Joyce writes:  Does anyone have information on the nutritional value of
breastfeeding past
one year?  There's a pediatrician who tells parents that there's no
nutrition in breastmilk past one year, and that the child should be
weaned.  I would appreciate any evidence-based literature.  I couldn't find
anything in the archives.

I always laugh when I hear that.  To me, it reflects low self-esteem as a
species.  Is it possible that when human babies turn one year the milk of
another species is a nutritional necessity, while our own milk has "no
nutritional value?" If the cow who's providing us with dairy products has a
calf that is over one year, does that make *that* milk no good?  I would
love it if you'd ask that question and report back on the answer.

In the 3rd. ed. of The Breastfeeding Answer Book (p. 202), there is a
section that describes some of the research. "Breastfeeding toddlers
between 16 and 30 months old have been found to have fewer types and
shorter duration of illness and to require less medical care than their
non-breastfeeding age mates (Gulick 1986). Children still breastfeeding at
age three have been found to have fewer episodes of illness and lower rates
of specific types of illnesses than those weanted earlier (van den Bogaard
1991).  In Guinea-Bissaw, weaned children age one to three years had a
mortality rate three-and-a-half times higher than those who were still
nursing (Molbak 1994).

Gulick, E.  The effects of breastfeeding on toddler health.  Pediatr Nurs
1986; 12:51-54.

van den Bogaard, C. et al.  The relatioship between breast-feedin and early
childhood morbidity in a general population.  Family med 1991; 23:510-15.

Molbak, K. et al.  Prolonged breastfeeding, diarrhoeal disease, and
survival aof children in Guinea-Bissaw.  BMJ 1994; 308:1403-06.

Hope this helps,

Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC
Lactation Education Specialist, Hollister, Inc.
Chicago suburbs, Illinois USA

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