Breastfeed a Toddler—Why on Earth?

Because more and more women are now breastfeeding their babies, more and more are also finding that they enjoy breastfeeding enough to want to continue longer than the usual few months they initially thought they would do it.

Why should breastfeeding continue past six months?

Because mothers and babies often enjoy breastfeeding a lot. Why stop an enjoyable relationship?


But it is said that breastmilk has no value after six months.

Perhaps this is said, but it is wrong. That anyone can say such a thing only shows how ignorant so many people in our society are about breastfeeding. Breastmilk is, after all, milk. Even after six months, it still contains protein, fat, and other nutritionally important and appropriate elements which babies and children need. Breastmilk still contains immunologic factors which help protect the baby. In fact, some immune factors in breastmilk which protect the baby against infection are present in greater amounts in the second year of life than in the first. This is, of course as it should be, since children older than a year are generally exposed to more infection. Breastmilk still contains factors which help the immune system to mature, and which help the brain, gut, and other organs to develop and mature.

It has been well shown that children in daycare who are still breastfeeding have far fewer and less severe infections than the children who are not breastfeeding. The mother thus loses less work time if she continues nursing her baby once she is back at her paid work.

It is interesting that formula company marketing pushes the use of formula (a rather imperfect copy of the real thing) for a year, yet implies that breastmilk (from which the imperfect copy is copied) is only worthwhile for 6 months. Too many health professionals have taken up the refrain.


I have heard that the immunologic factors prevent the baby from developing his own immunity if I breastfeed past six months.

This is untrue; in fact, this is absurd. It is unbelievable how so many people in our society twist around the advantages of breastfeeding and turn them into disadvantages. We give babies immunizations so that they are able to defend themselves against the real infection. Breastmilk also allows the baby to fight off infections. When the baby fights off these infections, he becomes immune. Naturally.

What else?

Possibly the most important aspect of nursing a toddler is not the nutritional or immunologic benefits, important as they are. The most important aspect of nursing a toddler is the special relationship between child and mother. Breastfeeding is a life affirming act of love. This continues when the baby becomes a toddler. Anyone without prejudices, who has ever observed an older baby or toddler nursing can testify that there is something almost magical, something special, something far beyond food going on. A nursing toddler will sometimes spontaneously break into laughter for no obvious reason. His delight in the breast goes far beyond a source of food. And if the mother allows herself, breastfeeding becomes a source of delight for her as well, far beyond the pleasure of providing food. Of course, it’s not always great, but what is? But when it is, it makes it all so worthwhile.

And if the child does become ill or does get hurt, what easier way to comfort the child than breastfeeding? Imagine : in the emergency department when mothers would walk their ill, non-nursing babies or toddlers up and down the halls trying, often unsuccessfully, to console them, while the nursing mothers were sitting quietly with their comforted, if not necessarily happy, babies at the breast. The mother comforts the sick child with breastfeeding, and the child comforts the mother by breastfeeding.

By Jack Newman MD, FRCPC

Does My Milk Have Sufficient Nutrients For My Baby?

Human milk does not look like the homogenized, pasteurized, artificially treated/stored/cooled/warmed/vitamined fluid sold in stores.

It is natural, untreated, live, full of healthy cells that are living things which nurture and protect our babies from infections as well as provide the perfect nourishment for the brain, neural cells, eyes, and all the other essential parts of our babies, at the perfect temperature with the perfect combination of vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and sugars.

Even the moms suffering from malnutrition make excellent milk - much better for their babies than the treated milk sold in stores as a "perfect infant food".

Please do not let the advertisements lead you astray. Do not mix your milk with anything. The first milk you see is colostrum, the perfect BEGINNING food for a baby's digestive system that has not eaten anything ever. It contained antibodies against all the infections a mother has been exposed to and has a laxative effect to clear out the meconium and prepare the digestive system for the coming foods.

Then your milk slowly is transitioned, little by little becoming more like mature mother's milk and less like colostrum. Your baby now needs more fluid, and the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates change too.

What is even more amazing, your milk changes from beginning to the end of feedings to meet the fluid then the caloric needs of your baby. This is why we recommend keeping the baby on the first breast until he lets go - then change and burp, and offer (but don't insist) the second breast.

As your baby gets older, the milk changes and when you start solids at the age of 6 months or later, the milk changes and continues to meet the needs of the baby. Even a child who is over a year and still breastfeeding - but eating lots of other foods - benefits from the breastmilk "snacks" he gets full of antibodies. The later "weaning " milk is more like colostrum again.

So congratulations on serving the best meal a baby can ever have. And ENJOY!!!

By Jeanette Panchula, BA, RN, IBCLC
Vacaville, CA

Crying .... Crying...Why Is My Baby Always Crying?

Babies sleep a lot during the first few months but they also appear to cry a lot. Make a record of his feeding, sleeping and crying pattern over a 24-hour period. You may be surprised to find that he was only awake for about 4 hours out of the 24.

Crying is the means by which your baby communicates with you. Check the following possible causes :

* Is he hungry? Even if he only fed two hours or less ago, he just might want some more now.
* Check his nappy, it could be wet or dirty. Most babies don't seem to mind a wet nappy, but a few object strongly to a dirty one.
* Is his room warm enough or is he too hot? If he is too hot, remove a layer of his clothes or simply clothe him in light clothing. Most people love to wrap infants in blankets or thick jumpers; which is unnecessary in this hot country of ours!
* He may be bored and lonely and want company. If you are doing something else, put him in a bouncing cradle or carry him about in a sling.
* If your baby mainly cries at the same time every day often around 6 pm it could be colic.

extracted from "Pregnancy & Birth Book" by Dr Miriam Stoppard

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How Do I Know If My Baby Is Getting Enough Milk?

Guess this is the most common and frequent question a nursing mom would ask herself. This is especially so during the first three months when baby seems to be doing nothing but nursing (other than sleeping).

First of all, you must have faith in that it is natural for all milk-producing mammals to be able to produce sufficient milk to feed their young. This is God's works! Can you imagine a mother cow or a mother bat saying that they have no milk to feed their young? Of course NOT! This is nature's gift!

So.... what should you do?

- Breastfeed baby at least 10-12 times in 24 hours. If baby is content, alert, and gaining weight, he is probably getting enough breast milk.

- You can also tell by listening to him nurse. You should be able to hear him swallowing.

- Your breasts should also feel softer and lighter at the end of each feeding.

- During the first few weeks, a baby should be having at least 6-8 soaking wet diapers and at least 1 or 2 bowel movements in each 24 hour period.

- Remember that babies don't know they may be hungry and will need to be reminded. So wake your baby (especially the jaundiced ones) and make sure he feeds 8-12 times in 24 hours.

- Watch the baby and not the clock!! Start your baby on one breast and allow your baby to nurse as long as she wants. Burp your baby (this helps to wake the baby) and then offer him the other side. If he does not want it that's okay, just start with that side next time. You will be feeding your baby approximately every 2 hours. However, do not be alarmed if baby feeds more frequently than that. He is just helping to build up your milk supply.

- Keep in mind that feeding on demand does not mean waiting until your baby cries. Crying is the last signal babies give us to let us know something is wrong. Signs that the baby might be ready for a feed include:

-> waking

-> sucking

-> making sounds

-> brings fist to mouth

-> fidgeting/wiggling

-> turning her head

-> opening his mouth (rooting/searching)

Expressing Your Milk

You can express your breastmilk manually or via a breast pump. You should express milk when baby miss a feed so as to keep the supply coming in. However, not all women are good at expressing milk (that includes me)! When I mean "not good at", I mean the low quantity of milk expressed out.

But, not to worry! All breastfeeding consultants tell us that the quantity of milk expressed is usually lesser than the quantity babies receive when they breastfeed. And I personally experience that -- when I express milk, the maximum amount I could get is about 140ml (and that is from full breasts). Sometimes, I only get about 80ml or even lesser. But when I put baby to the breasts, I could feel more frequent let-downs as compared to using a breast pump.

"Let-down reflex" is the automatic reaction by which the body makes milk available in the breasts. It is a complicated chemical chain reaction of which you are quite unaware until you feel tingling in your breasts and then the milk surges into the nipple area. by Dr Miriam Stoppard

How Then Can I Maximise The Quantity I Express?

- Always massage your breasts before milk expressing to facilitate the milk flow.

- Express manually first when you have very full breasts. You will be surprised at the amount you get because the milk goes directly into the container and does not travel through any passage ways as compared to that of a breast pump. When you are done expressing manually, that is milk starts coming in drips rather than jets, you can then switch to a breast pump. As the breast pump gives a different type of stimulation, you may get another let-down very quickly.

- Use a good breast pump. Better still, one which has double pumps because let-downs come simultaneously at the two breasts. Personally, I prefer an electric one but some women prefer manual ones. I am using Medela PIS; it has double pumps and is not too loud so you can use it at night or in the early hours.

- Express milk in the morning. After a good night's sleep, you will usually have more milk to express.

- Last of all, relax.

Storage of Milk :

- Room temperature --> 2 hours
- Fridge (right inside, away from the door)--> 8 days
- Freezer (do not place at the door)--> 3 months

Colostrum

During the first three days the breasts produce light, yellow-coloured colostrum. It is a perfect food for the first days of your baby's life. It contains water, protein and minerals in just the right proportion to take care of all your baby's nutritional needs. Colostrum also contains valuable antibodies which protect your baby against diseases to which you have developed a resistance such as polio and influenza. Besides all that it contains a laxative which gets your newborn baby's bowels in motion. by Dr Miriam Stoppard

Hence, even if one cannot or does not want to breastfeed for long, she should at least nurse her baby for the first couple of days so that baby could get the precious colostrum.

Steps to Breastfeeding

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Step 1 : Try to breastfeed almost immediately after delivery.

Reason : This is when the bonding instinct is strongest.


Step 2 : Always massage your breasts before you nurse, starting from the sides towards the areola.


Reason : This will improve the flow as well as prevent blockages.


Step 3 : Do not feed for too long at each breast for a start (maybe 5 mins per breast). Then gradually increase to 20-30 mins per breast.


Reason : In the early days, the nipples are very delicate and tender and will get sore easily. Therefore, a good nipple cream is essential (eg. one which contains LANOLIN and which need not be removed prior to breastfeeding).


Step 4 : Nurse baby when he cries.


Reason : This is to ensure that baby is getting enough and also to stimulate the milk supply.

Step 5 : When milk comes on the 3rd to 5th day, your breasts will feel very full and engorged. Continue to massage and breastfeed as often as possible (every one to two hours).

Reason : This is to reduce the engorgement as well as to increase the milk supply.