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| Name: lisa | Date: Mar 9th, 2006 7:17 PM |
| The worldwide average age of weaning is 4 years, but I understand the average for the U.S. is 2 years. As for when the best time is, well that is really up to your baby, and you. ↑ |
| Name: 3 time nursing mom | Date: Mar 10th, 2006 2:34 AM |
| Hi Mum! Although I am sure there will be plenty of people who will tell you that it is entirely up to you (no offense lisa), you already know this. The question you are asking is when is it best? You, in knowing it is entirely up to you want to make your choice to wean by becoming as educated on this as you can. And though most people will tell you that you should nurse for how long it is comfortable for you, you did ask "when is it best to stop breastfeeding". So that is the question I will answer. It is best to stop breastfeeding when your child weans him or herself. All studies on the matter prove this is the best time. All medical agencies that have done studies on this matter prove that this is the best time. Studies have shown that because breastmilk grows and changes with your baby's needs, it is always the best food for your child. Comparing ourselves with other mammals, taking size, life expectancy, gestation periods all into consideration, the natural time to wean our young is somewhere between 3 to 4 1/2 years of age, and for most of the world that is the case. But in the U.S. it is a different story unfortunately. Most children that are allowed to nurse as long as they desire will usually wean themselves between 2 3/4 to 4 1/2. This is the worldwide norm and further supports the fact that this is what Nature intended. And as in all the cases where we walk away from Nature's recommendations, we discover that Momma Nature really does know best, just like most mothers UNICEF and WHO (World Health Organization) both strongly recommend nursing up to and beyond the age of two. 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) Note that both of the American agencies did say "mutually" and this is indeed true, because if a mother is nursing against her will, the child will notice this and it is not a benefit, even though the child will still be receiving other benefits. However I think that this is an injustice to the American child, for we in the U.S. live in a society that still attaches a stigma to nursing toddlers, therefore most mother do not give nursing their toddlers a chance. Most who do give it a chance are surprised to find that they find themselves still 'mutually desiring' the nursing relationship. This is not surprising considering that nursing our children into their third year is actually the most natural thing in the world. Only the U.S. has walked away from this fact. Far too often the American mother has decided that extended nursing would no longer be 'mutually desirable' on her end and weans before giving it a chance and discovering that indeed she would find it desirable, thus her child loses out on benefits that (s)he could have continued receiving. Children that are allowed to nurse as long as they desire have been documented as being more self-confident then their peers. This makes sense as it is clear from their very beginning that mother will listen to them and provide them with their needs. Even in these older stages, a nursing toddlers have a more mature immune system and come down with illness less often then weaned toddlers. Extended breastfeeding past the 2nd year has many positive benefits for the mother also, long after the nursing relationship has ended, including strong reductions in Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Uterine Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Osteoporosis. Breastfeeding also has been shown to decrease insulin requirements in diabetic women, which I personally can attest to. This is all just the surface of health benefits which you and your child will enjoy by breastfeeding for the length of time Mother Nature intended. If you would like more info on this, a simple search using the keywords "extended breastfeeding" will supply you with plenty. I know I answered this as though you lived in the U.S. and now seeing how you titles yourself as "Mum", it has dawned on me that you may not be in the U.S. Please forgive me if that is the case. Either way the information I posted is still valid. So once again, the honest answer to your question of when is it best to stop breastfeeding, is For as long as your child desires. Hope this helped. ↑ |
| Name: Jennie | Date: Mar 11th, 2006 1:46 AM |
| 3 time nursing mom, Thanks for the information, I found it really surprising personally. I breastfed my son until he was 8 months old, and that was long enough for me! He didn't want to nurse longer, he lost interest and kept looking around all the time, and I couldn't handle him latching and unlatching in one session. Right now I am breastfeeding my 6 months old and my mother-in-law tells is already telling me that I need to wean her before she starts to walk and that she'll be real clingy and shy if I don't. I can see breastfeeding up to a year, for some people who are really into it, but longer??? Don't you think breastfeeding so long is unrealistic for most mothers? How old were your babies when you weaned them? Where did you get that information about the average age of weaning and the quote from the American Acadamey of Pediatrics? It really doesn't sound right to me. ↑ |
| Name: Melissa | Date: Mar 11th, 2006 2:06 AM |
| I completly agree with 3 time mom. Jennie you asked where she got her quote from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Well when my son was born the hospital gave me a book on breastfeeding and that quote was in it. I do not understand why people in the U. S.A think that breastfeeding is unnatural and wrong. Some women even find it discusting. It is the most natrual thing there is. How do you think people feed there baby's before formula was invented? Sorry that I got a little off the subject Lisa. But when ever your child is ready (s)he will let you know. ↑ |
| Name: Chris | Date: Mar 11th, 2006 3:50 PM |
| I agree with 3 time nursing mom too. My sisters and I all breastfeed our babies that way. It's actually sad to have them stop because it means they will never be your little baby anymore, lol. But you get over it. ↑ |
| Name: sierra | Date: Mar 12th, 2006 6:39 PM |
| worldwide average is really 4 years old? This really makes me mad that mothers in the u.s. don't know this! I think its really sick how the u.s. makes us breastfeeding mothers try to feel ashamed about doing what is best for our babies. I almost stop breastfeeding my son because of pressure from my friends and family, until i made a new friend who was bf her 2 yr old. We really live in a selfish society!! ↑ |
| Name: tracie | Date: Mar 14th, 2006 6:43 AM |
| I am interested in selling my breastmilk. I have 4 healthy children and just had a third trimester miscarriage. My milk has come in today. I successfully breastfed my own 4 children until they were about a year old, and enjoyed it very much and believe in the incredible benefits for children lucky enough to be breastfed. I am a healthy white woman drug and disease free simply wanting something good to come of my loss. If I can help someone this way, I'd be happy for the opportunity. If interested, please contact me at limesqueezed at yahoo.com. I am happy to continue as long as necessary to meet your needs. ↑ |
| Name: 3 time nursing mom | Date: Mar 19th, 2006 11:02 PM |
| Jennie, All my babies weaned themselves when they were ready, sometime in the 3rd year...so far. My youngest is still breastfeeding at 3 years, 5 months and counting. Somedays it does seem to get a little wearing, but other days I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world! I love my Little Ones, even the ones that aren't so little anymore, lol. It all comes down to who's best interest you have in mind, yours or your baby's. If you don't have your baby's best interest in mind, who will? ↑ |
| Name: Anne-Marie | Date: Mar 21st, 2006 9:41 PM |
| It is no way the worldwide average. In Euopean countries it is acceptable to feed till 4 years old but it is by no means the average for the world. In Austraia babies are lucky to get past 6 monthsand often mothers who go upto 18 months are frowned upon. I don't know about the US but from what I have read it is 2 so where you get 4 being the average I don't know. ↑ |
| Name: 3 time nursing mom | Date: Mar 22nd, 2006 1:06 AM |
| Anne Marie, According to UNICEF, the worldwide average is 4 years old. According to WHO (World Health Organization) the worldwide average is 4.2 years. This is taking into consideration the lower averages in the U.S. and, apparently according to your perception, in Australia also. Which simply means that to balance the numbers out to create a world wide average of 4 years, there must be a good amount of Little Ones nursing into their 5th year even. UNICEF and WHO are reliable sources. ↑ |
| Name: Anne-Marie | Date: Mar 22nd, 2006 6:37 AM |
| This is the infomationI have found: www.smh.com.au Breastfeeding is recommended "exclusively to six months then partially, complemented with appropriate foods and continued up to at least 12 months of age", says the Department of Health and Ageing. The Australian Breastfeeding Association and the World Health Organisation say at least two years. But a bit of breast is all most Australian babies get. Eighty to 90 per cent of women begin breastfeeding. By three months almost a third have stopped, or introduced other foods. At 12 months just 21 per cent of babies are breastfed. www.unicef.com Current WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF infant feeding guidelines can be summarised as follows: For women who are known not to be infected with HIV, and for women whose infection status is unknown, protect, promote and support exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding, together with appropriate complementary feeding, for up to two years of age or beyond. www.who.org World Health Organisation recommends that children should be fed their mother's milk until the age of two. 21% of mothers who started breastfeeding had stopped In the first 2 weeks. www.aap.org The AAP recommends breastfeeding of infants for at least 12 months and for as long thereafter as the mother and infant desire. ↑ |
| Name: melinda | Date: Mar 23rd, 2006 3:09 PM |
| americans seem to be more selfish as far as the breastfeeding thing goes, the sooner the baby is independent the better. As far as people in other countries they really have something to be admired. They give their babies as much time as they want at the boob. I hope i can stick it out for at least 2 years. it is so much better for them. Americans all together have issues with everything.. lol (im an american) ↑ |
