World Breastfeeding Week and Thoughts On Breastfeeding

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!  

  

Today, we gathered with other breastfeeding families at a local park for The Big Latch On, a worldwide breastfeeding awareness event.  Twelve mothers were counted nursing their babies at 10:30 am at our location.  

And just in case you are still confused on the finer points of breastfeeding, here are some of my thoughts.  

I believe that full-term breastfeeding my boys has been one of the best parenting decisions I have made.  While I've never had a negative encounter with a stranger about nursing my children, I have certainly felt judgement about nursing a 1-, 2-, 3-year-old and for nursing into pregnancy.  And you know what, it's because people are ignorant:

- ignorant that the World Health Organization says:  "Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond."

- ignorant that the American Academy of Pediatrics says, "Breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. Given the documented short- and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding, infant nutrition should be considered a public health issue and not only a lifestyle choice. The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant."  (empahsis mine)

Because of the importance of breastfeeding and the known risks of formula feeding, the AAP has recently accepted a resolution "that the Academy advise pediatricians not to provide formula company gift bags, coupons, and industry-authored handouts to the parents of newborns and infants in office and clinic settings."  

- ignorant that normal breastfeeding duration is measured in years and months rather than days or weeks - In fact, anthropologist Katherine Dettwyler predicts a weaning age between 2.5 and 7 years based on weaning in similar species.

- ignorant that breast milk increases in nutritional and immunological factors as women nurse beyond a year - Kellymom.com has lots of great breastfeeding information including some interesting references concerning breastfeeding toddlers.

- ignorant of the many benefits that each and every day of nursing has imparted to me and my boys - from increased bone density for us all over our lifetimes to decreased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancers for me and the boys  

And you know what, that's okay.  They don't have to know.  Because I do.  I know that full-term breastfeeding is the easiest, most natural way of parenting my growing children until they have outgrown the need for the nutritional, emotional, and immunological support that breastmilk imparts.  I know that nursing for years is the natural expectation of my own body and my son's bodies.  I know, and that's enough for both them and me.