What's Right About a 6-year-old Who Breastfeeds?

Often, folks are uninformed about breastfeeding an older child. I've heard people say, "Once the child can walk and talk, I think it's time to wean!" People are generally concerned about some kind of damage a child sustains from breastfeeding "too long," but really nothing could be further from the truth. 

In our culture, breastfeeding longer than 1 year is called "extended breastfeeding"; however, I suggest that breastfeeding less than 1 year be called "abbreviated breastfeeding," and everything beyond 1 year of age just be called "breastfeeding."  

If you are concerned about breastfeeding an older child, or if you have folks breathing down your neck because you are breastfeeding an older child, I suggest you read up and forward this article to people who are simply uninformed about the continuing benefits of breastfeeding until the child naturally weans.  

An excerpt from the article:

“I would say that the benefits of long-term breast-feeding — as long as both mother and child want — are enormous. Long-term breast-feeding allows for normal development of the child’s brain, facial structure, immune system, and emotional resilience to life’s slings and arrows. As far as I know, there are no ‘costs’ to the child. If the mother doesn’t want to continue breast-feeding, then of course, she shouldn’t feel obliged to — regardless of the age of the child. But people should be informed that nursing a 6-or 7-year-old is a perfectly normal and natural and healthy thing to be doing for the child, and that their fears of emotional harm are baseless.”

Read the entire article here:  What's Right About a 6-year-old Who Breastfeeds?