Is this true?!?

[BRmama]

Basically I have heard from some friends and family about how it's okay if I only nurse my ds until he's six months because after six months the nutritional value goes way down.  How much of this is true? 

FWIW my ds is nine months and we plan on doing clw. When I ff ds1,I was told (since I couldn't bf) to keep him on formula until he's one and then introduce him to cow's milk and dairy. So now that I'm nursing ds2 why does it suddenly change? Also does anybody have any studies or anything that shows that there are benefits to nursing past infancy? I just want to be ready to defend my position to others. Even if let's say (as an example) that there really aren't any benefits to nursing past infancy, I sure do love the time that I spend bonding with my son. TIA

[Marissamom]

no. there's still all the wonderful fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies. all the health benefits increase for each year of nursing. formula is more easily digested after 6 months, so the gap between nutritionally does decrease, but there's still benefits to breastfeeding. 

[BRmama]

Marissamom, thanks for clarifying. I had no idea it increased with age. That right there i reason enough for anybody to keep going. We have a couple (friends of my family) staying with us and she's due with twins next month. I was trying to tell her about the benefits of nursing past infancy and now I've discovered that she might nurse just till her kids are six months. We just agreed to disagree. Thanks again 

[bandyr]

Breastmilk becomes more concentrated - not quite the word I'm looking for - with older nurslings.  Mother Nature planned it well.  When they're eating less at the breast, antibodies increase as does nutritional content since they're there less often.  It makes a difference for the toddler running around and not eating anything but banana all day!  Fills in their needs beautifully.  And accounts for their getting around more so that they can better handle what they are exposed to.  Even if you had given birth prematurely, your body would have known and made milk for that early baby.  Breastmilk matches or grows with your child, in a way that cows milk and formula can't ever do.  Good for you for nursing nine months and planning for CLW!  

SAHM to three, homebirth nurslings

[treegardner]

As long as you breastfeed there are nutritional advantages for your baby/toddler/child.

 

[~Adorkable~]

i have heard from a midwife that at about 1.5 years the milk does start to change and get less calories more leaning towards just a great hydration, less fat milk. and that supposedly that is why milk banks dont like milk from ladies with older babes, since it wont be the best milk for the preemies that usually end up getting donor milk.   i have no idea if this is correct

[bandyr]

Found this on Kellymom.  Breast milk is good stuff!  It doesn't "weaken" with time.  

"Breast milk continues to provide substantial amounts of key nutrients well beyond the first year of life, especially protein, fat, and most vitamins."  Dewey 2001. 

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:

• 29% of energy requirements
• 43% of protein requirements
• 36% of calcium requirements
• 75% of vitamin A requirements
• 76% of folate requirements
• 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
• 60% of vitamin C requirements

-- Dewey 2001

[Asiago]

Here is more data on breastmilk composition birth through three years

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics

http://tropej.oxfordjournals.org/content/25/4/107.extract

[~Adorkable~]

that is a great article Asiago! i love when we have real calculable data to back up or dispel out thinking. thank you. i was actually just told last week by a super pro extended breastfeeding midwife no less that at about 1.5 year breast-milk gets less dense, clearly this is not the case at all.

i wonder how many long held "facts" need to be held to similar scrutiny

[Asiago]

Glad you enjoyed it, it's fascinating isn't it?!

[kfillmore]

Anyone know how much  mom's diet affect breastmilk (composition) for an older baby?