health information
Are There Any Health Benefits To Breastfeeding After 6 Months?
For the baby, I mean.
I fed our last DD for a year (she would not take a bottle), our new dd is now 4 months and I am wondering whether to continue after 6 months or not. If there are no health benifits to her then I might have a rest!
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about 7 months ago
None, but there are bad points – teeth biting, saggy boobs and a habit that gets harder to break for your baby!
about 7 months ago
It is said the best time to stop is when your baby gets it’s first tooth. But really you should do what is best for you. Your baby is 4 months now and should be taking some solids at this stage so you can cut the feeds down to a couple a day and it will still be benificial to your baby. I would recommend talking to your health visitor who will give you the best advice. But you have done really well breastfeeding this long and the antibodies you have given to your baby are invaluable.
about 7 months ago
It may not be that easy even if you do decide to stop – I had planned to give up breastfeeding by 6 months, but the littleman has decided otherwise – he’s on a bottle strike and only wants mama. Although i’d set myself the 6month target, I’m actually not too bothered now that he feeds quicker and less frequently, so i think i’ll hang onto those cuddle & feed times and enjoy it for a little longer. They grow up so quickly!
about 7 months ago
She still needs the nutrition, which you would then have to replace with formula. Why bother with something artificial when you don’t have to? I mean, if a mom can’t breastfeed for some reason, formula is a God-send, but why bother with bottles, nipples, and the sheer expense of it if you don’t really have to?
It’s like having a perfect unspoiled water well and yet paying to drink from a municipal water supply. The city water is safe, and healthy, and people drink it every day with no ill effects, but why would you if you didn’t have to?
about 7 months ago
well the baby wont get sick as much, i was on breastmilk for a long time and i rarely get sick, amazing isnt it!
about 7 months ago
it is proven benificial til at least 2. this is why the world organisation reccommend this.
i only fed our 1st for 6months and really regret it.
am really hoping to feed 2nd til at least 1.
its a personal choice, but their is deffinate health benifits for you and little one
about 7 months ago
I think all the benefits others have listed answer the question. I have a 7 month baby and cut down to only one breast feed a day-I feel this works for me as I can still have that bond, my baby is still getting some ‘perfect’ milk yet at the same time for the rest of the day my husband and others can now help out with feeding and it can give me a rest. I don’t feel guilty about this. Do what works for you.
about 7 months ago
There are definitely benefits. Although these benefits continue indefinitely. There are benefits to feeding an 8 year old. Only you can decide where is the point to draw the line.
After 6 months, you will be introducing solids so you should be reducing the number of breast feeds anyway.
about 7 months ago
There are loads for mum and baby not to mention its great for your figure
Look its really up to you but Im a great believer in extended feeding and my kids are really hacked off I did it as they never get a day off school sick – LOL
check out the kellysmom web site
about 7 months ago
The American Association of Pediatricians recommend breastfeeding for 1 year because longer term breastfeeding provides many benefits. So, yes, there is a lot of data as to the benefits. If you want specific ones, try going to the LaLecheleague.org site.
Keep in mind that the information is statistical and doesn’t specifically mean that your child won’t get sick. People misunderstand that. Children get sick no matter what you do, but the severity can often be lessened. Long term breastfeeding has lately been associated with less chance of breast cancer in both the baby and the mom.
about 7 months ago
I heard that breastfeeding actually can help to get back in to your shape faster and will definitely give a good healthy start for any baby. All that formula milk still not natural as your own milk and I am agree with less hay fever either. Plus formula feed babies are so huge and at most of the times it doesn’t mean healthy huge. Recent researches showed that weight problems had been linked with bottle feed. I’ll take my hat off for a year of the breastfeeding. Couldn’t do it for that long with any of my 3
about 7 months ago
The longer, the better, I say…and I’m sure LLL would say the same. Plus think of that bond you’ll have
Also, you don’t have to deal with all that bottle malarky. One great thing about boobs, they’re always ready to go!
I swear I can see the effect of a year’s breastfeeding on my daughter. She’s so big and healthy, grows like a weed, and hasn’t developed any signs of hay fever (I was streaming at her age – and still am). And she’s as sharp as a tack
about 7 months ago
Its a personal choice but I would recommend to continue because there are definate and proven benefits. A baby will receive benefits as long as there is milk. You’ll always be passing antibodies, nutrients, vitamins, fats, carbohydrates and many other things as long as there is milk. Human milk is best for babies. If you do want a little break try pumping milk and giving it in a bottle once in awhile. Buying a good electric pump still cost less then formula for 6 months. There area also health benefits to mom beyond 6 months. The longer you breastfeed the better protection against certain types of cancer. As well most women loose the majority of breastfeeding weight in the last six months of breastfeeding then the first. On the other hand if you don’t want to continue to breastfeed feel good about the 6 months you did contribute. Take care and hope this helped.
about 7 months ago
Oh YES, there are many many benefits to continue past 6mths. Breastfeeding is recommended for as long as baby and mommy want to continue. You might hear some say that baby has gotten all they need by a certain age (some say 3mths, some 6mths, some 1yr) but there is no cut-off. The more breastmilk the better! Your milk is always ‘made to order’ and has been shown to change as your child gets older to meet their nutritional needs exactly. How cool is that?
about 7 months ago
The benefits only end when you quit breastfeeding, no matter how longyou breastfeed, your milk is still nutritious for your baby. In fact, the immunological benefits actually increase the longer you breastfeed.
about 7 months ago
There are extraordinary benefits including:
*Still protects her from diseases by passing your immunities
*A number of studies have shown that the longer babies nurse, the higher their IQs
*Breastmilk is the most perfect, digestible food on earth for your baby. You cannot replicate the fats or proteins in formula.
*Babies who are nursed at least a year are statistically less likely to become obese and diabetic, have leukemia, chronic respiratory and ear infections, develop allergies, etc.
*The longer girl babies are breastfed the lower their risk of developing breast cancer later in life (funny, huh?)
*Babies are picky eaters. Breastmilk fills in the nutrition gap perfectly when you start introducing solids. It ensures that your baby is still getting everything she needs to grow big and healthy.
Let’s talk about the health benefits for YOU:
*The longer you nurse her the lower YOUR risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
*A form of natural birth control
The health benefits (for BOTH of you) go on as long as you keep nursing.
Considering the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at LEAST 12 months of nursing and the World Health Organization recommends at LEAST 24 months of nursing, I would say that Yes, there are a ton of benefits.