Advantages of breastfeeding beyond 2

[foreverinbluejeans]

I was at a meeting and I said to get all the facial and speech developmental advantages you may have to breastfeed as long as 3 years. A RN LC that was at the meeting said my info was out of date and there are no advantages after 2 except preventing and helping with infections. I looked online and couldn't find any new info. Did I miss something?

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by foreverinbluejeans 

I was at a meeting and I said to get all the facial and speech developmental advantages you may have to breastfeed as long as 3 years. A RN LC that was at the meeting said my info was out of date and there are no advantages after 2 except preventing and helping with infections. I looked online and couldn't find any new info. Did I miss something?

There are no studies *that I know of* that would support either view.  In the US because the number of women who breastfeed *past* two is so small they are generally all considered to be one group--- if you nurse to two years, 1 day or 8 years that is the same group statistically.  Most breastfeeding advantages do show a dose dependent effect, though.

I recenently saw some interesting stats coming out of China where they were able to access more long term nursers, but I didn't see anything that specifically referred to facial and speech development.

[Asiago]

Along the same lines, I was reading in  "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler"; there haven't been any studies on nursing over 24 months. The info is on page 8.

[kohlby]

Even without a study- the nutrition is amazing!  The nutrition doesn't change.  Breastmilk is the most nutritious food for any age person! Even adult cancer patients will take it!  There is, of course, the virus fighting bonus as well.  Then, for some nurslings, the comfort issue helps a lot.  My first child has sensory issues and there's no way we would have managed emotionally without nursing!  Even a typical kid can be helped with another trick in your bag of tricks!

As for speech and jaw strength - are our jaws the strongest they're going to be at 2 or still developing?  If they're still developing, then it would make sense that nursing could help it.  It certainly won't hurt it!