Benefits to just a little breastmilk?

[texmati]

Does anyone have a link to the benefits of partially breastfeeding an infant/toddler?

[ein328]

BUMP!

I'm interested in this for probably the very same reason as you are, mama.

[proudmomof4]

Partially BF in the sense of "plus complementary foods" or "plus formula"?

[kriket]

I have always read EBF for 6 months is the minimum where you see benefits from breastfeeding. As in EBF for less than 6m and FF infants have the same rate of illness and issues.

I would love to see a study on benefits of BFing a toddler.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by proudmomof4

Partially BF in the sense of "plus complementary foods" or "plus formula"?

either. as in, just a few ounces of breastmilk every day. i've always heard phrases such as -- every drop counts, or just a few tablespoons will confer immunity, etc.

Any studies to back that up?

[texmati]

Originally Posted by ein328

BUMP!

I'm interested in this for probably the very same reason as you are, mama.

i'm so sorry you are in the same spot. . It's so hard-- esp when you read success stories everywhere! I was venting to a friend-- she mentioned that 11 months her kiddo was only nursed twice a day. I nurse ds 3-4 times a day, he eats a ton of solids, but we still end up supplementing at night. And I'm not ready to night wean him on top of everything else.

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by kriket

I have always read EBF for 6 months is the minimum where you see benefits from breastfeeding. As in EBF for less than 6m and FF infants have the same rate of illness and issues.

i don't think this is true. the latest evidence says 6 mo ebf is better than 4m but there are older studies that show there is less risk of illness with 4 months than formula. nak so can't access them right now.

op, remember that there are important reasons to bf that are not about the milk. jaw development, for one.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by kriket

I have always read EBF for 6 months is the minimum where you see benefits from breastfeeding. As in EBF for less than 6m and FF infants have the same rate of illness and issues.

Do you have a source for this? Everything I've ever heard says the opposite.

OP, is this what you are looking for? It doesn't have hard stats, but it does give some of the benefits of nursing a few days through a few years.
http://nursingmoms.net/2008/11/27/wh...-wean-my-baby/

[texmati]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Do you have a source for this? Everything I've ever heard says the opposite.

OP, is this what you are looking for? It doesn't have hard stats, but it does give some of the benefits of nursing a few days through a few years.
http://nursingmoms.net/2008/11/27/wh...-wean-my-baby/

annettemarie, thank you for that link! I guess I was looking for benefits when a kiddo is only get a little bit of breastmilk every day.

sometimes, I think, is it worth it when he's only nursing once or twice a day?

[jeanine123]

Yes it is worth it. It's worth it for the immunitites, for the antibodies, for the nutrition, for the snuggling, for the comfort.

[karika]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Do you have a source for this? Everything I've ever heard says the opposite.

OP, is this what you are looking for? It doesn't have hard stats, but it does give some of the benefits of nursing a few days through a few years.
http://nursingmoms.net/2008/11/27/wh...-wean-my-baby/

What a lovely article Annettemarie... thanks. I am bookmarking it.

[lyterae]

I'm a low-supply mom also , here is one link I found:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning-partial.html

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by karika

What a lovely article Annettemarie... thanks. I am bookmarking it.

Thanks! I'm actually not crazy about the title they gave it because I don't think it's really about weaning at all. It's about meeting moms and babies where they are and letting them know that every little drop matters.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by lyterae

I'm a low-supply mom also , here is one link I found:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning-partial.html

Thanks for this! This is just what I mean.

[~pi]

Originally Posted by kriket

I have always read EBF for 6 months is the minimum where you see benefits from breastfeeding. As in EBF for less than 6m and FF infants have the same rate of illness and issues.

This is incorrect. In fact, much of the scientific (epidemiological) work that has been done on breastfeeding has had fairly loose definitions of what qualifies as a 'breastfed' infant. It's fairly common in scientific studies for 'breastfed' to mean 'still breastfeeding at three months, any amount.'

That said, aside from a few particular conditions (e.g., ear infections), the outcome numbers are often not that different between the two groups -- they are statistically significant, but the effect sizes are pretty small -- and it may be that stricter definitions of breastfeeding could bump them up a little. But because so few babies are breastfed exclusively and/or are breastfed to recommended ages, it's hard to get a large enough sample to do these sorts of analyses. Only some data sets are large enough and of high enough quality to look at dose-response (i.e., is more/longer breastfeeding better than a little/shorter breastfeeding?) and so on.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by texmati

annettemarie, thank you for that link! I guess I was looking for benefits when a kiddo is only get a little bit of breastmilk every day.

sometimes, I think, is it worth it when he's only nursing once or twice a day?

Yes, it is.

At 11 mos, A is still getting on average 8 oz of donor milk/day. Which mostly means he's getting 16 oz every other day. He has completely forgotten how to nurse at this point, and only bites when he's on the breast (or sucks like at a straw). But since he never really got much milk from me anyway, the transition was mostly emotional for me.

My goal all along was to get him EBM until 6 mos (we managed until 7), and then some BM to a year (and we're easily going to make it, since the freezer is full and his bday is in 3 wks).

It is not an all or nothing proposition. And yes, there is an emotional aspect to all of it that makes it even harder. But if you can let go of those emotions and just think about what is best for his health/development, life will be a bit easier for you (at least, it was for me).

HTH

[texmati]

Originally Posted by cristeen

It is not an all or nothing proposition. And yes, there is an emotional aspect to all of it that makes it even harder. But if you can let go of those emotions and just think about what is best for his health/development, life will be a bit easier for you (at least, it was for me).

HTH

Thanks so much for your post. It's taken me a bit, but I've think I've about come to terms with it. It seems so silly-- before DS was born, I had very little interest in nursing, esp past a year. When I started working, coming home to nurse him was the best part of my day. Now it's just pain. Physical pain that almost brings me to tears. And just to have my son get frustrated that there's nothing there a few minutes later. Even my DH seems to be pushing me to stop completely, but it breaks my heart to think that these will be the last times we'll nurse together. At the same time, in 5 mos when my milk comes in, he'll be a different baby all together. *sigh*

[ein328]

Originally Posted by texmati

Thanks so much for your post. It's taken me a bit, but I've think I've about come to terms with it. It seems so silly-- before DS was born, I had very little interest in nursing, esp past a year. When I started working, coming home to nurse him was the best part of my day. Now it's just pain. Physical pain that almost brings me to tears. And just to have my son get frustrated that there's nothing there a few minutes later. Even my DH seems to be pushing me to stop completely, but it breaks my heart to think that these will be the last times we'll nurse together. At the same time, in 5 mos when my milk comes in, he'll be a different baby all together. *sigh*

Hang in there, mama. I know exactly how you feel! I have "let go" of my lunchtime pumping session at work, but we're still nursing in the morning and at bed. At times I feel frustrated, especially since I have to give DD a bottle first, but I'm grateful for the time we have together, and even if it's only a few ounces a day, it seems to keep her going and attached to her "nummers." Nursing through pregnancy is sooo tough!!

[texmati]

Originally Posted by ein328

Hang in there, mama. I know exactly how you feel! I have "let go" of my lunchtime pumping session at work, but we're still nursing in the morning and at bed. At times I feel frustrated, especially since I have to give DD a bottle first, but I'm grateful for the time we have together, and even if it's only a few ounces a day, it seems to keep her going and attached to her "nummers." Nursing through pregnancy is sooo tough!!

Thanks! it' so wonderful to hear a hang in there when it seems everyone is saying give it up.

I'm officially making colostrum and not milk; this is around the time I started leaking first pregnancy. He latches on at least once a day (in the morning). I've made my peace that no matter what happens, I'll try to get him breast milk from 16 months until he's two-- even if it's just pumped milk in a glass.

Nursing through pregnancy-- never again.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by ein328

Hang in there, mama. I know exactly how you feel! I have "let go" of my lunchtime pumping session at work, but we're still nursing in the morning and at bed. At times I feel frustrated, especially since I have to give DD a bottle first, but I'm grateful for the time we have together, and even if it's only a few ounces a day, it seems to keep her going and attached to her "nummers." Nursing through pregnancy is sooo tough!!

Thanks! it' so wonderful to hear a hang in there when it seems everyone is saying give it up.

I'm officially making colostrum and not milk; this is around the time I started leaking first pregnancy. He latches on at least once a day (in the morning). I've made my peace that no matter what happens, I'll try to get him breast milk from 16 months until he's two-- even if it's just pumped milk in a glass.

Nursing through pregnancy-- never again.