Orgasmic Birth In Australia

The benefits of breastfeeding a baby over formula milk are abundant and undeniable; breast milk contains nutrition in the form of foremilk, the watery milk important for hydration and hind milk, the rich milk important for growth. It also has anti-bodies which prevent diseases like ear infections, diarrhea, and respiratory tract infections and also from different types of allergies and allergy related diseases such as eczema, asthma, rhinitis and food allergies.

Psychologically, after the baby has become used to the feel of the breast, it becomes dependent on it for comfort and security, associating its feel and odor with the identity of its mother. For the mother, breastfeeding also has benefits including quick weight loss, delay of ovulation and menstruation, preventing pregnancy and prevention of ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, endometrial cancer and osteoporosis. Hormones like prolactin and oxytocin are released during the skin contact between mother and baby, giving a feeling of relaxation and elevation and keeping the stress level in check. These crucial benefits of breastfeeding continue throughout infancy and toddlerhood until the baby is weaned. During toddlerhood, babies nurse more for the comfort than for milk; they enjoy being closely in touch with their mother and like to stay connected while they are busy exploring their own worlds.
In countries like the United States, breastfeeding children after the age of one is considered unorthodox, while many other cultures find it normal to naturally wean the babies, however long it might take. According to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, children should be exclusively fed on breast milk until the first 6 months after which they can be fed other nutritious food in addition to breastfeeding which should continue at least till 2 years. This is because breastfeeding provides the toddler with 31% of daily energy needs, 38% protein requirements, 45% vitamin A requirements and 95% of vitamin C requirements.
Many parents believe that breastfeeding for long, after the first year will make weaning difficult and the children overly dependent and clingy. Some mothers also force their babies to wean when they start teething in fear of getting bitten by them especially when the babies are not ready to be weaned. Teething children hardly ever bite because when the nipple is in their mouth, a kind of suction is formed with the nipple far back in the mouth making it impossible for the baby to bite. The only way to bite is if the baby is not properly latched on. Also in reality, naturally weaned children develop maturity and independence quickly; when solid food is introduced at the right time, they welcome it happily and breastfeeding becomes secondary.

With time the kids stop depending on breast milk and substitute it with other types of food. Most importantly, naturally weaned children develop confident and positive personalities, developing oral and mental capabilities sooner than forcefully weaned children. With time, weaning actually gets easier as children discover changing interest and developing ability to reason. Most of the time, mothers don’t even need to interfere in weaning because with changing interests, breastfeeding remains merely a comforting need which the child may substitute with a toy or a blanket. Some mothers also wish to wean their children sooner because of the fatigue of breastfeeding. However, due to the release of oxytocin and prolactin hormones, they can actually get ample opportunities to relax and spend quality time with their toddlers.
Weaning time should be properly discussed with the doctor or a lactation expert who can also provide guides on identifying cues in the child’s behavior which signal a readiness to wean. Some doctors may suggest weaning earlier for medical reasons in which case it is better to obtain second opinions and if absolutely necessary, transfer the baby onto pumped breast milk using manual or electric breast pumps like Medela pump in style.

In situations where criticism is faced by people about the lengthening breastfeeding period, adopt a neutral and non-aggressive attitude. Be discreet about your decision if possible, offer a nice explanation of continuing breastfeeding by highlighting the benefits and appear confident so that people cannot take advantages. Ignore people’s harsh criticism and don’t let them waver your reasons about breastfeeding your toddler and naturally weaning it because these decisions lead to the healthy mental and physical growth of your kid.

Richard Winer is an independent writer and editor of a Breastfeeding Newsletter. Find more of his articles here.