What's "Beyond Infancy"?

[justKate]

Just curious what is meant by "infant," and how people here use the term. I usually think 1 year, but then a 16 month-old is still a baby, too....

DD's daycare has two rooms for "infants"--6 wks to ~1 yr. and ~1 yr. to ~18 mos., so they clearly think of the 18 mo. olds as infants. Babies 1 yr. - 18 mos. are not really toddlers yet, are they?

Or is infancy associated with the pre-mobile stage, so that it ends when they start walking/running?

Just curious. Any strong opinions on this?

DD is only 7 mos, and while I don't ever plan to give her formula, I'm not confident that we'll be BFing far "beyond infancy." I set small goals--right now looking optimistically at 12 mos.!

[pbjmama]

IMO beyond infancy is 1+ year. Occasionally there are posts about babies 10+ months, which I think is fine too.

The forum title is -
"Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy - Breastfeeding a toddler and beyond has special issues all its own. We invite you to post about your joys and challenges in this forum. Please reserve it for issues that solely pertain to breastfeeding beyond infancy, including topics on weaning."

[LadyCatherine185]

I think it definitely depends on the baby, and I don't think that baby=infant either. I think the word "infant" actually means "without language" so technically it would be preverbal babies. And to me, a "toddler" is a baby who "toddles" aka walks. My DS was walking and saying a few words at 10 months old.. but I know 16 months old who are barely crawling and aren't saying much at all.

But I think the most widely accepted cut-off is 1 year old. I definitely see my one-year-old as a toddler.. but of course still a baby!

I read in a book that toddlers are basically babies on wheels!

[nj's_mom]

I think of infants as the more "helpless" stage. Where they are pooping, sleeping, eating, and that's pretty much it.

I think of my one year old as a toddler/baby. She is walking. And nursing.