
Some opponents of long-term feeding believe that it harms the formation of the bite: allegedly, with prolonged breastfeeding, the child’s maxillofacial muscles do not develop correctly. However, incorrectly selected pacifiers are more harmful to the bite. Another argument of “harm” is the development of caries in the child, since mother’s milk is sweet. Scientists, however, have concluded that the enzymes contained in human milk, on the contrary, have a beneficial effect on the baby’s tooth enamel.
Benefits for the mother
Breastfeeding after one year can be beneficial not only for the baby, but also for the mother. Some believe that during breastfeeding a woman cannot become pregnant, but this is not true. Already six months after giving birth (sometimes even earlier), a woman may begin to ovulate, that is, breastfeeding will not provide any contraceptive effect. So this is more of a myth than a reality. However, long-term feeding has other positive effects:
- the risk of developing cancer of the breast and reproductive system is reduced;
- Daily breastfeeding allows a woman to expend an additional 300–500 kcal per day, which helps her get back into shape faster after childbirth.
Of course, each woman must decide for herself whether she will continue breastfeeding after the child is one year old. However, you need to understand that giving up breastfeeding should be smooth. This is important not only for the child, but also for the mother. After all, this significantly reduces the risk of developing mastopathy: you don’t have to express milk, which often only leads to unnecessary trauma to the mammary gland. Of course, when the child starts teething, breastfeeding may be no less traumatic, but in this case the woman must decide for herself whether she should continue to breastfeed the child or gradually switch to formula.
WHO feeding timing recommendations
It is important!
The World Health Organization, whose opinion is authoritative for doctors in all countries, recommends feeding children exclusively with breast milk in the first six months of life, and then continuing breastfeeding along with complementary foods at least until 2 years of age and beyond: for as long as possible.
WHO does not specify the age at which breastfeeding should be stopped, leaving the decision to the mother. The need for breastfeeding after a year is explained by the fact that the content of immunoglobulins (antibodies) - proteins that can protect the body from infections - increases in breast milk during this period. That is, the composition of milk does change, but only for the better. This is no longer the main food for a child, but his natural protection against diseases: both in childhood and in the future - in adulthood.
Breastfeeding after one year
Does a baby need breastfeeding after one year? Most researchers agree that it does. For example, scientists from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas, after analyzing the habits of primates, came to the conclusion that the optimal age for weaning a baby is from 2.5 years. However, this does not mean that you need to go to extremes! Overestimating the benefits of breastfeeding can lead to parents starting to introduce complementary foods into their children's daily diet too late. It is recommended to do this from 4–6 months, and by the age of one year the child should begin to develop the skills of chewing and swallowing solid food. Underestimation of the importance of breastfeeding leads to the fact that the child is weaned from the mother’s breast too early, believing that the milk has “become empty.” As mentioned above, this is absolutely not true, and breastfeeding after a year will also benefit the baby. If for some reason a woman cannot feed the child on her own, it is recommended to select specialized formulas that replace mother’s milk, for example Nutrilak Premium.
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Until what age is breastfeeding recommended?
How long can you breastfeed?
Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF* place great emphasis on the continuation of breastfeeding in children over one year of age, recommending that this process be maintained for up to two years or more. After 2.5 years, the child experiences a natural decline in the sucking reflex. Gradually, he eliminates all feedings, simply ceasing to need the sucking process as such.
It is known that WHO recommends breastfeeding until 2 years of age and longer at the request of the mother. Domestic pediatricians, based on practical experience and scientific research, voice a figure of up to 1.5 years. In any case, the choice remains with the mother and will depend primarily on the readiness of both mother and child to stop this process. It is not recommended to stop breastfeeding during a child’s illness, during the period of his vaccination, during other stressful conditions, or during the summer season. You can successfully maintain breastfeeding even after a year, but only if a number of conditions are met.
Is it healthy to breastfeed after one year?
After a year, breast milk changes its composition, but not for the worse. The main reason for these changes is that milk is no longer the main food for the baby, and other functions come to the fore. The older the child gets, the more the concentration of immunoglobulins in milk increases, which protect the child from diseases. Studies have shown that in the second year of lactation, the content of total protein in milk increases, as well as such an important protein as lactoferrin. Breast milk contains leukocytes and a number of anti-infective factors, as well as antibodies against pathogens previously transmitted by the mother.
- Breastfeeding after one year should not “interfere” with organizing a rational diet for the child, which includes the introduction of basic products, dishes, the formation of a diet and a certain ritual of eating. GW during this period should not be a “snack”. The child must promptly learn to eat from a spoon, chew, and follow certain table manners.
- Breastfeeding after one year should not “prevent” the child from growing up. A child’s emotions such as resentment, pain, boredom, irritation, anger, loneliness, and selfishness should not be “eaten up” with breast milk. It is during this period of growing up that many mothers make a big mistake, without realizing it, offering the baby the breast not as a source of food, but as a source of emotional satisfaction. This can lead to a painful attachment of the child to the mother, later development of independence skills , which will burden both the mother and the baby. Instead of breast milk in these cases, the child may be offered such signs of attention as tactile caress, play, reading a book, activities with plasticine, paints, etc.
If for various reasons mother and child do not see each other during the day (mother at work, baby in kindergarten, etc.), then it is reasonable to maintain evening and one night breastfeeding (if the child wishes).
Author: Doctor of Medical Sciences Lukoyanova Olga Leonidovna
