[Keely-FutureRN]

I had a question to ask any OB GYN nurse. In another post it says that mothers can nurse their kids up into elementary age. How long do mothers usually nurse their kids? I think going into elementary school is a little old. Do they do this for nutritonal reasons? I took a course for neonatal care and they said that your supposed to give kids whole milk until age seven. Do mom's do this so they can just keep their kids healthier? I didn't think breastfeeding for that long was possible. If I have a kid, I'll probably just give it whole milk. What do you think?

Keely

[Keely-FutureRN]

BTW, how does everyone get all the cool smilies?

Keely

[mark_LD_RN]

most breast feeding moms o know breast feed for 12 to 18 months but have know a few do it up to 8 yrs old,at that stage it is mostly for comfort not nourishment. some say that once they get old enough to walk up and get the breast out their self that is enough

[Anagray]

If it is of any interest to you, Keely, I come from a b-feeding country (or at least it was this way 30 years ago).
When I was a baby, there was no babyfood/formula for babies under 4 months in Moscow so I
, like many other kids, had a milk "brother". My mother pumped and fed another little boy, a total stranger. This continued until he was about 4-5 months old. He then was switched to table food and cow milk and grew up very healthy. When i was weaned or stopped bfeeding, I'm not exactly sure, but i know for a fact, that we do not have 7 year olds drinking breast milk.

I think the latests a child is b-fed over there is when he or she starts having interest in private body parts, which is around 3 or 4. The average age of bf in russia
was 15 months. I think bmilk is very important, but some kids are ready for table food very early on - I could eat a whole apple for a snack at 4 months of age - i was one fat kid! Over there most people introduce cow-milk products at 3-4 months, kefir and yogurt are very popular starter baby food.
I don't care how advanced we are, we are still a part of animal kingdom and every animal gradually weans their offspring when the kids start eating other foods. If this was damaging to the offspring, it probably would not be done.
I'm against early weaning, but imo 4 - 5 year old does not need breastmilk to function.

[hoolahan]

I have edited this thread in an attempt to remove the sarcasm, and salvage the topic for professional interaction.

See the Sticky post at the top of this forum.

[KC CHICK]

When the child can unbutton your blouse by himself, he's too old to breastfeed.

[NICU_Nurse]

As an NICU nurse, I have to add here that you should not give a baby cow's milk until it is at least a year old (per the AAP) because it can increase the risk of developing an allergic reaction, it can increase the risk of developing an iron-defecient anemia, and the high sodium content can antagonize already-existing dehydration secondary to diarrhea/vomiting/etc. :>)

[SmilingBluEyes]

I was not being sarcastic This WAS addressed in the thread I posted. But whatever.....

[THE_L&d_NURSE]

Looks like this thread is dead,done beat a dead horse again.

well keely most mothers seem to nurse any where from 9 to 18 months know lots of them that did it for 18 to 24 months. and have heard of the doing it until they were 7-8 yrs old. i guess it is your personal preference but my opinion is that once they can ask for it or grt it out for them self its time to stop. I thing by that time it is not for nutritional value just comfort. i think they could find more appropriate ways to comfort them.JMHO

[Lausana]

I would think very extended bf would fall under peds not ob