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breastfeeding: the facts

"Babies are not physically ready for solids until at least 6 months.

"For future reference, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is no reason to quit nursing, in fact it is all the more reason to nurse! I hope you don't still have the same pediatrician, if you do, find a new one!

"Rice cereal should not be given to babies under 6 months of age ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE GERD.

"Did you know there are drugs use to treat GERD that make the stomach empty faster. Adding rice cereal to feeding makes it stay in the stomach longer. So you can see this is contradictory to treating GERD. Not to mention it can be hard on little tummies that are having a hard enough time already. And breastfed babies should not be put on formula to treat GERD as breastmilk is better for GERDlings than formula, because again, formula is harder on their tummies than breastmilk.

"If your little one has been breastfed with no supplements I highly recommend you check out baby led weaning. It's babies eating table food instead of strained puréed baby food at their own pace, not ours. It is only for breastfed babies, as they have been self regulating their own food intake since birth. It is a wonderful idea. I plan on using it with my son that is now only 2 months old.

"If you don't like the idea, I highly suggest the book SUPER BABY FOOD by Ruth Yaron (You don't have to buy it, most library systems will have a copy) I suggest all parents read it. It is full of much useful information. (although I don't believe in organic food as the author does.) This is the method of solids introduction I used with my three-year-old.

"Breastfed babies often reject solids, apart from 'tasting' them, well beyond the first year. Solids before the first year are for exploring new tastes, experimenting with new textures and for having fun and seeing if carrots bounce as good as peas. Don't rush your baby, wait until he is ready. Breastmilk should make up MOST of his intake until 12 months.

"If your baby is refusing the breast, you're giving him too many solids. Cut back on them or cut them out completely.

"And yes it is VERY NORMAL and VERY RIGHT to breastfeed past one year!

"Many children have a need to suck well beyond a year, and most are not emotionally or physically ready to give up breastfeeding at this time.

"And did you know:

"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)

"The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that, 'Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired.' They also note that, 'If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned.' (AAFP 2001)

"A US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (Novello 1990)

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

"Scientific research by Katherine A. Dettwyler, PhD shows that 2.5 to 7.0 years of nursing is what our children have been designed to expect (Dettwyler 1995).

"Only in the US do we think babies should only be breastfed for one year! Only in the US are breast for sex first and nursing babies second - if at all! Only in the US do people think breatfeeding a child is 'gross', 'sick', or 'weird'.

"Just because the child has a birthday, it doesn't mean that the child no longer benefits from breastfeeding.

"May I suggest you check out www.kellymom.com/bf/index.html to learn of some benefits of breastfeeding past your child's first birthday."

the benefits of nursing beyond the first year

"Although there has been little research done on children who breastfeed beyond the age of two, the available information indicates that breastfeeding continues to be a valuable source of nutrition and disease protection for as long as breastfeeding continues.

"In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:

- 29% of energy requirements
- 43% of protein requirements
- 36% of calcium requirements
- 75% of vitamin A requirements
- 76% of folate requirements
- 94% of vitamin B12 requirements
- 60% of vitamin C requirements

~ Dewey 2001

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

"Nursing toddlers between the ages of 16 and 30 months have been found to have fewer illnesses and illnesses of shorter duration than their non-nursing peers (Gulick 1986).

"Per the World Health Organization, 'a modest increase in breastfeeding rates could prevent up to 10% of all deaths of children under five: Breastfeeding plays an essential and sometimes underestimated role in the treatment and prevention of childhood illness.'

"Extensive research on the relationship between cognitive achievement (IQ scores, grades in school) and breastfeeding has shown the greatest gains for those children breastfed the longest.

"'According to Sally Kneidel in Nursing Beyond One Year (New Beginnings, Vol. 6 No. 4, July-August 1990, pp. 99-103.): 'Research reports on the psychological aspects of nursing are scarce. One study that dealt specifically with babies nursed longer than a year showed a significant link between the duration of nursing and mothers' and teachers' ratings of social adjustment in six- to eight-year-old children (Ferguson et al, 1987). In the words of the researchers, 'There are statistically significant tendencies for conduct disorder scores to decline with increasing duration of breastfeeding.'

"According to Elizabeth N. Baldwin, Esq. in Extended Breastfeeding and the Law: 'Breastfeeding is a warm and loving way to meet the needs of toddlers and young children. It not only perks them up and energizes them; it also soothes the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early childhood. In addition, nursing past infancy helps little ones make a gradual transition to childhood.'

"Baldwin continues: 'Meeting a child's dependency needs is the key to helping that child achieve independence. And children outgrow these needs according to their own unique timetable.' Children who achieve independence at their own pace are more secure in that independence then children forced into independence prematurely.

"Congratulations on your decision to breastfeed and good for you for sticking with it six months! Only 20% of moms do so!! Great job!"

By Sonita Lewis

Sonita Lewis is a breastfeeding mother of two. She is also a lactation specialist. "About 70 percent of mothers start breastfeeding immediately after birth, but less than 20 percent of those moms are breastfeeding exclusively six months later," she notes. "I believe this is because, like I was with my first child, they are uneducated and uninformed about breastfeeding and lack the proper support to build a good supply and a strong nursing relationship with their child. I hope to pass along to other mothers the knowledge and experience I have gained to benefit both mother and child. I hope to strengthen the mother's confidence in herself and her body and to help her provide the best start in life for her child."

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