How long to breastfeed. Personal experience.

An axiom that every mother of a newborn baby should know: “There is no formula better than breast milk! and There is no animal milk better than formula!”

If for some reason you are not able to breastfeed your child, feed him with high-quality adapted milk formula, and leave grandma’s advice about wonderful homemade fresh goat or cow’s milk for up to a year! In a word: either breast or mixture! But certainly not SV, since this will constantly provoke colic, and certainly not replace the formula with milk of animal origin (!), since this is a clear path to rickets.

Remember:

- there is no such thing as fatty milk;

- there is no such thing as non-fat milk;

- there is no such thing as empty milk;

- there is no empty milk after a year;

- there is never enough milk;

- the quantity and quality of milk does not depend on breast size;

- if you can squeeze at least 1 drop of milk out of your breasts, everything is fine with your milk, you can breastfeed (!);

- there is illiteracy on the issue of breastfeeding;

Milk is only what the baby needs and only in the quantity that he really needs!

Milk begins to be produced from the head. Let's get ready for long-term breastfeeding and don't be lazy! Why long: the first 6 months. breastfeeding is being established and only then is carefree feeding. If you were able to feed for the first 6 months, then you can feed at least until self-weaning.

1 rule -feed on demand.

Apply to the breast when the baby is still groaning, asking for food, and not screaming in hysterics. A child has the right to demand breastfeeding at least every 20 minutes, since milk is quickly absorbed. It may demand again after 5 minutes, 20 minutes, 3 hours, 40 minutes, 2 hours... this is absolutely normal. If the baby needs it, breast to mouth and lie down/sleep like a seal, even for a day or longer... Pay special attention to night feedings from 12 at night to 08 in the morning. Offer the breast even if the baby has not woken up for the night feed: carefully pick him up and put him to the breast, he will not wake up, he will suck reflexively, sleep and eat at the same time. At night, try to feed your baby every 2-3 hours, or even more often, if he wishes. There is no need to plug it with a pacifier, water or formula at night. It is at night that the most active production of the hormone responsible for lactation occurs. Apply to only one breast at one feeding. With the next feeding - another breast. And so alternate. But if the baby does not get enough from one breast, offer the second.

There is never enough milk!:

It happens that you are too lazy to feed on demand and hold it at the breast for a long time. So that you don’t feel like a zombie during the day, co-sleeping with your child will help you here.

When sleeping together, your biological clock will coincide with the biological clock of the child, thanks to which you will easily wake up at night for night feedings..., along with this day you will feel more alert than if you slept separately.

Regular breastfeeding is the right path to IV!

For those who are just preparing to become a mother:

Choose a maternity hospital with a joint stay with the baby in the postpartum unit and put him to the breast as soon as possible after birth, during the first 12 hours of his life, even if it seems that there is no colostrum and feed on demand, without taking the baby off the breast before he'll eat his fill. This will help the faster formation of breastfeeding, and it is also a good prevention of jaundice in newborns.

If in the postpartum unit the baby does not immediately fall asleep, tosses and turns, sulks..., then he has postpartum stress, he is overexcited. In this case, you need to put it to your chest - it is a good antidepressant and sedative for the baby.

If the baby does not understand that he needs to take the breast, you need to squeeze a drop of colostrum onto his lips. The child will smell and taste colostrum and understand.

If the baby turns away from the breast, rub his cheek, the one we want him to turn to us. The reflex will work and he will turn his head.

If the child takes the breast painfully, remove the breast from the mouth: carefully insert your little finger into the corner of the mouth - the child will release the breast. Give the breast again: touch the nipple to the baby's upper lip - the baby will open his mouth wide and at the same time stick his tongue forward, covering his lower lip. At this moment, place the breast in the baby’s mouth on the tongue at an angle to the palate.

The nipple should be completely swallowed together with the nipple, and more captured from the bottom than from the top. There should be no pain. For a soft flow of milk In order for the milk to come smoothly, gradually and without complications, it is necessary to drink fluids correctly from the 1st birthday of the child (soups and liquid porridges are not considered drinks).

In the RD immediately after birth:

1 day after childbirth - drink a lot, the more, the better, even if you don’t want to, through yourself;

2 days after birth - drink as desired, whenever and as much as you want;

3 days after birth - stretch 2 glasses of water or other liquid for a day. If you are very thirsty, moisten your lips and rinse your mouth.

From 4 days after birth until the end of breastfeeding:

Drink focusing on your chest:

If your breasts are very full, to the point of pain, follow a drinking regime for 3 days;

If the chest is calm and moderately engorged, follow a drinking regime for 2 days;

During a breastfeeding crisis, focus on drinking for 1 day.

But, if you don’t follow all the points written here, it won’t help! I followed this drinking regimen: the milk came in smoothly, softly... There was no feeling that my breasts were bursting, and I didn’t rush after the midwife asking her to pump me... It was enough for me to simply feed mine on demand. First, the baby feeds on colostrum, which begins to be produced during pregnancy. On the 3rd day after birth, milk comes in. In 2-3 months. a physiological crisis of breastfeeding begins. At this time, the flow of milk slows down or disappears; less fatty milk is replaced with more fatty and nutritious milk, according to the child’s needs, because the child has grown up and his needs have increased. This period lasts on average 2 days. At this time, the baby needs to be put to the breast as often and as long as possible, even if it seems that the chest is empty, so that the baby stimulates the flow of milk by sucking. The more and longer the child stimulates the “empty” breast, the faster this period will end and milk will flow in, even if it stimulates for hours... You can prepare for this crisis, just in case: make a supply of milk in the freezer, in special containers for storing milk in freezer. Do not drink milk drink! You just need to get through this period. This is the only physiological crisis of breastfeeding; there will be no more problems with milk flow and feeding. For me, this crisis lasted only a few hours: in the morning I noticed that there was no milk, and by the evening it had already flowed in. But I didn’t take the baby off my breast, all these hours she stimulated me, and I didn’t stock up on milk: for this case, nature provides the baby with a good supply of subcutaneous fat, thanks to which he tolerates this crisis well. But, if in doubt, stock up on milk and feed with spare milk. Of course, this will make the child stimulate you less and the crisis will last longer... All other crises of breastfeeding are a sign of improper organization of breastfeeding. If the body temperature rises on the 3rd day after birth, but there are no symptoms of illness, this is evidence that the milk has come. The most difficult period of breastfeeding is the period from the first few weeks to 3-4-6 months - the period of formation of breastfeeding. It took me 2-3 weeks and only then did I begin to receive physical and aesthetic pleasure from breastfeeding))

Rule 2 -feed for a long time.

We have 2 types of breast milk - fore milk and hind milk: - children drink fore milk, because it is watery and not fatty, has a bluish watery tint; - children gorge themselves on hind milk, because it is fatty and filling, and has a yellowish fatty tint. The baby needs time to first drink from the foremilk, and then get to the hindmilk and eat full-fat milk, otherwise he will be constantly hungry... Feeding a baby is a lot of work. It is much easier to suck on a bottle; the baby can suck it down in a few minutes. With breastfeeding, everything is different, the baby has a very hard time sucking the breast, he gets tired. Therefore, he sucks with rest breaks. He will suck a little, rest and go back to the “battle”... You might think that the baby has fallen asleep and before he has enough time to go to bed, but after 5 minutes. he will wake up screaming - he was rested and wanted to continue eating, but there was no food, hence the screams! Each child has his own sign that he is full, for example, for my daughter it is a sharp jerk of her head back. Take a closer look at your children, how they behave when they really don’t want to eat anymore, this will be your sign. And after eating, they are so tired that they immediately fall asleep, looking as if they were running a cross-country race: shortness of breath, wet hair... Do you feel that the child is full, but for some reason continues to “hang” on his chest? Don't worry about it Sucking even on an empty breast stimulates milk production. The child must satisfy all of his sucking reflex, without this he will be nervous and unsure of himself when he grows up. Children on IV have a pacifier, because a 5-minute absorption of the contents of a bottle does not satisfy their sucking reflex. And for breastfeeding children, the breast is a drink, food, and a pacifier at the same time: 3 in 1. For this reason, breastfeeding children do not need a pacifier, due to the fact that they “hang” on the chest for a long time, they fully satisfy all their needs for water, food and sucking. After feeding, you may notice calluses on your baby's lips. There is no need to be afraid of this, it’s just that the baby tried so hard to eat the breast that he simply “ate” his lips. It will go away on its own in a few minutes. There is no longer any need to pump your breasts after each feeding. Your baby will suck you off so well that you won't need your breast pump. Your baby is your best, natural breast pump.

The main thing is to use it wisely and not be lazy. I have a breast pump that costs about 7,000 rubles, which I have never needed at all))

There is no need to supplement a full breastfeeding child with formula and/or complementary foods! Because this will lead to constipation, allergies, colic..., due to the immaturity of the baby’s stomach and gastrointestinal tract.

Complementary feeding should be introduced at the earliest from 6 months, and later, when the baby is ready.

At full breastfeeding, you can introduce pedagogical complementary feeding.

There is no need to supplement your child's breastfeeding with water! Because breast milk consists of 82% water and that is why a full breastfeeding baby does not need additional water, foremilk completely replaces water + it is much healthier than water!

It is necessary/possible to supplement a child’s breastfeeding with boiled water at room temperature if:

- the mother has a negative Rh blood factor;

The baby has physiological jaundice. But, it is better to bathe him without giving him water, because the baby will get enough water through the skin when bathing, while increasing the number and duration of breastfeeding;

The baby has a high fever. You can also wipe it with warm water. At high temperatures, you cannot bathe, give more water, or better yet, increase the number and duration of breastfeeding;

- the child eats more than 50% of complementary foods per day.

If the baby has a soft, concave fontanel, he is dehydrated: bathe and give him something to drink. But it is better to bathe and increase the number and duration of breastfeeding. If the baby's fontanel is bulging, he has high intracranial pressure: apply a slightly beaten cabbage leaf (to release juice) to the fontanel, it will relieve the pressure, and show it to the doctor. Drinking for a full breastfeeding child is introduced when the child eats more than 50% of complementary foods, starting with boiled water at room temperature.

Rule 3 - sleep more during the day .

Sleep away your sleepless night hours during the day. As soon as the baby falls asleep, you lie down next to him and sleep. During daytime sleep, the hormone responsible for lactation is also produced, although less than at night.

Rule 4 - eat liquid, soft and light foods.

The first 3-4 months. Continue to follow the pregnancy diet until 20 weeks. Bertie.

If you did not follow such a diet for pregnant women, continue to eat the same foods that you ate during pregnancy. Every morning, start with 1-2 glasses of warm water in 20 minutes. before breakfast. Drink up to 2 liters of warm, sweetened liquid per day. During lactation, much more fluid is needed. And also take vitamins for pregnant and lactating women throughout the entire breastfeeding period + up to 4-6 months. after him. This is necessary to replenish your own supply of vitamins, minerals and microelements, which the child took for himself during breastfeeding.

If your baby has allergies, colic, swelling and constipation, reconsider your diet, diet for nursing.

You can also influence your child’s gastrointestinal tract through your milk:

Eat prunes, boiled beets...;

Drink yogurt, dried fruit compote, kefir: fresh - normalizes, and 3 days or more - strengthens;

Take bifidobacteria.

You yourself eat and drink all this, and through your milk you influence the child’s gastrointestinal tract. Also, a child at full breastfeeding, in the absence of fever and anxiety, may not have a big breast for 5-7 days - this is normal, because breast milk is quickly and completely absorbed.

Rule 5 - mental and emotional stability.

Always be calm and peaceful. Don’t overload yourself with household chores; leave them to your household members or your husband. Take more walks with your baby in the fresh air. Do not communicate with those who have a bad influence on your mental and emotional state, avoid them.

Your main and primary task is to maintain breastfeeding and take care of your baby.

If, when feeding your baby, due to nervousness (feeling nervous, angry, losing your temper...) there is no or little milk, the following recommendations will help you:

1. disconnect from all worries, problems and remove the irritant - retire with the baby in the room, dim the lights, turn on relaxation music not loudly or simply create silence, relax and calm down - remove Adrenaline, it prevents the flow of milk;

2. “become the child” - completely undress yourself, undress the child and sit comfortably on the sofa, in bed or in a chair. Place the baby between your breasts - skin-to-skin contact and cover yourself with a blanket or blanket. Close your eyes, relax and connect with the child as one - a surge of Oxytocin, the hormone responsible for milk production;

3. slowly, in small sips and with breaks, drink a warm, moderately sweet drink prepared in advance - a rush of milk; 4. when you feel that you are ready to feed, feed starting with a more engorged breast. The formula for breastfeeding under stress looks like this: adrenaline.- (

The fact that only breast milk can give your baby everything necessary for its normal growth and development is a proven fact that is beyond doubt. And yet, the question of up to what age to breastfeed a child (a boy or a girl, it doesn’t matter) remains open and torments all young mothers and fathers. On the one hand, breastfeeding is convenient and healthy, but on the other hand, it creates certain difficulties, since the nursing mother must constantly limit herself in nutrition and be close to the baby in order to feed him on time.

But following a diet is a very difficult task for some mothers, which also creates some discomfort. Therefore, making the right choice for a woman who does not have her own experience of breastfeeding can be quite difficult.

First of all, it is worth noting that normally, until the age of 6 months (when some experts in the field of rational nutrition of children in the first year of life recommend gradually introducing complementary foods), breast milk should be the baby’s only food. Only in this way will he receive all the necessary substances so that the still immature internal organs physiologically develop in accordance with age.

In addition, mother's milk is the source of the development of immunity in the baby, and no other product can compensate for this loss if breastfeeding has to be abandoned. The composition of milk can change over time, depending on the needs of the baby's body. That is why the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding as the most physiological way to allow a child to develop harmoniously.

Thus, feeding a newborn with breast milk is certainly beneficial, but the question remains: up to what age is your baby considered a baby and needs breast milk?

Until what age is a child considered a baby?

So, if a woman’s lactation is not impaired and there are no objective indications for artificial feeding, then the baby should be fed with breast milk from birth. Now, as for such a concept as “baby”.

From the point of view of medical science, the periods of life of a preschool child are divided into the following periods:

• from birth to one month – the neonatal period;
• from 1 to 12 months – infant age;
• from 1 year to 3 years – pre-school age.

It follows that the infant period is a period from 1 month to 1 year, but does this mean that 12 months is the age when you should stop feeding your newborn breast milk? Not at all! This is the period in which the child is considered an infant and breast milk is a necessary product for him. A product that not only provides more than half of all the nutrients your child needs to be healthy, but also participates in the process of digestion and absorption of food. Breast milk contains all the necessary enzymes so that the first complementary foods you introduce into your baby’s diet are not only well digested in his stomach, but also absorbed by the body, which is no less important.

According to the recommendations of the same WHO specialists, all children should receive breastfeeding and age-appropriate complementary foods for up to one year, and then breastfeeding can be extended up to 2 years or more.

What age can be considered optimal for completing lactation?

Before answering the question of how long to breastfeed, it is worth realizing that in the first year of a baby’s life, the sucking reflex is one of its main reflexes, which certainly requires satisfaction. Otherwise, the child may lag not only in physical, but also in mental and emotional development.

The experience of women in Russia shows that they stop breastfeeding, as a rule, during the following periods:

• when the child reaches the age of 6 months (usually for objective reasons and medical indications);
• at the age of one year, due to the fact that quite a lot of food products have been introduced into the baby’s diet, and therefore mother’s milk ceases to be the only source of energy and nutrients for the baby;
• at the age of about 2 years, since children at this age begin to attend preschool institutions, and their mothers finally return from maternity leave.

Which of these options is correct, and until how many months should you breastfeed your baby? Every nursing mother should answer this question. But before a decision is made, it is necessary to consider:

• breast milk is rich in all the necessary microelements and substances for your baby to actively develop;
• it contains a huge amount of necessary immunoglobulins, which is very important for the formation of immunity, because the process of formation of the immune system in a baby ends only by the age of 6;
• satisfaction of the sucking reflex is an important aspect of the formation of not only the physical health, but also the emotional sphere of the child, as well as his psyche, and the lack of such satisfaction can even become the cause of severe neurological disorders or psycho-emotional pathological conditions;
• breast sucking promotes faster, and most importantly, more correct and physiological formation of the speech apparatus in children;
• The long process of breastfeeding contributes to the full formation of the gastrointestinal tract. When the baby is introduced to complementary feeding with the same foods that the mother herself eats, the process of digesting them in the baby’s body will occur much easier and faster if, after complementary feeding, the baby is “supplemented” with breast milk. After all, the gastrointestinal system of a newborn is formed before 3-4 years of age, and mother’s milk facilitates its formation.
• Long-term breastfeeding helps the development of not only the gastrointestinal tract, but also the maxillofacial muscles, correct bite, and most importantly, the formation of the baby’s brain structures.

This does not mean at all that children fed with mixed or artificial feeding will certainly grow up with underdeveloped organs of certain systems. This only means that in breastfed children, all physiological processes occur much faster and with better quality. The prejudice that a baby who suckles for a long time will certainly grow up, if not a “mama’s boy,” then certainly a person with sexual deviations, is nothing more than an old wives’ tale; and all leading experts today recommend extending breastfeeding for as long as possible.

Let us repeat, only the nursing mother herself can make a decision, but it still makes sense to listen to the recommendations of specialists, and not other mothers.

The clear answer to the question of how long you should breastfeed is – the longer the better! And these are not “old wives’ tales,” but WHO recommendations on breastfeeding. Definitely “yes” up to 12 months. This will be useful not only for the baby, but also for the mother - since the risk of cancer is reduced, incl. and breast cancer.

Why is breastfeeding attractive for children after 2 years of age?

First of all, the importance of such feeding lies in the formation of the baby’s immunity as protection against many diseases. The longer a woman continues to breastfeed her baby, the more antibodies or immunoglobulins are concentrated in breast milk, which means the baby receives more maternal antibodies. This will help him cope with many viral infections and other pathogenic agents that, one way or another, surround us everywhere.

After a year, mother's milk changes its composition, it becomes more saturated with vitamins (especially A, C, etc.), which, undoubtedly, only has a beneficial effect on the development of the baby. And after two years, 500 ml of breast milk contains more than half the daily calcium intake.

Moreover, at the age of two or more years, the baby is actively exploring the world, which makes the risk of infection with the above pathogens much higher. In addition, many children at this age will go to kindergarten, which can rightfully be called a real “breeding ground” for many infections and viruses of various etiologies. Mother's milk will help you go through the adaptation process much easier, and not only from a physiological point of view.

The psychological aspect of adaptation to a team and the socialization of a baby is, first of all, a stressful situation, which will be overcome not so much by mother’s milk as by the process of breastfeeding itself. At this moment, the child feels as protected as possible, which means it will be much easier for such a child to get used to the new environment, change his lifestyle and adapt to a group of other kids.

Do not forget that there are often situations when a child himself refuses to breastfeed at the age of more than 2 years, for which there are objective reasons. So we come to the next question that worries many young mothers: how to wean a child from the habit of breastfeeding?

We have figured out that it is recommended by experts to feed a child with breast milk until 2 years of age or more. But is it worth practicing this way of eating when the child has reached the age of three? Some pediatricians believe not, and give the following arguments:

• a woman may go to work, and lactation will become a factor that causes inconvenience;
• the child has trouble falling asleep and is capricious until he gets what he wants. And this is not hunger, but the formation of character;
• at 3 years old, children begin to realize their gender identity, and therefore it is recommended to stop breastfeeding before this period;
• Adaptation to the team in kindergarten may be complicated, since the child will be emotionally too dependent on his mother, etc.

Whether you agree with this opinion or not is your choice, but these conclusions are based on the experience and knowledge of child psychology and physiology, and therefore it is still worth listening to it.

Let's sum it up

So, let's remember the main points:

• breast milk is clearly indicated for children under 6 months of age;
• Breastfeeding of children under 1 year of age is considered highly desirable and necessary for the normal formation of a healthy baby;
• after 12 months, when the infant period ends, breastfeeding is not necessary and is not the only source of nutrition for the child, but is highly desirable from the point of view of developing immunity;
• When the baby approaches the age of 3 years, you can begin the process of weaning from the breast by force, if the child himself has not abandoned this method of feeding.

How long it is necessary to breastfeed a child is decided, first of all, by the woman. Of course, this choice should be conscious and based on the advice of medical organizations, but the best choice to refuse breastfeeding will be a period when refusal will not harm either the physical or emotional state of the nursing mother and baby.

No matter what time you stop breastfeeding your baby, remember that the process of weaning must be gradual, otherwise it can be stressful for the baby and a health risk for the mother.

A nursing mother needs to think through and take into account many details if she is going to breastfeed for a long time. Experienced consultants advise:

There is currently a lot of misinformation out there for breastfeeding moms about breastfeeding. Such misinformation often has negative social pressure, various factors that can undermine a mother's decision and desire to breastfeed her baby.

When a mother still feeds her baby with her milk, no matter what, even after a year, she often hears many different “horror stories” about the dangers of breastfeeding for “big” children.

Such a negative attitude is nothing more than a cost of the twentieth century. About a hundred years ago it was normal to feed children with mother's milk until the age of 2-3 years. Our great-grandmothers know that this is the best anti-conception remedy (after all, the hormone “”, which is responsible for milk production, suppresses ovulation). Since about the 30-40s of the twentieth century, the ideal of a woman is a shock worker on the labor front, and not at all a caring mother and wife, so the ability to feed a child for a long time has decreased.

In the 50s of the twentieth century, maternity leave to care for a newborn lasted 1 month. As a result, the lack of breastfeeding has led to a deterioration in the health of the younger generation. My health, both physical and psychological, suffered. After all, children are at great risk of problems associated with adolescence, difficulties and problems of “building” family life, as well as depression if they “don’t know” their mother’s breasts.

That is why the World Health Organization began to pay close attention to breastfeeding issues. Many different studies have been conducted on the composition of human milk, as well as a collection of materials on the effect of breastfeeding on the development of the baby. Many useful manuals have been written, both for health workers and brochures for mothers.

“10 steps for successful breastfeeding” - tips and recommendations that were developed jointly with UNICEF (this is the UN Children's Fund). Also, in maternity hospitals, favorable conditions are created and maintained to help improve the lactation process (Baby-Friendly Hospital).

Many false myths about breastfeeding have been debunked. It has now been announced that the minimum duration of breastfeeding in a child’s life is 2 years. The strongest evidence in favor of long-term breastfeeding, for both baby and mother, is that there is no harm, as evidenced by science.

If you know about harm, ask experts for confirmation from scientific studies. We can say with confidence that no one will provide them to you, since there is no medically confirmed data on the negative effects of breastfeeding after a year.

Breastfeeding AFTER A YEAR

If you have heard the opinion that after a year there are no useful substances in breast milk, know that this is a myth. Research and its results indicate the opposite. The fat content of mother's milk increases 2-3 times after a year of feeding.

With the growth and development of the baby, the number of antibodies and the content of immunoglobulin A constantly increases.

The level of those substances that are responsible for the development of the gastrointestinal tract in a child also increases. 448 ml of mother's milk in the second year of a child's life provides his needs: 29% for energy, 36% for calcium, 43% for protein, 75% for vitamin A. 76% of the needs for acid derivatives are met folic (folate), 94% - in vitamin B12, 60% - in vitamin C.

There is evidence of the positive impact of prolonged breastfeeding on the child’s intelligence level: the greatest achievements were noted in children who were fed the longest.

Also, the duration of breastfeeding is associated with the successful social adaptation of 6-8 year old children when they go to school. Infants who are older than one year are less likely to suffer from allergies. The immunity of such children is more stable, and the recovery period, in case of illness, is shorter than that of peers who do not receive mother’s milk.

With the last change in milk composition, the breasts “prepare” for the cessation of feeding. Thus, it is protected from infections and restores its shape as before pregnancy. The child’s body is also being prepared, namely, the functional systems (immune, nervous, endocrine and others) for parting with mother’s milk.

At the age of a child from 1.5 to 2.5 years, involution of lactation may occur.

Natural feeding. What does it look like after a year?

Women who have not fed their baby or have fed for a short time usually imagine the following picture when they hear the words “breastfeeding”: the mother, seeing the clock, understands that it is time to feed the baby. She takes the baby in her arms and gives her breast, settling down in a secluded place. Then the breast is removed and the remaining milk is expressed.

They imagine such a baby as a newborn, and not an “adult” child of 2-3 years old, who already speaks and eats adult food on his own. The feeding process itself is imagined as a mother’s initiative (“it’s time” - the breast suggested).

In fact, the opposite is true. As a rule, the initiative comes from the child. After all, the baby’s requirement is the basic principle of natural feeding. A baby meets incredibly different needs when breastfeeding.

Mamino serves not only to satisfy hunger. Substances in milk help the body and all its functional systems develop and mature (for example, milk contains substances that promote the development of the brain and nervous system). Milk also contains painkillers and anti-stress hormones; antibodies that protect against diseases; substances that help the baby sleep and with a morphe-like structure; fatty acids, unique and polyunsaturated, such that they regulate the processes of inhibition and excitation in the central nervous system. There are also many other elements that are irreplaceable.

Mother's milk is a real miracle of nature, capable of satisfying all the needs of a growing body. It is very important to give the baby the breast when he asks for sucking. Don’t deceive your baby with a pacifier, because there is no abstract “sucking reflex” that can be applied to something non-specific, to anything...

It is also very important not to take your baby off the breast before he lets go on his own. The exception is if sucking causes pain in the nipples. This may be the first sign that you are not breastfeeding your baby correctly.

Then you need to take the breast out of your mouth and try to offer it again. The radius of the areola from the base of the nipple should be at least 2-3 centimeters.

Breastfeeding “ON DEMAND”

Depending on the age of the baby, he expresses his request to be attached to the breast in different ways.

Usually, he opens his mouth, as if looking for a nipple, and twists his head. Desire may manifest itself through whimpering, crying, or restlessness. A slightly older baby will give certain signals that are understandable to the mother.

If your child is over a year old, try to teach him a code word (“eat” or “yum-yum,” for example). If the baby needs mother's milk, he will pronounce this word.

First of all, the feeding schedule is closely related to the child’s sleep rhythms. During falling asleep and during sleep, the longest and most complete feedings occur. Since newborns sleep almost 24/7, they will nurse almost constantly.

The child has 6-9 months from birth 2-3 daytime sleeps, which are clearly expressed. This means that he will breastfeed much less often. Children older than one year switch to one-time naps during the day. The baby goes to bed with the breast if the mother is nearby. But the baby will fall asleep just fine with another person who is well known to him, if his mother is not at home.

As a rule, baby over a year old 8-12 breastfeeding per day. If the baby does not sleep, he does not eat for long. Sucks just enough to overcome the difficulties that sometimes arise. For example, a few seconds. Or a few minutes. The child may want to wash down the adult food.

For night sucking, the regimen will remain unchanged until weaning. Babies eat most readily in the morning: this is when prolactin production peaks. So that you can fully rest at night, you need to master from the very beginning positions that are safe for lying down feeding. They will allow you to sleep peacefully while your baby nurses.

During the weaning period, the baby reduces the number of feedings to 1-3 times a day. The child is already falling asleep without a breast. Now his main food is the same as his mom and dad's. To overcome various stresses, the baby's hormonal and nervous systems no longer require mother's milk to calm down.

A baby's brain reaches 80 percent of the volume of an adult's brain. The main and basic stage in the formation of external prettiness, bite, diction and articulation (that is, the maxillofacial apparatus) ends. The child’s gastrointestinal tract is able to continue to fully function and develop without the help of mother’s milk.

The baby teeth came out quite painlessly and unnoticed thanks to breast sucking. The baby speaks about himself in the first person (the pronoun “I” appeared in speech), which means that the stage of the emergence of a new self-awareness and psychological separation from the mother is completed.

Typically, the above processes take place when the baby turns 2 years old.

Should we listen to “horror stories”?

React to them very calmly. Any critical statements about breastfeeding your baby will not unsettle you. Try to pause and prepare a phrase in advance that you pronounce kindly, having collected your thoughts.

If you say a phrase like “Thank you for your concern. I will definitely think about your words,” then well-wishers will calm down. Another good way out is to refer to the doctor who recommended you to do this: “The doctor said that in our situation this behavior is correct.”.

If a dispute occurs, most likely, you will not be able to calmly argue scientifically for the benefits of breastfeeding your baby after one year. We recommend engaging in educational activities with friends or relatives, preventing heated discussions from arising.

If possible, we advise you not to discuss at all and not to succumb to various provocations, simply to ignore questions that are unpleasant for you. Use your sense of humor to neutralize judgment: “I’m going to feed my son until he reaches the army! How can he refuse such beautiful breasts?” Sometimes nursing mothers do not advertise at all that the baby is still receiving breast milk.

Psychologists' opinion

Breastfeeding after a year has an educational moment for a child, this is important. The emotional close connection that exists during breastfeeding has a positive effect on the formation of a trusting relationship with the mother. Therefore, babies grow up obedient, attentive and sensitive, which is very important for mothers who want to raise an inquisitive and active runner!

A strong and deep connection and attachment to the mother helps the baby to master her outlook on life. In the future, during adolescence, this will play a positive role.

In infants, social adaptation is much more productive and easier than in non-infants. A child who has not lost contact with her mother ahead of time is more open to the world and acts more confidently, because she feels a strong rear behind her. In addition, it is more convenient to travel with an infant, because milk is always available, meaning food and drink are always at the baby’s disposal.

To make it comfortable and pleasant for your baby to fall asleep, there is no need to create special conditions for this. It is enough to attach the baby to the breast. At night, the baby can sleep next to his mother, allowing him to save on the purchase of a crib.

If your family plans to have another baby in the future, then long-term feeding of the older one will insure you against problems between children and jealousy. Logically, the more you satisfy the older child’s basic needs for care and love, the less he will be offended by you in the future.

• For the reproductive system, this is rest. Ovulation does not resume throughout the entire period of breastfeeding in a third of women. Night sucking has an effective contraceptive effect.
• Women who breastfed their babies for more than two years had a 54 percent lower risk of breast cancer than mothers who breastfed for up to 6 months.
• The same thing happens with the disease - ovarian cancer. Long-term treatment helps reduce the risk of cancer.
• Long-term feeding helps reduce weight. Every day, to produce milk, the body spends from 400 to 600 kilocalories!
• When breastfeeding is completed, lactation involution occurs. This stage is the final in the reproductive chain, which begins with conception, then, after - the production of transitional milk and, finally, mature lactation.

Varieties of attaching a baby to the breast

• The baby suckles at the breast when he falls asleep. This lasts especially long in the first six months. Milk contains elements that help your baby fall asleep, creating a healthy sleep attitude. These feedings are the most nutritious, because hind milk is higher in calories and fat, and it enters the baby’s body 10-20 minutes after the start of feeding, and when falling asleep the baby lets go of the breast after about 30-40 minutes.
• Feeding at night. Such attachments to the breast are necessary for the mother to produce milk in sufficient quantities. To fully stimulate prolactin (hormone) to produce the required volume of milk sufficient for the baby, two to three nightly sucking is necessary.
• Feeding upon awakening. It’s as if the baby is “born” again after sleep. In order to safely recover from sleep and begin to be awake, the child needs attachments.
• Application to eliminate a discomfort state (illness, pain, fear, fear of the dark, unusual new taste of adult food, postpartum stress, other stress, etc.).
• Putting the baby to the breast to make up for the lack of emotional and physical contact with the mother (if the mother rarely takes the baby in her arms or is absent for a long time, does not devote enough time to communicating with the toddler).

Issues of breastfeeding, and especially its duration, are very important for modern young mothers.

Most women are now working, many of them, for various reasons (where material circumstances play an important role), cannot afford long leave to care for an infant.

Therefore, the question of how long to breastfeed a child is far from idle for young mothers.

They are literally torn between the fear of harming their beloved baby by premature weaning and the need to go to work after the child’s first birthday. What do experts advise about this? What are the benefits and harms of prolonged breastfeeding?

In modern society there is no tradition of long-term feeding of infants. Mothers who breastfeed babies older than two years of age often cause misunderstanding in their environment. How long should you continue breastfeeding (BF)? Before you make a decision about breastfeeding, you need to know what its benefits are for mother and child:

1. It has been scientifically proven that even after a baby reaches one and a half to two years of age, milk does not lose value; it contains a lot of proteins, enzymes that break down proteins and fats, hormones, vitamins and easily digestible microelements, including iron, which prevents the development of anemia in the baby.
2. Immune support for the child’s body due to immunoglobulins produced by the mother’s body and present in high concentrations in milk. A child’s own immunity is fully formed only by the age of six.
3. According to WHO, breastfeeding continued after a year reduces the risk of food allergies in babies.
4. Long-term support of the sucking reflex, which involves the muscles of the palate, with the help of breastfeeding, helps in the development of the baby’s speech and the formation of a correct bite. Speech defects in such children are rare, and most of them are easily corrected.
5. The psychological attachment of a child to his mother, secured by long-term breastfeeding, remains for life. Children have high resistance to stress when adapting to adult life; they more easily integrate into the children's team.
6. Girls subconsciously develop a reflex to breastfeeding, which is triggered when they themselves become mothers.
7. During adolescence, such children are less likely to suffer from obesity.
8. Long-term breastfeeding creates conditions for normal maturation of the baby’s digestive tract, reducing the risk of further development of gastritis and ulcers.
9. Many women are afraid that prolonged breastfeeding spoils the shape of their breasts. In fact, such changes occur regardless of this factor. They are associated with age-related hormonal changes in the body. And prolonged breastfeeding promotes the resorption of benign formations (mastopathy, cysts, etc.). The reason for this is the partial renewal of breast tissue. The fat deposits accumulated during pregnancy gradually disappear during the first year of feeding, as a result of which the mother’s body returns to normal.

How to properly raise a child from zero to 3 years old so that the child develops character? Let's answer this question.

Negative effects of long-term breastfeeding

There are much fewer disadvantages of long-term breastfeeding than advantages; most of them are subjective and associated with the prejudices of the young mother and her environment.

The objective factors are:

1. Reproductive function during breastfeeding is not completely restored even when menstruation begins. But there are many cases where pregnancy occurs during breastfeeding. His presence disorients the young mother, she does not use proper contraception and may soon become pregnant. Therefore, during breastfeeding, appropriate safety measures are required if pregnancy is not desired at this moment.
2. With late breastfeeding, the child compensates for the deficiency of special nutrients by taking them from the mother. This is not nutrition as such, but, as Dr. Komarovsky puts it, a type of communication that simultaneously ensures the building of immunity and strengthening the closeness of mother and child. And the remaining nutrients for the exhausted female body are often not enough. This is expressed in hair loss and damage to teeth (especially if the mother is malnourished).
3. The baby develops a conditioned sucking reflex. Sometimes this turns into a bad habit, and mothers have to show ingenuity in order to wean an older child with an almost full set of teeth from “begging” for the breast (sometimes in the wrong place).

Knowing the pros and cons of long-term breastfeeding, it is easier to make a decision on the specific timing of breastfeeding. But this information is not enough.

It is important to know when mother and baby are ready to stop lactation so that it is painless.

Involutions of lactation

The period when both mother and baby are ready to stop breastfeeding most often coincides with the involution of lactation, i.e., a noticeable cessation of milk production.

This usually happens at the age of one and a half to two years. The exception is a new pregnancy, then involution appears in the middle.

This stage of lactation does not occur when the baby is weaned (then this may not happen), but in the presence of certain physiological signs.

Signs of involution:

1. Increased sucking activity of the child. Not being satisfied with the decreased amount of milk, the baby tends to latch on to the breast more often.
2. Deterioration of the mother's condition after feedings. If previously breastfeeding did not bring any inconvenience and was painless, now the baby is literally sucking all the strength out of the mother. She feels chest pain, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, and irritability. This condition is similar to the initial period of pregnancy.
3. The onset of lactation involution can be confirmed by experiment. To do this, you need to entrust the care of the baby to relatives for a day and observe your feelings during this period. If the milk does not arrive, the chest pain does not intensify, you can interrupt lactation. When the breast becomes full after a twelve-hour break in feeding, it is better to wait until weaning the baby from it.

Periods when stopping breastfeeding is not advisable

In addition to the previously discussed points, you should know that weaning is not advisable during the following periods when the baby’s health may suffer from it:

1. In early spring, you should not weaken your baby’s immunity due to the high risk of influenza and ARVI.
2. In the summer heat, there is a high probability of intestinal infections.
3. When teething - due to the restlessness and anxiety experienced by the child, the mother's breast at this time is often the only effective sedative that helps him sleep.
4. Immediately after illness, before or after immunization.
5. During stressful situations associated with changes in the child’s life (moving, the mother going to work, the child entering kindergarten).

In addition to the mother’s readiness to stop breastfeeding, it is good to take into account the “wishes” of the child. This process should be painless and gradual for him.

You need to find a special approach to the child, distract him in time, perhaps even explain in an accessible language (without implausible stories and lies) why he is being deprived of his usual sedative.

There is no consensus on the optimal duration of breastfeeding. WHO warns against the danger of ending it before six months and strongly recommends continuing feeding until two years.

Many pediatricians and gynecologists believe that a child’s first birthday is a sufficient reason for him to begin parting with breastfeeding. The International Dairy League and breastfeeding experts advise continuing it as long as possible, without limiting it to two years.

To be fair, there is no medical evidence of the benefits of breastfeeding after 2-3 years of age.

The American Association of Pediatrics believes that up to six months, newborns should be fed only milk, up to a year, combine breastfeeding with age-appropriate complementary foods, and after a year, feed at the request of mother and child.

The famous pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky summarizes the opinions of experts this way:

• If breast milk is enough for the baby and he gains weight normally, then until 6 months he does not need complementary foods in the form of crackers or dry foods, he does not need water and juices are harmful.
• At six months, you need to introduce complementary foods in order to feed the child from the common table by the age of one year.
• In countries with low hygiene levels and a high risk of intestinal infections, breastfeeding should be continued for as long as possible.
• In developed countries, whether or not to feed a child older than one year is a matter for each individual family.

Breastfeeding is an important period for every newborn in many ways. Among specialists in various fields related to the health of mother and child, there is only a consensus on its exceptional usefulness for a child up to six months.

Otherwise, and especially regarding the timing of stopping breastfeeding, their opinions are divided. Having studied all aspects of this issue, including the information offered, and weighed this knowledge against the child’s own capabilities and needs, in each specific case the decision is made individually.

Video on the topic

There is no consensus on the duration of breastfeeding. Some people believe that breastfeeding after a year is inadvisable, others breastfeed until the end of paid maternity leave, and supporters of radical views believe that a baby can receive mother’s milk for as long as he wants. The general opinion is that a child in the first six months of life should receive only breast milk, which contains all the necessary nutrients and water. From six months, breast milk remains beneficial for the baby, but can no longer fully provide all the nutritional needs of the baby, and therefore, from this age, along with mother’s milk, so-called “complementary foods” are introduced into the baby’s diet. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF pay great attention to the continuation of breastfeeding in children over one year old, recommending maintaining this process for up to two years or more. A second year child eats a very varied diet. His diet is almost the same as that of an adult. A mother can breastfeed her baby once or twice a day, most often at night. But this feeding is very important, since at the end of the first and in the second year of life, intensive growth, physical and mental development of the child continues. Therefore, breastfeeding should be done for as long as possible to help the baby develop correctly and harmoniously. Breast milk has a unique property: at each stage of the baby’s development, milk contains exactly those biological substances (hormones, growth factors, etc.) that are not found in any other baby food and that will ensure its proper development at the moment. For example, the milk produced by a woman who has given birth to a premature baby, during the first two weeks of breastfeeding (lactation), is close in composition to colostrum (breast milk “concentrate”), which helps the baby catch up with developmental delays. Or in the last stages of lactation (its second year), milk in terms of the content of specific protective proteins of the immune system - immunoglobulins - resembles colostrum, which prevents the development of infectious diseases in the child.

Benefits of long-term breastfeeding

Nutritional value

Scientific research proves that in the second year of life (and even after two or more years) milk remains a valuable source of proteins, fats, enzymes that break down proteins and fats in the intestines; hormones, vitamins and microelements that are quickly and easily absorbed. The content of vitamins and microelements in human milk may vary depending on the mother’s diet, but with a balanced diet it always meets the child’s needs. For example, when breastfeeding in the second year of life, the baby is protected from a deficiency of vitamin A, which is necessary for the normal formation and functioning of eyes, skin, hair, as well as vitamin K, which prevents bleeding. In addition, human milk contains an optimal amount of iron, which is very well absorbed in the baby’s intestines and prevents the development of iron deficiency anemia. Scientists have calculated that if a one-year-old child receives 500 ml of breast milk per day, then his daily energy needs are met by a third, protein by 40%, and vitamin C almost completely.

Protection against diseases

It is interesting to note that every pathogen that infects the mother stimulates the production of immunoglobulins present in the milk and received by the child. The concentration of these substances in milk increases with the age of the baby and with a reduction in the number of feedings, which allows older children to receive strong immune support. Immunoglobulins coat the intestinal mucosa like "white paint", making it inaccessible to pathogens, and provide unique protection against infections and allergies. In addition, proteins in human milk stimulate the development of the baby's own immune system. Also, human milk contains substances that stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) in the intestines, which prevent the colonization of it by pathogenic bacteria. Other milk proteins are also important. For example, the iron-binding protein lactoferrin can prevent the growth of a number of iron-binding bacteria.

Reducing the risk of allergic diseases

WHO studies have shown that long-term natural feeding (over 6-12 months) in combination with a hypoallergenic diet for a nursing mother significantly reduces the incidence of food allergies in children. The formation of the bite, facial structure, and speech development in children are also determined by the duration of natural feeding. This is due to the active participation of the muscles of the soft palate in the process of obtaining milk from the breast. Children who are breastfed for a long time are better able to reproduce the tones and frequencies of sounds. Speech disorders are less common in them and, mainly, these are physiological replacements of the sounds “w”, “zh”, “l” with more “simple” sounds, which can be easily corrected.

Benefits of children's physical development

Breastfeeding ensures an optimal ratio of fat and muscle tissue in the child's body and an optimal ratio of body length and weight. The physical development of a child corresponds to his biological age, does not advance or lag behind. This was determined by the timing of the formation of various skeletal bones. The emotional aspect of long-term natural feeding plays an important role. The special connection, the psychological attachment that is established between mother and child during feeding, remains for life. The neuropsychic development of such children may be advanced; they adapt better in adulthood. It is the process of breastfeeding that helps in the formation of the soul and personality that is inherent only to humans, self-awareness and knowledge of the world around us. Mothers who breastfeed for a long time show more care for their children, have a more positive attitude towards them, and maintain a feeling of love, which is especially important during the critical age periods of children after one year. No matter how stressed the mother is when she sits down to feed her baby, by the end of feeding both of them relax, and both of them noticeably improve their mood. In addition, women who breastfeed are much less likely to develop malignant neoplasms of the mammary glands and ovarian cancer. The protective role of breastfeeding has been established regarding the incidence of diabetes mellitus and obesity in children and adults. However, the reduction in the risk of diabetes depends on the duration of breastfeeding. The direct mechanism of this effect is associated with the fact that the energy substances of human breast milk, especially proteins and carbohydrates, are optimal in their structure for the child, are easily absorbed by him, without requiring an increase in the level of substances (including insulin) that break down the elements of milk into their component parts . Therefore, the regulation of the hunger and satiety centers in the brain does not change. And failures of such regulation lead to metabolic disorders and the development of endocrine diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Attention: during the entire period of breastfeeding, psychological support from loved ones (husband, parents) is important for a woman in her desire to breastfeed for as long as possible. After all, mothers often stop feeding their children only because of the misunderstanding of others. Don't listen to those who suggest stopping feeding for a year. Continue breastfeeding until age two or beyond. After a year or a year and a half, human milk does not become “empty”; at any stage of breastfeeding, it is the most valuable and healthy product for the baby, which helps him grow healthy, smart and cheerful.

When not to stop breastfeeding

For any disease, the child’s illness, including during diarrhea, since breast milk allows the baby to gain additional protective factors that help cope with the disease. It has been noticed that children who receive breast milk in the second and third years of life recover faster during illness. In summer time, since in summer, due to high temperatures, food spoils faster and the risk of developing intestinal infections is higher. But even if such a disease occurs, then complementary feeding products will have to be temporarily stopped and only mother’s milk will be consumed, which will be not only nutrition, but also a valuable natural medicine. In addition, stopping breastfeeding is always stressful for the body, including the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In summer, the activity of enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract changes due to the predominance of vegetables and fruits in the diet, rather than meat and dairy products, and the high air temperature does not encourage higher-calorie foods. Thus, the abolition of breastfeeding and a complete transition to adult food creates additional conditions for indigestion. Do not stop breastfeeding immediately before important, significant events in your life and in the life of your baby, since these events are, for example, a change of residence, travel, a mother going to work or study, the child starting to attend a nursery, etc. are a stress factor for a small organism. In general, continue breastfeeding for as long as your maternal intuition tells you. Depending on the baby’s health condition and your inner feelings, she will be the one who will help you make the right decision.