Smart Parenting Series #8 Extended Breast Feeding

When is the time to stop?

Pediatricians recommend breastfeeding until baby is at least a year old -- but many moms keep going beyond that. Discover the pluses of extended breastfeeding

Benefits of Breast Feeding

1. It provides nutrition for the baby

Regardless of how old your baby is, he or she will continue to benefit from the protein, calcium, fat, vitamin A, and other nutrients in breast milk. The amount of spinach you eat doesn't take away from its nutritional value.

2. It boosts the immune system

Babies who breastfeed have decreased incidences of illness and lower mortality rates. The immunity benefits improve the longer a baby breastfeeds. The longer you breastfeed, the less likely your baby is to have some of the illnesses that we associate with not breastfeeding, like ear infections and upper respiratory infections.

3. It makes moms healthier

Moms who breastfeed are less likely to have breast cancer. There's also a reduced risk of ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer. The benefits are cumulative, meaning that if a mom breastfeeds two babies for two years each, the benefit is equal to that of a mom who breastfeeds four babies each for a year.

4. It boosts brain development

Studies have shown that breastfeeding helps boost brain development in babies. When moms bottle-feed babies, the instinct is to use the dominant hand and put the baby in the same position at every feeding. Experts encourages moms who use bottles to switch things up, changing the position of the baby and the bottle, to help exercise the baby's reach and mind.

5. It's soothing to the baby

Breastfeeding is a chance for Mom and baby to connect, but it's also a way of calming a baby in a stressful situation.

6. It's calming for moms

Moms have a lot to do, and it's easy to get caught up in work, chores, and family matters. Weiss says that she always loved the break that nursing brought. She knew it was a time just for her and the baby, and everything else could wait. "For me, breastfeeding was always my chance to sit down and calm down," she says.

7. It leads to a smaller waist

According to a December 2018 study published in the Journal of Women’s Health, breastfeeding for at least six months is associated with a smaller waist and hip circumference for mothers – even 15 years after delivery.