Hi Michelle,
I am pleased that you have reassured and assisted the mother and that both of you are now planning to educate the paediatrician.
When are these people going to "get" the idea that there are no benefits of breastfeeding - whether before or after 12 months. There are, however, very good reasons for continuing breastfeeding into the second year and beyond. This is not only in impoverished regions where "weanling diarrhoea" or growth faltering after weaning are risks of NOT breastfeeding. Species-specific milk continues to provide good nutrition, the same array of protective factors as before, for the child who can walk and talk. Comfort, too, for all those tumbles as the child explores her world. A short resource you may want to refer to is the WHO Global Strategy for Infant & Young Child Feeding, which (I think) may be online.
Apart from the nutritional, immunological and emotional reaons for continuing breastfeeding, keep in mind that it can be a safety issue in emergency situations. When there is an increased risk of contamination of utensils and no power after a disaster, or when a short, routine trip gos wrong (boat engine breaks down, or the car is stuck in mud or snow), mothers who are stranded with an older baby who is contnuing to breastfeed can just feed, feed, feed to increase the amount of milk during that situation. (Been there, done that!)
Regards,
Virginia

Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA
in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Date:    Tue, 27 Nov 2012 07:14:39 -0500
From:    Michelle Scott <>
Subject: 
Does anyone have a recent article that details the benefits of bf after 1
yr?  One of the pedi docs I work with just told a mom there were no
benefits after 6mo, and since her child just turned a year, she should
'make things easier for herself, and stop bf.'  She stopped that day!
 Called me due to engorgement, and when I asked if she wanted to continue a
few times a day, we got into the discussion about the value of brmilk in
the second year.  She trusts my statements, but we want to help the doc
understand as well.  Thanks for the wisdom of the Lactnuts!  michelle
-- 
Michelle Scott, MA, RD/LD, IBCLC
Pediatric Dietitian/Lactation Consultant


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