I think it might be appropriate to remind her that your milk provides immune benefits to your child's immature immune system. She seems to have forgotten about that.
Beyond Toddlerhood: The Breastfeeding Relationship Continues
by Priscilla Young Colletto
http://www.lalecheleague.org/lllead...FebMar98p3.html
"The adverse health effects of weaning a child before or during toddlerhood are well documented for Third World countries such as Guinea-Bissau, where children who were no longer breastfed at ages 12 to 35 months had a 3.5 times higher mortality than did their peers who continued to breastfeed. There is a lack of this type of comparative research between breastfeeding toddlers and preschoolers and their already weaned peers in economically advanced countries. The negative impact of early weaning on children's health is not as dramatically evident but in time it may prove to be significant.
The scientific evidence on extended breastfeeding is just now beginning to accumulate. A number of the health benefits are now being found to be related to the length of nursing with an increasing amount of benefit correlating with increased duration. This is the case, research has indicated, with breastfeeding's protective effect in maternal breast cancer, osteoporosis, childhood ear infections and malocclusion anomalies (misaligned teeth).
The word "benefit" is perhaps misleading here, for these "benefits" are what nature intended to be the human norm. Breastfeeding is normal. It is artificial feeding substitutes and premature weaning that are, in fact, abnormal from a biological viewpoint. It is these abnormal practices that place the child at increased risk of illness and compromised intelligence. "
And she may be unaware that normal duration breastfeeding has psychological importance. Research shows that children nursed the longest have the closest relationship with their mom during the teen years (always a good thing!):
Parent-child relationships
Children who were breast fed for a longer duration were more likely, at age 15-18 years, to report higher levels of parental attachment and tended to perceive their mothers as being more caring and less overprotective towards them compared with bottle-fed children. After adjustment for maternal and perinatal factors, the duration of breastfeeding remained significantly associated with adolescent perceptions of maternal care, with increasing duration of breast feeding being associated with higher levels of perceived maternal care during childhood. Fergusson DM, Woodward LJ. "Breast feeding and later psychosocial adjustment." Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 1999 Apr;13(2):144-57
from:
www.lalecheleague.org/cbi/Biospec.htm
and that cultures who nurse their babies longest have the lowest rates of violence.
Cross-cultural research indicates a positive correlation between a culture's norm for duration of breastfeeding and a its level of peacefulness. Breastfeeding also promotes development in the parts of the human brain that regulate emotions and help us solve problems non-violently.
from:
http://milkofhumankindness.org/
That dr. is committing a huge error of omission when she talks about the value of breastmilk only in terms of basic nutrition.
I will pop in later and post links to the last two points. Got a toddler paging me (to nurse, no doubt! LOL)
ok, added links. HTH!
