In the first of two articles, Lisa Cavadias looks at what is meant by extended breastfeeding, a subject close to her heart

Different people use extended breast feeding to mean different things – some people may think of it as breast feeding beyond 3 months, some as breast feeding after solids have been introduced, or breast feeding beyond 9 months to breast feeding a toddler, but they all mean breast feeding past Western society’s 'normal' expectations.

There are some strange ideas about breastfeeding, but one of the strangest is that babies should only be breastfed until they start solids or are a certain age.

It is strange to think that the living fluid that at one point provided all of your baby's food and drink, as well as all sorts of other benefits, is thought by some people to have ‘no nutritional value’ after 6, 9 or 12 months, when in fact breast milk contains valuable vitamins, calcium and antibodies for as long as it is produced.

A mother’s breast is a wonderful and sophisticated milk ‘factory’, which changes the make up of the milk as baby gets older. Breast milk actually contains more of some antibodies when baby is a year old than it did at birth – so that when baby becomes a toddler, and is putting hands everywhere and meeting all sorts of new people (and germs), their still developing immune system gets the best possible support.

Breast feeding is not just about providing children with food and antibodies though. Have you ever wondered why some people call breast feeding ‘nursing’? Many people use the term nursing to reflect the amount of care and emotional support that a mother provides to her child while also meeting their nutritional needs. Many ‘extended breast feeders’ say that after about a year breastfeeding stops becoming a food issue for them, and is a way for them to express their love for their child and to provide comfort and security. What better way to comfort a toddler who is upset because of a tumble, or who is heart broken because they have lost their favourite toy or daddy has to leave now.

Extended breastfeeding is a great help when toddlers are ill; often toddlers stop eating and don’t really want to drink, but in many cases they still want their ‘milkies’; in fact toddlers (and babies) can breast feed in their sleep, which is a great way to make sure that they get some valuable calories and fluids. Breast milk is very gentle on little ones’ tummies and is good for when tummy upsets strike.

Breast feeding also provides a way for working mums to bond at the end of hard day. You may not feel like playing ring a ring a rosies when you walk in the door, but after 10 minutes of sitting down and doing nothing but feeding your child, work slips away and you feel ready to be a mummy again – your body is still producing those wonderful relaxing and ‘mothering’ hormones.

You may still be saying ‘yes, but it’s not normal, is it?’, so here are some facts which may change your mind:

• Studies on the length of time which other mammals feed their babies have put the ‘natural’ age for weaning children from the breast at between 2 1/2 and 7 (years, that is)
• In most cultures around the world, breast feeding continues for at least 2 years
• The breast feeding bill introduced in the Scottish parliament makes it a criminal offence for anyone to stop a woman for breast feeding a child up to 2 years old in a public place; there are campaigns to get this arbitrary end date extended or removed.
• Many formula fed babies, or babies who are switched to formula or cows milk, still have a drink of milk at night at 3 years old – if baby can have a drink from a cup at night, then why not a breastfeed?
• The World Health Organisation recommends that babies are breastfed from birth until 2 years and then as long as mutually desired.
• The reduction in the risk of certain forms of cancer increases the longer a mother breastfeeds.
• After 6 months breast feeding is usually a pleasure – You both know what you are doing and how to do it!
• Children who are given continued support and comfort grow up to be more secure and self reliant.
• Although you can not rely on breastfeeding as a form of contraception after introducing solids, extended breast feeding often delays the return of menstruation, for anything up to 2 years after the birth, which is often an unexpected, but very welcome benefit (but please remember that you can fall pregnant again before your first post-birth period!)

Extended breast feeding is not a new idea, mums through the ages have continued to breast feed their walking, talking children; nor are mums who do necessarily hippies – after all the scientific evidence shows that there is nothing to lose and a lot to be gained by breast feeding beyond a year. Extended breast feeding is breast feeding as nature intended, and as you and your child choose - who cares what your neighbour thinks!