EXTENDED BREASTFEEDING

i surprise quite a few when i tell them im still breastfeeding my 16-month old. and more often than not i receive 'comments'. lets start with my ob and pedia. both of them agree that breastfeeding should only be for the first 12 months because the child will develop oral fixation. my officemate on the other hand weaned her children at 6 months so that she could have privacy. then some friends believe that after the first year, breastmilk has no nutritional content (this i heard more than once. i have no idea how they learned about this), while another friend thinks that breastfeeding can only be done for 2 years (im thinking she got this from the formula commercials). everytime i hear these comments i just smile politely, not wanting to lecture during festive occasions.

i admit i really dont do research on the benefits of breastfeeding. i feel that i dont need to because my son is thriving very well on exclusive breastfeeding. and i think its a given that breastmilk is better than formula. how can cows milk compare with human milk? anyway heres something from kellymom that will explain this topic further.

after reading this im now more inspired to breastfeed anton. i will wean him only when hes ready. its a lot of sacrifice (for neal especially) i admit but its a chance to bond and at the same time nourish my baby. i can have all the privacy and free time i need when anton starts school anyway.