Is it okay to breastfeed until to years and beyond?

[jopoys]

I have been breasfeeding my first baby until 2 years and 8 months, but when I found out I was pregnant with my second child I stopped from breastfeeding. My question is is it ok to breastfeed until 2 years and beyond because I am planning to do that practice again on my second child.

[ljmarsden]

Hi jopoys,

Yes it's recommended by the World Health Organisation to breastfeed to two years old and beyond. That's wonderful that you breastfed your first child for so long as there are great health advantages to doing this - such as increased immunity to childhood illnesses and a decreased chance of the child developing obesity. There are also emotional and social development advantages. You have given your first child a wonderful start in life and it's great to plan the same with your second.

It is also safe to breastfeed during pregnancy, although some women do find that their milk supply decreases during this time.

With best wishes,

LJ

[5Homebirths4Kate]

Hi jopoys,

LJ gave you some great advice, and she's actually a mum who breastfed her toddler through the pregnancy of her 2nd child (she just gave birth to baby #2 not too long ago). I did not breastfeed any of my babies through a pregnancy with another child for various reasons, but I know of plenty of mums who have.

I did, however, breastfeed 4 of my children past the age of two. One was breastfed until he was 3, and the others stopped around 2 1/2. They all self-weaned.

Here's a wonderful article on the pleasures of extended breastfeeding. You'll also be encouraged to know that studies have shown that the longer you breastfeed, the less likely you are to get breast cancer.

My mother died of breast cancer when she was only 48, and she did not breastfeed very long. She breastfed me to the age of 13 months, and I don't know how long she breastfed my sister, but I don't think it was much more than this. There are other things that contribute to developing cancer, but because breastfeeding is one that could lower my risk, I chose to breastfeed as long as my children were willing.

One of the best things that can help to establish a successful breastfeeding relationship is to be sure you are putting baby to the breast often, from the moment baby is born, and that baby has a good latch.

Please post back with any questions or comments you may have.

Warm Regards,

Kate

[mom2many]

Yes! Encouraged even, for all the reasons cited by Kate and LJ =D

[jopoys]

I am so glad you did respond to my post, i'm sorry kate I wasn't able to respond for so long. I have been very busy. Anyways I am happy to know that it may lessen the risk of breast cancer. Somehow I feel like there's a stony thing on my left breast i think there were 3 i feel them sometimes. But I did not have them checked yet.

[5Homebirths4Kate]

Hello jopoys,

What you may be feeling on your breast could be a cyst. Cysts are very common and most often are not malignant (cancerous).

I have dense, fibrocystic breasts, so I have a lot of cysts in my breasts, but they are not malignant. I had one surgically removed when I was in my 20's, and after the doctor removed it he said he was 95% sure it was not malignant before he went in and cut it out (wish he had shared that BEFORE surgery).

A couple of years later, I got another cyst in a breast, but I had learned that caffeine can cause cysts. So when I went to the doctor and he told me I had another cyst, I asked if I could try going off of caffeine for 3 months to see if it made a difference. He agreed.

3 months later, I was back in his office for another check, and the cyst was gone. Going off of caffeine really helped.

Then a few years later another cyst developed. Went to a different doctor this time and he tried to aspirate it by putting a needle into the cyst and trying to draw fluid out. He could not draw any fluid out. I didn't like that doctor, so I never went back... and the cyst disappeared as I cleaned up my diet.

I have since learned that there are things you can do naturally, to reduce the size of cysts and keep them from developing.

The first thing I would encourage you to do would be to go off of all caffeine and sugar. Then add in at least one raw vegetable salad every day (2 is preferable). This will help you get the micronutrients and enzymes your body needs to be healthy (cooking destroys enzymes and reduces nutrients in food).

One really easy way to be sure you're getting more greens in your diet is to make at least one green smoothie each day. You can use fresh or frozen fruit and add spinach, kale, swiss chard, romaine lettuce or any other deep green leafy greens that you like. I just use one kind at a time (I don't mix them, but you could).

And another thing that's great for breast cysts is using warm castor oil on them. Breasts with cysts can predispose a person to higher chances of getting cancer. My mother was 48 when she died of Breast Cancer. I am 49 years old and no signs of breast cancer.

Here is an excellent video that explains about breast cysts and the benefits of castor oil.



Be sure that when you apply the castor oil to your breasts, that you also apply it under your arm because that's where the lymph nodes are that the breast tissues drain into. Really important that the lymph system is working well.

Please post back with any questions you may have. It's okay to use castor oil on the breasts while pregnant and breastfeeding. In fact, applying a castor oil pack to plugged milk ducts is beneficial in relieving them and helping them to drain. I would make sure not to put the castor oil near the nipple so baby doesn't ingest it. If you happen to get some on the areola or nipple area just wipe it off before breastfeeding.

If you try the castor oil on the breast, please post back after 10 days to let me know if you see it making any difference in your breasts (as the doctor in the video mentioned).

Hope this helps.

Warm Regards,

Kate