Re: Breastfeeding older kids

October 26, 2006

Just to chime in on the subject, It is probably more common than known

because older kids who nurse do so mainly in private. I believe in

child led weaning and my son weaned at about 2 1/2 which is the

average age if you let the child decide. SOme go longer. My nephew

is three and a half and no sign of quitting yet. At any rate there is

no real way to prove whether extended breastfeeding is really helpful

because health and intelligence are determined by so many factors.

I think there needs to be openmindedness from both sides of this

issue. Most often the kneejerk reaction to nursing an older child is

one of disgust, and very often this is anytime after the age of one.

on the other hand, not everyone is comfortable nursing themselves, and

sometimes people who nurse longer are judgemental of those who dont.

We moms have enough guilt anyway and should not feel guilty about

nursing, not nursing, for however long we want.

Elaine

> Well, you should not find it offensive but you have to admit it is

rare. There are not many kids of that age still nursing in the US. I

know there is a large group that believes it is normal and healthy but

it is not the majority and I have never met anyone that believed in

it. I myself would find it very uncomfortable to be nursing a big

kid. I agree that it is healthy but there are many other alternatives

as well. Has there been a study to show children who have nursed to

the age of 5 or beyond are healthier or smarter than those who have

not? I just don't understand the need to continue for so long and

what age do you finally say it is time to stop?

> Newbie needs help (of course!)

>

> I am SOOOOO relieved to have found this group. I have spent the entire

> day reading the files, going through past posts, etc etc.

>

> Let me give a brief info of my family's issues. On my mother's side we

> have major problems with food sensitivities, fibromyalgia, chronic

> fatigue, autoimmune thyroid disease, yeast, and copper overload. I

> have signs of these as does my sister, my mom, and my grandmother.

> Both of my children show signs of food sensitivities as well,

> particularly my son who has never had a firm stool a day in his life

> and has some minor behavorial issues like aggression and self-injury;

> he is 4 years old. My daughter, who is almost 6, seems mostly clear

> from all of this except her stools are somewhat soft (but not anything

> as bad as my son's) and occasionally eating certain things like a lot

> of fruit or dairy will make her throw up (has happened a hand full of

> times). My son's stools are so bad that I have to pack extra clothes

> when we go out because often when he poops it will go right past the

> diaper and will end up all over him, it is that loose. The one time we

> tried reintroducing rice, we found it undigested in his diaper along

> with an increase in angry and frustrated behavior. On top of this, I

> suspect that he has yeast issues already as well.

>

October 26, 2006

I'm wondering if anyone who has nursed an older child, saw any regressions

after weaning. I'm particularly interested in hearing about weaning an

older child, one who is 4 or 5. Weaning is happening for us soon and I'm

concerned how this may effect my son. Feel free to email off list.

Thank you!

Beth

October 27, 2006

My daughter weaned at 2-1/2, my first son at 2, and my second son at

13 months. All weaned when I was pregnant with the next one, but even

before I was pregnant, I felt that there was very little milk

available to the two older ones after a certain age. (My daughter

weaned the day she told me, " The left one is empty, and the right one

tastes bad. Some day, she'll hate that story!)

We had no regressions, but we're probably not the most relevant

example, as my son is dyspraxic not autistic. However, my feeling is

that you have almost no milk when they are nursing at that age

compared to when they were babies, so weaning should not have a

dramatic effect on them. It's mostly for comfort, so they may need an

alternate transition object to get them through on that score.

Good luck -- for some moms, the weaning is harder on them than the

little guys. I was ready to wean all three times, but I did miss that

cuddle time.

in NJ

P.S. I know lots of moms here who nurse way past one year, and like

another person noted, most nurse only at home at certain times (nap,

bedtime, comfort, etc.) They do this not because it is unacceptable

to do so in public, but because the need to nurse constantly just

isn't there in most older kids.

>

> I'm wondering if anyone who has nursed an older child, saw any

regressions

> after weaning. I'm particularly interested in hearing about weaning

an

> older child, one who is 4 or 5. Weaning is happening for us soon

and I'm

> concerned how this may effect my son. Feel free to email off list.

>

> Thank you!

> Beth

>

October 27, 2006

To try and re-set my son's immune system, I nursed him from age 6 to age 7 1/2

after my daughter was born. No, I did not nurse him at my breast. I simply

pumped the milk into a bottle, and poured the milk into a cup for him to drink.

It worked too. His IgA is still non-existent, but several viruses that had been

lurking and doing untold damage to his body for years were finally put in check.

Took labs to determine this, what we initially saw, and still see is a raise in

his normal body temperature from 95.6 - 96.4, to now 98.1- 98.7. His

temperature has dropped into the 97's at the beginning of an illness several

times since I stopped nursing him, and as he fights the infection (sometimes

quicker than his sister and I) his regular body temp. goes right back to normal.

Good luck to everyone, I saw a bit of a raise in regular body temp. for him as

Dr. Megson began her protocol, but never beyond the 97's. And yes breastmilk is

beneficial, call it liquid Gold if you will. Only need to look as far as the

store and online to find colostrum for sale. We couldn't buy it due to his IgA

deficiency and potential for anaphylactic shock due to the IgA in colostrum and

other's breastmilk.

Newbie needs help (of course!)