The age at which breastfeeding ends is a controversial and controversial issue. In modern realities, many mothers completely refuse breastfeeding in order to continue working or preserve the beauty of the body. But experts believe that breastfeeding is necessary, since no adapted formula can replace mother's milk. Until what age should you breastfeed your baby? How to complete breastfeeding without complications?

Modern women believe that breastfeeding is not so important, because many mothers raised babies on mixtures, and everything went well. Yes, sometimes you really have to resort to artificial feeding, but there must be really good reasons for this, for example, a mother’s illness with the use of serious drugs that are incompatible with breastfeeding or severe stress, as a result of which a woman loses lactation.

Benefits of natural breastfeeding:

• The baby is provided with a perfectly balanced diet that suits him well. It is much easier to breastfeed your baby than to spend money and time on choosing the right mixture.
• There is no need for additional spending on food for a child under six months. WHO experts do not recommend the introduction of any complementary foods until the age of 6 months from the date of birth of the baby.
• The risk of allergic and other negative reactions is excluded, provided that the mother eats properly and does not consume foods that are undesirable for breastfeeding.
• A woman quickly returns to shape and loses extra pounds, since breastfeeding requires a large amount of calories.
• A closer bond arises between mother and child, which contributes to the harmonious and proper development of the baby.
• Lactation suppresses ovulation, providing a woman with additional protection against unwanted pregnancy.

A mother who wants the best for her child, without hesitation, chooses breastfeeding and supports it for at least a year and a half.

Many women are afraid of breastfeeding because of pain, loss of breast shape, mastitis and similar troubles. In fact, almost all fears are common myths. Properly organized breastfeeding will help to avoid problems and get only benefits from the process. Learn how to properly feed your baby here.

It is believed that after a year, mother's milk no longer benefits the child's body. This is not true! Breast milk is useful for a baby at any age, since the fat content and concentration of nutrients in it only increases with time.

Until what age to breastfeed? As many experts say: "Don't look at the calendar, focus on the child." The age of weaning from the breast is an individual value for each baby. There are babies who give up their breasts early, preferring other foods. Some babies are ready to suck their mother's milk as long as there is such an opportunity.

Experts believe that breastfeeding a child should be at least 6 months. During this period, the baby will receive the necessary substances and antibodies that will strengthen his immunity and ensure a safer and more comfortable introduction of complementary foods and the transition to new foods.

Six months is the minimum period, it is optimal to feed the baby for the entire first year of his life. It is believed that it is during this time that the baby's immune system will get stronger enough, the systems and functions of the body will improve their work. In these processes, mother's milk plays an important role, so it is unreasonable to complete breastfeeding before a year.

Whether to continue breastfeeding after a year is the decision of the mother. It happens that a woman herself is not ready to give up breastfeeding, or she sees that for a child, breastfeeding is still quite an important part of life, in this case, you can wait and postpone the completion of breastfeeding. Today you can meet two or three-year-old babies periodically sucking their mother's breasts.

Recent studies have shown that mothers who breastfeed their children for a long time (at least 1.5-2 years) are less likely to get ovarian and breast cancer.

It is worth remembering that everything needs a measure and it is infinitely impossible to feed the baby. Psychologists believe that breastfeeding after the age of three can negatively affect the psyche of the baby. In addition, breastfeeding at this age becomes simply burdensome.

Reasons not to breastfeed after 3 years of age:

• By this age of the baby, a woman begins to work and lactation can cause anxiety and discomfort in the workplace.
• Feeding the boy should be completed before three years, since it is at this age that the child is aware of his gender, and the sight of his mother's naked breast is undesirable for proper and adequate education.
• The child becomes too dependent on mother's closeness, due to which there are problems with adaptation in kindergarten.
• Often, grown-up children demand breasts in public places, and the refusal to feed them is perceived negatively, throwing tantrums.
• Babies sleep poorly and cry until they get breasts.

Of course, up to what age to feed the child, it is up to the mother to decide, but there is no need to be zealous with the duration of breastfeeding. Many women find that the longer they breastfeed, the stronger the bond between them and their babies. Yes, this is true, but it is necessary to give the baby the opportunity to socialize and understand that the mother is the main person in life, but not the whole world.

Breastfeeding up to one and a half to two years is considered ideal. But this is taking into account the smooth and gradual completion of the GW.

When the decision on the age to breastfeed the baby is made, it is necessary to begin preparations for curtailing breastfeeding. It is necessary to do this gradually, since abrupt weaning threatens with stagnation, mastitis in a woman, stress and psychological trauma in a child. It is better to spend time on smooth weaning than to face these problems.

The gradual completion of breastfeeding does not mean that you have to feed for a long time. For example, you can start at the age of one, and by the age of one and a half years already completely stop breastfeeding.

It will take at least 5-6 months to complete breastfeeding without stress and complications for mother and baby.

Principles for the gradual cessation of breastfeeding:

• Gradually reduce daily feedings. If the baby is old enough, then you don’t have to breastfeed so often, thanks to complementary foods (you can find out about the mode and frequency of feeding in this article). It must be remembered that one should not refuse a child in a rude manner, but distract him with games, walks, and developmental activities.
• Actively involve the father, grandparents of the baby in the upbringing, since they are not associated with breastfeeding in the child.
• When the daytime feeds are over, start folding the nightly meals and breastfeeding before bed. To do this, you need to actively occupy the crumbs all day, so that he quickly falls asleep without feeding.
• In summer, it is better not to turn off the HB, since the heat contributes to the rapid deterioration of food and the risk of food poisoning at this time is much higher.
• You also need to wait with the completion of breastfeeding if the baby is sick or he is actively teething.

Important: Throughout the entire process of completing breastfeeding, you should not give the baby a breast to calm him down or just take him. It is necessary to look for other ways of communicating with the child so that the mother gradually ceases to be associated with breast sucking.

Breastfeeding is not a burden, it can be completed at any time convenient for mom and baby. Of course, it is worth listening to the recommendations of experts, but the last word always remains with the nursing mother.

Various aspects of breastfeeding are discussed in medical circles to this day. Disputes and discussions on a variety of aspects do not subside, including the topic of when to stop breastfeeding. Pediatricians with a huge work experience, as well as a generation of grandparents unanimously claim that lactation is needed no more than 1 year - then it’s already one pampering and harm.

Experts today recommend keeping the process of breastfeeding for 2 years, lactation consultants advise listening to the needs of the child himself and, if possible, not giving up breastfeeding for 2.5 years or more. Such disparate opinions on the topic until what age should breastfeed a child can be confusing for any new mother. Let's analyze this issue in detail.

There is still no consensus on the duration of breastfeeding among specialists.

Age for breastfeeding

Until what age should you breastfeed? The topic for debate is more than hot. The most fierce "battles" take place in this area. Opinions and advice are so different from each other that the head is spinning. Some argue that the first trimester of breastfeeding is enough, while others are ready to breastfeed for as long as 3 years. Finding a “golden mean” in the question of how much to breastfeed a child is the only way to put all the dots over the “i”.

Beloved by many mothers, Dr. Komarovsky expresses the opinion of the majority of pediatricians and scientists in the field of child development on this issue. He proposes the following solution to the problem:

• 0 months - 6 months - The baby eats only mother's milk. Of course, the rule applies strictly if the mother has enough milk. At the same time, it is not recommended to introduce complementary foods ahead of time, as well as completely exclude them, and even more so with juices. Drying, crackers and other snacks are also completely excluded.
• After 1 year, breastfeeding can continue if desired and the woman herself can. Children in this age group already eat a very varied diet and the lack or absence of milk from the mother will no longer be a stumbling block.

The conclusion from this is this: doctors recommend feed newborns in the first six months of life only with mother's milk, since during this period it exhibits the main nutritional and protective functions. Feeding with mother's milk at a later date is a personal matter for each individual family.

WHO opinion

In fact, there are practically no disputes about feeding six-month-old and one-year-old children. This time period is perceived by the majority as a stage of active breastfeeding. All questions and disputes begin just after 1 year. Doctors convince mothers of the advisability of maintaining lactation after a year.

The World Health Organization claims that breastfeeding protects the child's body from infections, in particular intestinal ones. Long-term lactation (2 years or more) is especially recommended in countries with a high incidence of infectious diseases and poor hygiene. More civilized countries, economically and socially prosperous, leave the full right of choice to a woman.

Today, mothers have no problems with the introduction of high-quality complementary foods, which means that there will be a minimum of medical difficulties.

Modern mothers can buy high-quality baby products from the store or cook their own meals for complementary foods.

What do American colleagues think?

The American Association of Pediatricians decides how much to breastfeed a baby as follows:

1. 0-6 months - breastfeed only;
2. 0.5-1 year - feeding with milk with the introduction of complementary foods;
3. after 1 year - if possible and at the request of the mother, lactation can be continued or completed.

Until what age should you breastfeed your baby? Mom's milk is useful for every child, it does not matter at the same time the number of months or years lived. Breast milk is not only food, but also water, which perfectly satisfies the baby's drinking needs.

In Western countries, most nursing mothers completely transfer the baby to another type of food by the age of one.

To feed or not to feed?

Dear reader!

This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Mother's milk is the only complete nutrition for a newborn, this is known to everyone and does not require proof. Any, even the most expensive and high-quality mixtures are just an attempt to recreate this unique natural product. How much time to breastfeed a child, each woman has the right to decide for herself. It is very important when deciding how long to breastfeed your baby, not to prevaricate and be honest with yourself.

A short period of breastfeeding (measured in monthly intervals) is extremely insufficient for a child in terms of his psychological and physical health. No matter how much mother breastfeeds, even if it is less than a year, such nutrition is still better than mixed, and even more so completely artificial feeding from birth.

Until what age is immunity established in a child? Formation stops at about the age of 6 years. Breast milk, rich in immunoglobulins, is able to strengthen it and help to cope with all sorts of microbial attacks and viral infections. Based on this, we conclude that lactation should be continued as long as possible. Of course, as the baby grows older, the positive effect of mother's milk on children's health will decrease.

If you think solely about the health of the child, then you should choose the maximum duration of breastfeeding

Myths about prolonged breastfeeding

There are rumors, and these are just rumors, that prolonged lactation will negatively affect the child (his teeth may deteriorate, the boy will grow up to be a pervert, the mother will get "women's" problems and many other "horror stories"). You shouldn't believe this! There is no scientific evidence for these claims!

Early weaning will give rise to a series of failures in mental processes and the immune system. The question of how many months or years to breastfeed is a stumbling block for many parents and doctors.

If we consider the natural, i.e. natural weaning of the child from the breast, it will be optimal in the period after 3 years. A gentle option for the psyche and health of the child will be unobtrusive and delicate weaning after 2.5 years on the mother's initiative.

Blaming breastfeeding for all your problems, you should stop a little and think, is this really so? Sometimes we want to cover up our own weaknesses and failures in this way. A screaming baby, demanding a breast and not receiving it, as well as all sorts of tricks in the form of breasts smeared with brilliant green or sealed with a band-aid, or taking hormonal drugs - is this really the best way to complete the lactation process? The choice is yours.

Is self-exclusion possible?

Until what age should you breastfeed your baby? Pediatricians of the "old school" recommend excommunication in a year and a half, considering this period the most suitable, because the child at this time will not be able to protest and "resist". Often you can hear “advice” from mothers that the child should be allowed to yell for a couple of nights, but then everything will be fine. Is this kind of cruelty to your baby the norm?

Women who plan to feed the baby with their milk until the baby refuses the breast on its own are perceived at best as eccentric, and at worst as crazy or even selfish, who, for their own sake, in order not to suffer with laying, prefer to put it in the baby’s mouth " breast nipple." People have little faith in the fact that a child is able to refuse breastfeeding on his own as he grows up. Undoubtedly, self-weaning is common to all children who were not specifically weaned. How many examples can be found among animals in their natural habitat! Not a single she-wolf or tigress would even think of running away from her cub in order to stop feeding. happens by itself, absolutely naturally.

Sucking is the ability of the body to survive in infancy, as well as to maintain and promote health when it grows up a little. The sucking reflex for children of the first year of life is the main one, but it does not disappear even after a year. This reflex, according to experts, persists in a child up to three years, and then it is “forgotten” and the baby no longer needs his mother's breast.

Easy overcoming of age crises, warmth and love are integral companions of breastfeeding. It is also extremely important for the psychological and physical health of the child. Until what age to breastfeed is an individual decision, and we wish you to accept it mutually and, as they say, amicably.

When breastfeeding a baby, in the first months of his life, we understand that we give him the best nutrition that is ideal for the baby. We know that breast milk changes in composition every day and month, adjusting to the needs of a growing baby, and mom does not need to do anything special for this. Know yourself, feed! Everything happens by itself. But how long does milk remain so “smart” and necessary? Up to 2 years or more? How does it affect the body of a baby one and a half - two years of feeding? Should I continue to breastfeed my baby, or is it better to completely switch him to adult food? Where can we find answers to these questions that concern us? Let's figure it out!

World Health Organizationsays that you should breastfeed your baby, at least up to 2 years. It is important that they also believe that in the case when mother and baby do not want to complete the process of feeding during this period, then feeding can be continued up to 3 years.

By continuing to breastfeed your baby after two years, you continue to give him protection against viral and infectious diseases.

The fact is that the amount of protective antibodies in breast milk increases precisely due to the fact that the mother breastfeeds the baby for a long time (the longer she feeds, the more antibodies in the milk). In terms of composition, milk becomes similar to colostrum, namely, as we remember, it is considered the first immunization of a baby, we all know this very well. So, since the immune system of a grown up baby is still very imperfect, his body really needs support in the form of mother's milk. While she feeds, the baby is under the protection of mother's forces and he either does not get sick, or the illnesses proceed in a milder form.

It is also important that the immune mother's milk cells accumulate in the body and, when he is weaned, he will be able to use the accumulated immunity for some time!

So, by continuing to feed your baby for a long time, your baby becomes stronger and healthier, and you save on medicines and annual flu shots, since you have natural protection!

Prolonged breastfeeding contributes to the full maturation of the gastrointestinal tract.

When organizing complementary foods for a baby, a mother should take into account an important feature - a woman should eat the same thing that her child eats. And vice versa, what a mother eats, her baby can also eat. Because, eating a certain product, for digestion in the body of a woman, certain enzymes begin to be produced to break down this product. It is important that particles of these enzymes are released into breast milk. If the baby ate the same as the mother, and then washed down with breast milk, then he received pieces of these enzymes. And they will serve as a reference for the digestive system of an infant. Thus, his the body learns to produce the necessary enzymes for certain foods.

This is important not only in the first months of the introduction of complementary foods, but also after a year and a half years of breastfeeding. Since the gastrointestinal tract matures by the age of 3-4 and it needs help. And breast milk facilitates this process.
Well, besides this, breast milk is significantly reduces the risk of intestinal infections in an older baby , who, on a walk and at home, as we know, is trying to try everything on the tooth.

Prolonged breastfeeding save t your baby in the future from the risk of atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes.

It is very important that the longer you breastfeed your baby, the less likely it is that these diseases can manifest themselves in adulthood in your baby. That is, by continuing to feed the baby for more than 2 - 2.5 years, we will make him the happy owner of full health for his entire subsequent life.

Prolonged breastfeeding allows the dentoalveolar system of the crumbs to form normally and have the correct bite.

Exactly! When sucking on the mother's breast, the muscles of the sucking apparatus tense up and exert certain efforts to obtain milk, thereby training themselves, helping the lower jaw and teeth to form correctly. Prolonged breastfeeding affects the bite only positively. When examining 1200 children in Africa who were fed up to 3-4 years, it turned out that 99.6% of children have a normal bite.
Your baby will speak correctly and clearly because you have been breastfeeding him for over 2 years!

Continuous feeding affects the maturation and formation of the apparatus of articulation of sounds. Your baby will correctly pronounce all, well, or almost all letters. However, "sh", "g" and "l" can still remain complex. But they will also be relatively easy to correct, so there is nothing to worry about - in school years, success in the formation of speech will be especially noticeable. In addition, babies who have been breastfed for a long time show special success in musical learning, this is because babies practically do not suffer from otitis media.

Normal maturation of all parts of the brain ozga possible with prolonged breastfeeding.

You and I know that the brain develops very actively in the first six months, according to some data, about 60% of the nervous system is formed by this age. By the age of three, development reaches 80%. For maturation to be successful, the body requires certain substances, such as amino acids and growth factors, for example. They are in breast milk, both in the first months of feeding and at the end of feeding, regardless of whether the baby has been eating mother's milk for 1.5 years or for more than 2 years.

If a mother weanes a baby from the breast a year, then, accordingly, deprives him of the “building” material that is necessary for the brain and the whole body for normal development.
Your baby will have a good memory, he will be capable of learning, he will have high intelligence because you have been breastfeeding him for more than 2 years.

According to scientists, the longer the baby is breastfed, the higher the indicator of his intelligence in the future. And regardless of whether you are engaged in developmental activities with your baby or not!
The longer the baby is fed from the breast, the its social adaptation in the adult world is easier.

Faced in everyday life with different life situations, both positive and negative, a baby who is breastfeeding copes with them more easily. Therefore, crumb socially active , he easily comes into contact with people, everything in the world attracts and pleases him. He always feels secure - the powerful support of the mother, which was formed from the first months of breastfeeding, confidence entered his mind - the world is friendly to him and there is nothing to worry about. By continuing to feed your baby, you strengthen this confidence.
Children who have been breastfed for a long time less likely to fall under the bad influence of antisocial adolescents, they are less likely to show rude behavior.
Long-term breastfeeding allows you to form a stable psycho-emotional connection between the baby and the mother!

The close emotional and physical contact that occurs with each breastfeed develops over time into a special relationship between mother and baby. The longer the mother feeds the baby, the more stable this relationship will be. The child learns to perceive his mother as a source and symbol of security (not only during breastfeeding), the baby learns to unconditionally trust his mother, which will be very useful to both of them at different periods of life when the child gets older.
It is important to breastfeed for a long time, especially girls - expectant mothers!

Your daughter, who has been breastfeeding herself for a long time, will have a better chance of feeding your grandchildren with her own milk. At an unconscious level, this rich experience of breastfeeding will remain in her memory and will "help" her overcome difficulties in feeding her children.
In addition, this experience is also unique in that which reduces the risk of pathology in childbirth and miscarriage of your daughter!
It is equally important to breastfeed boys for a long time!

Having become an adult man, your son will have a great attitude towards family life, will be gentle and attached to his other half. This little man, while becoming a father in the future, will have a high level of parental responsibility and family relationships will be very significant for him - all this is due to the fact that you continue to breastfeed him for more than 2 years!
Long-term breastfeeding increases your baby's overall lifespan!

Because the natural way of nutrition allows you to slow down the biological maturation of the child's body, thereby prolonging the biological childhood.

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 ml of breast milk provides: 29% energy requirement
protein requirement 43%
calcium requirement 36%
need for vitamin A 75%
folic acid requirement 76%
need for vitamin B12 94%

need for vitamin C 60%

There is a common misconception among young mothers that breastfeeding a baby should be up to a year. It is believed that after the specified age, natural feeding does not benefit the child's body. However, breastfeeding experts take a different view.

There is no single rule that would strictly limit natural feeding in time. Each mother is guided by her own knowledge, so three breastfeeding options are practiced:

• Only up to a year;
• During maternity leave;
• Until the baby refuses to breastfeed on its own.

According to the latest research, WHO recommends maintaining lactation and supporting the process of natural feeding up to 2 years and longer if possible. According to its characteristics, breast milk is considered a unique product. It contains the elements necessary for the full development that are not found in other types of baby food:

1. An infant up to 6 months old should be fed with mother's milk, which consists of water and useful elements.
2. After 7-8 months, complementary foods are introduced, but mother's milk remains useful for the little one.
3. After a year, the children's diet is varied, but this is not a reason to refuse breast milk. It is enough to apply the baby to the chest a couple of times a day so that it grows absolutely healthy.

Experts have proven that natural feeding is of particular importance for premature babies:

1. The first two weeks from the moment the baby is born, mother's milk resembles colostrum in terms of characteristics and concentration. This helps the baby to overcome the lag in physical development.
2. Breast milk after a year of feeding still contains immunoglobulins, which reduces the possibility of contracting infectious diseases.

It is up to mothers to decide how long to continue breastfeeding, but experts recommend familiarizing yourself with the benefits of the natural process.

Main advantages

Throughout the feeding period, mother's milk remains the main source of important nutrients. Their content sometimes changes depending on the diet of a nursing woman, but with a full menu, the composition of milk will meet the needs of the baby.

Among the benefits of breastfeeding, which does not stop after a year, experts cite proven facts:

1. The child is not afraid of a deficiency of vitamin A, which is important for the health of the skin, hair and eyes.
2. Vitamin K, which enters the child's body with mother's milk, prevents bleeding.
3. Iron is better absorbed with breast milk, which is an excellent prevention of anemia.

It is enough for a baby to receive about 500 ml of mother's milk per day for the body to fully develop:

1. Immune protection. Immunoglobulins produced by the mother's body are also present in her milk. With the age of the baby, their concentration increases, so the baby is reliably protected from various infections, and his own immunity develops better. There is an increase in the number of beneficial lacto- and bifidobacteria in the intestines of the little one, which guarantees the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Reducing the risk of allergies. With natural feeding, allergic food reactions in a baby are extremely rare.
3. The development of speech. The longer breastfeeding is maintained, the less often speech disorders appear in the child in the future. This is due to the activity of the muscles of the soft palate during breast sucking.
4. Physical development. Natural feeding determines the normal ratio of muscle and adipose tissue in the child's body. The physical development of the baby is fully age-appropriate.
5. Psychological development. In the process of feeding, a special emotional bond is created between mother and baby, which lasts for years. The psycho-neurological development of such a child can proceed at a faster pace, and as an adult, he will be better able to adapt to various situations.
6. maturation of brain regions. Active development of the child's brain is observed during the first half of the year. For successful maturation, the child's body needs those substances and hormones that are contained in mother's milk.
7. Prevention of dangerous diseases. The longer natural feeding lasts, the lower the risk of diabetes, oncology and atherosclerosis in a child at any age.

Experts believe that both boys and girls should be breastfed for the same amount of time. The psychological connection with mother and family is important for any child, regardless of gender.

Key signs to complete breastfeeding

Optimally, the child himself refuses the breast, but there are a number of signals indicating the readiness of the baby:

• It is rarely applied to the chest;
• He learns to overcome emotions himself, without involving his mother in the process;
• When feeding is distracted;
• The child knows how to fall asleep on his own;
• Breastfeeding occurs no more than twice a day.

With this behavior of the child, it is not harmful to start weaning if it is not accompanied by stressful situations:

• Long trip;
• A cold or other illness in a baby.

You can continue breastfeeding for as long as your heart tells you. Only your own feelings and the health of the crumbs will allow you to come to the right decision. Often, mothers refuse to breastfeed when they are faced with a lack of understanding from loved ones. It is important to listen not to others, but to yourself. Even after 1.5 years, mother's milk will not become "empty" or "useless" - at all stages it is considered the most valuable product for a child.

If you ended up on my website and are reading this article, then I believe that in your head, as well as in mine, there is an idea that mother's milk is the most valuable food product.

But sooner or later there comes a moment in feeding (yes, it happens to everyone) that breastfeeding begins to tire, annoy, or even completely annoying.

There are different thoughts, excuses, advice from friends who persuade you to stop feeding and live without a breast, or, if the child is only a year old, then transfer to artificial feeding.

How long to breastfeed a baby and is there any point in feeding a one-year-old (and older) baby?

To feed or not to feed?

Hello! My son is a year and three months old. People around me constantly ask: until how old am I going to breastfeed and when will I wean?

They frighten me that when he grows up, he will understand a lot, it will be hard for me to excommunicate. They tell how uncomfortable, even ashamed, when a child begins to demand breasts in society. And in general, there is no longer any benefit in milk for a child at this age.

What do i do? Is it time to start weaning or keep feeding?

The question is interesting and the situation is common, but your fears are unfounded. Let's first look at the benefits you and your baby get from breastfeeding.

Breaking stereotypes

Supporters of stopping feeding are, as a rule, people who are either striving to resume work, or basing their knowledge on the old pediatric school.

• Modern research boils down to the benefits of long-term feeding, including even a one-year-old child. Even after two years, mother's milk is beneficial;

By the way! The opinion that a breastfeeding child will definitely scream and hysteria, asking her in any crowded place, is not entirely true. Breastfeeding after 1.5 years can pass without "bloated" tantrums.

• The kid at this age is beginning to understand and evaluate the situation. If you explain to him that he will receive breasts only at home and strictly keep the boundaries set, then the whims quickly go away and feeding does not cause inconvenience;

• And closer to two years, the child understands even more, already modestly and quietly, clinging to his mother's ear, asks for his favorite milk. But this behavior needs to be developed!

The benefits of breastfeeding

During pregnancy, a close bond formed between mother and baby. After, with feeding, the connection only strengthens.

Benefits for the baby

1. Thanks to feeding, the baby harmoniously develops not only physically, but his full psychological development takes place;
2. The child grows emotionally balanced. Breastfeeding has a beneficial effect on the development of the entire nervous system;
3. The breast does not have a timer, she does not know that the baby is one year old. And milk never ceases to be useful. The benefits of breast milk after a year remain exactly the same as at 11 or 10 months.

Until the age of six months, milk covers all the needs of the baby. From six months, they begin to introduce complementary foods in the form of vegetables, cereals and meat. But milk does not lose its value. During the second year of life, milk guarantees 40% of nutritional needs.

• The baby sucks less, but the percentage of milk fat and the proportion of antibodies that protect the body increase by 2-3 times (by the way, read a useful article on how to protect a child from a cold ?>>>);
• Immunoglobulin protects the oral cavity, which is very important, since a baby at this age puts everything in his mouth;
• The mucous membrane of the ureters and intestines is protected;
• Such children do not experience a lack of calcium, potassium, iron. They are less likely to have anemia. Of course, provided that the mother eats properly and is not exhausted;
• In addition to minerals, 2/3 of the vitamin components are provided by natural food. Ascorbic and folic acids are especially important;
• Reduces the likelihood of getting colds, intestinal diseases. Milk contains lysozyme, lactoferrin and other substances that contribute to the subsequent strengthening of immune functions.
• Breastfeeding a child after a year prone to allergies plays a key role in maintaining health. Milk contains antibodies that prevent large amounts of allergens from entering the body;
• The sucking process affects the proper development of the occlusion, the possibility of caries is reduced, and the muscular apparatus of the jaws develops correctly. This will play a big role in the development of speech and correct pronunciation.

Benefits for Mom

First of all, during breastfeeding, there is a laying of a strong relationship with the child.

1. The statement that feeding exhausts the mother's body, depriving her of vitamins and minerals, is not very true. With proper nutrition, without exhausting yourself with diets, feeding occurs without harm to a woman;
2. According to statistics, if a woman feeds for a long time, the likelihood of breast and ovarian cancer is reduced;
3. Breastfeeding a child contributes to weight loss, since about 500 kcal per day is spent on milk;
4. With mild weaning from breastfeeding after a year, the mammary glands enter the stage of involution in the second (third) year of feeding;

The tissues of the gland are gradually replaced by fatty tissues, which provide the breast with volume, which involves returning it to almost its original shape, without the terrible sagging.

1. Prolonged feeding prevents mastitis and pain associated with early weaning.

Based on the above, it can be understood that the opinion about the dangers of breastfeeding after a year is not completely justified.

Dispelling myths and horror stories

The myth that it is difficult to wean a child when he understands everything is also not true.

• It is easier to agree with an older child, to explain many points, and the sucking reflex slowly fades away and the child begins to skip his usual feedings;

• The myth that after weaning the child will begin to sleep all night and will not wake up 5-10 times is not true;

If you never did much sleep before weaning, be aware that sleep disturbances may persist after weaning. And, if the child woke up, just at the mother’s chest, he would calm down faster. A child deprived of a breast may fall asleep for a long time and sleep restlessly.

• The myth that a child does not eat well because of HB is not true;

Often, babies refuse to eat due to improper introduction of complementary foods. The child is forced to eat, theatrical performances are arranged, trying to cram as much food as possible.

Such procedures excite in the child negative desires and aversion to food, and this is not the fault of breastfeeding.

• During teething, mother's breast plays an important function in calming and relieving stress.

The myth that a child constantly bites his chest also has no basis. Yes, it is possible, it happens and bites. But the child is already an adult, it is quite possible to wean him from biting.

Know! Unless there are good reasons for interrupting feeding, such as a severe illness of the mother, with the need to go to the hospital, then continue to breastfeed after a year.

Prepare the baby for weaning smoothly, then neither you nor he will experience discomfort at the end of breastfeeding.