Breastfeeding Beyond A Year

There are many benefits to breastfeeding beyond a year :

- Your baby continues to get the immunological advantages of human milk, during a time when he/she is increasingly exposed to infection. Breastfed toddlers are healthier overall.

-When they are upset, hurt, frightened, or sick, you have a built in way to comfort them. Often a sick child will accept breastmilk when they refuse other foods.

-Many of the medical benefits of breastfeeding (lower cancer risk in mother and baby, for example) are dose related – in other words, the longer you breastfeed, the greater the protective effects.

-Human milk offers protection for the child who is allergic.

-Mothering a toddler is challenging enough – nursing makes the job of caring for and comforting them easier. There is no better way to ease a temper tantrum, or put a cranky child to sleep than by nursing.

– Nursing provides closeness, security, and stability during a period of rapid growth and development.

– Letting your baby set the pace for weaning spares you the unpleasant task of weaning he or she before they are ready.

The World Health Organisation Strategy (2003) states

"Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond . Exclusive breastfeeding from birth is possible except for a few medical conditions, and unrestricted exclusive breastfeeding results in ample milk production.”

Your baby, Your choice how long you choose to feed...

For loads more fab posts why not visit

- The Secret Life of Kate
- Respectable Breast Spectable
- Pobbing Along
- Pea Musings
- Natural Mamas

And all of the wonderful companies taking part providing fabulous prizes, especially Babasling, who are giving away two Slings one each on Hex Mum and Breast 4 Babies

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