4 Beneftis of breasfeeding your baby beyond 12 months
Date Posted:9 January 2018
4 benefits of breastfeeding your baby beyond 12 months
Here at The Healthy Mummy we support healthy breastfeeding, and know that each mum has their own breastfeeding journey.
Whether you decide to breastfeed your baby for 2 weeks, 2 months or even 2 years – that’s up to you, your body and perhaps your healthcare practitioner.
With that said, we have seen questions raised by new mums in our Facebook Support Groups about the potential benefits of breastfeeding your baby for 12 months and longer. So, we took on this task to discover some of the perks of breastfeeding your bub right up until their first birthday and beyond.
Mothers who breastfeed for longer have a lower risk of health concerns such as breast and ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and anemia. Breastfeeding is also burns between 500-1000 calories a day, so can aid in postpartum weight loss.
We also reached out to our Healthy Mummy midwife for her expert knowledge.
1.Protects against infection
At one year of age, a baby’s immune system is functioning at only 60 percent of adult level and because breastmilk is full of live antibodies it will assists in reducing illness. Studies have shown that breastfed infants from 1-3 years old have fewer illnesses which are shorter in duration.
2.Emotional benefits
Breastfeeding is more than nutrition. Breastfeeding can provide comfort and pain relief to a child. Some may think that breastfeeding past a certain age will make a child overly dependant, but infact studies have shown that breastfed toddlers have a secure attachment to their mother which allows them to be confident to explore their surroundings and form attachments with others.
3.Mothers benefit
The length of time a mother breastfeeds for correlates with a reduction in risk of health concerns. Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of longer a mother breastfeeds for increases the protective factors. Mothers who breastfeed for longer have a lower risk of health concerns such as breast and ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and anemia. Breastfeeding is also burns between 500-1000 calories a day, so can aid in postpartum weight loss.
One of the fabulous benefits of the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges and smoothies is that unlike many products, they are completely suitable for breastfeeding mothers.
4.Breastmilk longevity
Breast milk does not loose its nutritional value at a certain age. It is a living substance that changes with the needs of the child. It provides a perfect balance of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals that can complement solid foods.
A days worth of breastmilk for a 15 month provides approximately:
· 29% of energy requirements
· 43% of protein requirements
· 36% of calcium requirements
· 75% of vitamin A requirements
· 76% of folate requirements
· 94% of vitamin B12 requirements
· 60% of vitamin C requirements
Reference: Healthymummy (n.d.). "4 Benefits of Breastfeeding your Baby Beyond 12 Months". Retrieved from https://www.healthymummy.com/benefits-breastfeeding-beyond-12-months/
