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I would like your advice on breastfeeding toddlers

Hello Alex.
I would like your advice on breastfeeding toddlers. I recieve alot of mixed reactions when friends and family find out that I am still breastfeeding my 15 month old. Most of the reactions I recieve are not pleasant and some people have even suggested he is too old to breastfeed. I feel I now need to keep this a secret and make sure I don`t need to feed when I am out and about during the day. I was so proud of my achievement but quickly realised this is not shared by many others. Although he does drink a cup of cold cows milk he still prefers breastmilk.
The question I would like to know is if there is any nutritional benefits to breastfeeding after 12 months?
I look forward to your answer!
Jane

Alex ...
Answer: Hi Jane,
Thank you for your enquiry. It is a World Health Organisation recommendation to breast feed a child for at least the first year of life and ideally for the first two years of life. So you are really still doing the right thing for your child. It can be difficult for others to accept this and can be offended when you feed an older child in public. You can try to feed in the evenings at home but you don’t have to keep it a secret, many women feed for several years and the children do still self-wean without ongoing problems.
Best wishes,
Alex
Tags: breastfeeding, colic, conceive, custody, diet, divorce, eating, epidural, families, family, food, health, infant, milk, mothering, nausea, new born, new mother, new mothers, newborn, nutrition, ovulation, premature, prematurity, raising children, raisin
Answered: 22 Dec 2007

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