Prolonged breastfeeding: psychology, problems and benefits

Until when should I breastfeed ? The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and solid foods during the weaning period, which can last up to two years. This is due to the simple fact that there is nothing more nutritious and healthy than breast milk . Some anthropological studies have found that if a child has breast milk available without weaning, it abandons the mother's breasts by the age of three.

Obviously, each case is different - there are children who give up breastfeeding until the first year after birth, others later - in their fourth year, and less often - in the fifth year. It is normal with the final construction of the central nervous system for the child to give up the mother's breast - this process ends at about three years.

Some practical tips

Breastfeeding for a long time after the birth of a child is difficult in practice. Every woman hopes that after giving birth she will best fulfill her role as a mother, striving to breastfeed for as long as possible, but then she faces the classic problems: breasts begin to become inflamed and injured, mastitis, which makes the task almost impossible. milk begins to decrease due to fatigue or stress…

What to do?

1. Offer milk to your baby whenever he asks for it, and watch him carefully to see the first signs of hunger without waiting for him to cry. And most of all, forget about the watch. To prevent cracking and injury to the nipples , find the right position for your baby , the nipple should be well centered in his mouth so that it covers the areola - if he twists only the nipple , it can provoke pain , wounds and bleeding .
2. To avoid unpleasant consequences, try to soften your nipples with hot compresses or express some milk before sucking the baby .
3. You can use a breastfeeding pillow to help your baby take the right position .

The new mother needs useful and clear advice:

• Can't a mother who takes medication breastfeed? It depends on the cases. There are very few drugs that are not compatible with breastfeeding. If a drug that was used during pregnancy can also be used during breastfeeding - the amount contained in milk will certainly be lower than that absorbed by the uterus. It is also important, for example, to use the medicine briefly or for a long time, the age and weight of the child, the dosage and the route of administration.
• If the mother has an infection ? Here, too, depends on many factors: the severity of the disease, whether in the acute phase or carrier, whether it can be transmitted through breast milk, age and health of the child . You should know that breast milk can be a cause of infection , but also a major source of antibodies, especially for diseases to which the mother has been exposed. It should not be forgotten that due to its constant contact with the child, the mother can cause infection not only through breastfeeding, but also in other ways. It is important to know that through artificial milk the child will not get immune protection, useful for fighting bacteria.
• Anatomical problems: if the nipple is concave, you can use the breast pump before feeding. Even a small or plastic breast is not a problem for breastfeeding .
• Stress due to social life: we do not live in a world that can be defined as a world tailored to the child, much less to the mother. Especially when it comes to a working woman. She has to cope by not neglecting either of her two roles and living with her guilt as a mother who is perceived as a problem by employers and colleagues. He must juggle between his official duties and his commitments to the proper growth of the child .

Pros and cons: potential problems and benefits of breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is good for the baby and after the first year of birth it has excellent nutritional qualities. Breast milk reduces episodes of diarrhea and removes the risk of respiratory infections and other inflammations, provides protection against sepsis, meningitis and other infections. Reduces the risk of certain intestinal diseases and allergies, obesity and dental anomalies. Improves vision.

It also has a positive effect on the mother's health: breastfeeding eliminates the risk of osteoporosis because it improves bone calcification, promotes good body shape, reduces the risk of breast cancer. When the baby is born , the effect of estrogen disappears and the natural fall and regeneration of hair becomes faster.

The disadvantage of prolonged breastfeeding is that there is a risk of caries in the child. This risk is not due to breastfeeding, but to breastfeeding. It reduces the amount of saliva in the mouth that is needed to fight bacteria.

Prolonged breastfeeding can affect fertility. This is due to the hormone that milk produces. It prevents the onset of menstruation , which is not always accompanied by a lack of ovulation . Therefore, it is not recommended to trust breastfeeding as the only method of contraception if you do not want a new pregnancy.

It happens that the child wakes up to breastfeed at night . To prevent stress and fatigue, you can let him sleep with you, especially when waking up is frequent. If you notice that waking up is not due to hunger, but becomes a habit, it will be desirable to eliminate it gradually. Reduce nighttime breastfeeding to a single dose and then eliminate it completely. This way your child will learn to be enough, and you will be able to rest.

When you decide to stop breastfeeding , eliminate one breastfeeding every two to three days. Eliminate morning breastfeeding last.

Change the habit by distracting him with games and books, give him something to eat or drink, go out as often as possible. Every mother-child couple is different, so do not listen to the advice of relatives and friends.

Listen first to yourself and your child: You are the only one who knows what is best for you and your child.