Nursing beyond the first year (also known as extended breastfeeding) is normal, healthy, and common in many countries. However, some Western societies, with their emphasis on independence and self-sufficiency, take a dim view of the practice. So, depending on where you live, long-term breastfeeding may mean putting up with comments and disapproving stares from friends, family, and strangers.
There are significant emotional and physical benefits to long-term nursing, though, so don't let others pressure you to stop. We recommend that you weigh the pros and cons of extended breastfeeding and then do what feels right for you and your child.
Why nursing your toddler is a good idea?
Even though your child is now getting most of his nutrition from solid food, breast milk still provides calories, valuable immunities, vitamins, and enzymes. In fact, studies have shown that breastfeeding toddlers get sick less often than their peers.
As your child becomes more independent, breastfeeding can be an important source of reassurance and emotional support. The strong connection your child feels with you while nursing will foster independence, not make him overly dependent or clingy as some may have you believe.
Our culture tends to believe that pushing children away will help them develop a strong sense of self-worth and independence, says Kathleen Huggins, author of The Nursing Mother's Companion, when in fact, the opposite is true. Forcing a child to stop nursing before he's developmentally ready won't necessarily create a more confident child; rather, it could make him more clingy.
If your child is sick, breast milk may be the only thing he can keep down. You'll feel better too, knowing that you're helping him fight off the illness.
If you travel a lot, breastfeeding is a lot easier than carrying around milk or worrying about having to buy any at your destination. And when you're staying overnight in a strange place, the comfort of your breast may be the best way to ease your child's fears and make him feel more secure.
You may be able to put off getting your period for a year or more, an advantage for anyone who dreads the thought of dealing with cramps and bloating again after a long hiatus. But keep in mind that nursing isn't an effective form of birth control, especially after your baby is 6 months old, when you've introduced solids and you might not be nursing as often. It's a good idea to use a backup birth control such as a condom every time you have sex if you're not ready to have another baby.
Weaning when your child is ready is more natural and less abrupt than picking an arbitrary end point. Nursing a child beyond the first year was common around the world before the invention of formula and still is in some cultures.
Qn: My mother-in-law thinks it's strange that I'm still nursing my 2-year-old daughter. Is she right?
Expert Answers Jan Barger, lactation consultant
It's wonderful that you're still nursing your daughter. She receives the physiological benefits, including milk tailor-made for her needs and protective immunoglobulins and antibodies. She also gets to enjoy the psychological benefits of breastfeeding, including a close relationship with you.
It's not so unusual to be breastfeeding at 2 or 3 years old. Worldwide, the average age of weaning is somewhere around 3 to 4 years. Your child will stop breastfeeding when she 's ready. Described as "child-led" weaning, this is the most effective and gentle way to wean. As long as you're both are enjoying breastfeeding, then by all means continue what you're doing.
You might want to ask your mother-in-law what she finds strange about a woman nursing her toddler. Perhaps it simply doesn't fit in with her idea of what's appropriate behavior for a child your daughter's age. However, the more we learn about the health benefits of extended breastfeeding for children, as well as for mothers (such as reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis), the more we realize that extended breastfeeding is not only normal, but preferred.
