Breastfeeding After 1
When having the conversation about extended breastfeeding, the best thing we can do is offer support to all parent’s feeding journey. Whether you’re choosing to wean or choosing to continue breastfeeding past 1, you should be supported. When weaning, some women need to be done breastfeeding due to a myriad of circumstances outside of their control, while others may be ready to be done because they made it to their goal of baby’s first birthday, which is such an exciting milestone! It’s okay to be done for you too! Breastfeeding is a symbiotic relationship, it has to work for everyone! If you’re choosing to continue to breastfeed after your baby turns one, you also deserve to feel supported in your journey. Sometimes people can be quick to question and criticize mothers who choose to breastfeed past one or even longer, and when we’re being questioned and challenged, it can make it hard for us to be confident in our parenting choices. Parenting is easier when you’re informed, educated, and supported. Support is so important to parents!
THE BENEFITS OF extended breastfeeding
It can seem that the narrative presented to parents is that there is no benefit of breastfeeding past one year old. As if some switch is flipped and your breast milk is no longer beneficial for your baby. What's confusing is parents are just told to switch over to whole milk at one, which makes us feel like whole milk has something our breast milk doesn't and that baby will be missing out on something if we don't make the switch (which couldn’t be further from the truth!). Also, many parents are not given direction or information about what continuing past one looks like.
Did you know that your breastmilk still provides your baby ALL the same goodness it did before they turned one? Yes, I’m talking about proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, antibodies, carbohydrates and so much more! Furthermore, milk composition changes as the baby grows- for older babies and toddlers there will be less volume, but more fat to meet baby’s increased energy demands. These changes occur to meet their caloric needs- older babies and toddlers are more mobile and energetic, your body adjusts your breast milk to meet their needs. Pretty cool, right?! Your breast milk is enough for your baby!
Whole milk is also a good source of protein, fat, carbohydrates, etc, which is why it’s a great transition for women who are ready to wean! The reason whole milk is so heavily pushed is because it is a good “all in one” source for these things if you choose to cease breastfeeding. However, it is not the only option if you’d like to continue breastfeeding, and it’s not a “must”!
Also by one, your baby is likely exploring foods and getting some nutrients from that! The nutrients your baby gets from food can be enough in their diet without whole milk, if that’s what you choose. Iron and Vitamin C are found in cow’s milk, but there are plenty of foods rich in both nutrients. An important change that occurred recently was the AAP recommending continued breastfeeding, with an inclusion of nutrient dense food, until 2 years old as long as baby and mother are both mutually wanting to continue. My hope is that anyone who wants to practice extended breastfeeding is met with encouragement. You should feel supported in your journey no matter what you choose!
HOW TO switch things up
Breastfeeding after one looks different from person to person- some people do just breastmilk, some a combo of breast milk and whole milk, and others switch completely to whole milk or nut milk. This can look however you want, and however is working for both you and your baby! You can nurse in the morning and bedtime, and do cow's milk the rest of the day. Or maybe you choose to serve half breast milk and half whole milk to baby in a cup during the day and nurse at night. There’s no “rules” or limits and it’ll look different for each mother/baby. There is no one right answer on how your journey should look past 1.
If you’re looking to start the transition of weaning, I dive into this in my weaning blog (I also talk about the effects of weaning on mom, here). As baby turns one, weaning can look a little different than if they were younger (as we would still need to replace any dropped feeds with breastmilk/formula). Weaning and transitioning to whole milk can take some time. Baby’s taste preferences, nursing preferences, solids intake and temperament can all play a large role in the breastmilk to whole milk transition. Sometimes, this transition may require us offering different rations of breastmilk to whole milk, etc. Again, this looks different for everyone- there are so many variables! Once baby starts nursing less, you will likely see a dip in your supply. Less stimulation will lead to less production of milk.
When baby is taking in less breastmilk, it’s important to supplement those calories with food and/or whole milk. The recommended amount of milk for a one year old is 16-24 ounces. Some babies will take all 24 ounces gladly, while others tend to take the lower end of the spectrum. One thing to be aware of is that too much whole milk can affect iron absorption, while on the flip side too much breastmilk can make baby not want solid food. That’s just to say it’s important for baby to get a good balance of both food and milk at this age.
At one, when Teddy was home with me, he was nursing 4-6 times a day through the day and then about 1-2x through the night. When he was away from me at daycare, we’d do a morning session, evening session, and bedtime session and I pumped two times during the day. Some moms choose to start using their old frozen breast milk and wonder if this is okay nutrition wise for their one year old! Yes! It’s important to remember that breastfeeding is also a source of comfort as much as nutrients for your baby, so once you start weaning, you may want to offer your baby extra snuggles. Often, when baby is going through a new milestone, something developmentally, or even sickness or teeth baby will nurse more for comfort. Following baby’s lead can be a great way to ensure a natural and seamless transition during weaning. You’re doing great mama!
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