Extended Breastfeeding can sometimes become an argument and debating topic between many mothers. Some women’s criticize mothers who are Breastfeeding their Toddlers, without knowing the benefits of extended breastfeeding. Extended breastfeeding to a child means a mother who is breastfeeding the child above the age of 1-year-old. And believe us, it’s totally fine to follow it, as it does not come with any harmful effects.

People around you must have questioned you and have suggested you to stop breastfeeding after your baby turn one year old. As they believe that mother milk doe not left with any nutritional value and it will become a problem for mothers later to get their baby detached.

Everyone talks about breastfeeding benefits in the first year but no one talks about extended breastfeeding or breastfeeding to toddler benefits. There are many facts that have never been discussed or bring in the notice of many parents, like the nutritional value which mother milk has. Let’s discuss and understand the benefits attached to extended breastfeeding.

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10 Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding to a Toddler

1 # Protection from Illness 

We all know that breastfeeding to babies till the age of one year has many benefits and many doctors too recommended the same. But you do not know that extended breastfeeding or breastfeeding a toddler can also protect your kid from many illnesses like asthma, allergies, ear infection, cold, flu, viral fever, etc.

Breastfeeding help in developing strong immune system in kids and give them inner strength & power to flight from infections and illness, as mother milk contains many antibodies.

Kids who are on mother milk do not easily get infected by the infections and bacteria near them. In many cases, it has been clearly shown that kids who are on mother milk have strong immune systems as compare to kids who have not taken mother milk at all or less in quantity.

Extended Breastfeeding should be a choice of mother and child, and no one should come in-between that.

2 # Make Bedtime Easier and Comfortable

The nursing mother finds it very easy to put their toddlers to smooth and comfortable sleep, it just 10 minutes of mother time to get them in bed. This is one of the reasons why mothers do not give up breastfeeding.

Many parents are fighting with their kid’s sleeping patterns and schedules. Once the toddler has started going to Play School, their flight became an everyday problem. Extended Breastfeeding can help mothers to enjoy flightless sleeping time with their toddlers.

3 # Keep them Hydrated through Nursing

During the period of illness or teething, toddlers refuse to eat food. In this situation, breastfeeding helps a toddler to be a dehydrated full day. The trend to take small breastfeed in intervals, which fill a little bit of their stomach and give power to them to fight back to any kind of illness.

4 # Lead to Increased IQ scores and Cognitive Development

 Studies have shown that longer periods of breastfeeding a toddler or kids help to increase their IQ. Mother milk contains good nutritional values which help in boosting a kid’s brain.  As people say that kids till the age of 5 years old, have good learning & grasping power. Extended Breastfeeding will help in your kid’s brain & cognitive development.

5 # Bonding between Mom and Toddler

 Breastfeeding provides the most powerful bonding between the mother and child. Some mothers love breastfeeding their toddlers, as they love their kid’s touch and affection. In return kids who love their mother smell and touch, are so used to mother milk as they do not want to give it up. It’s a totally different experience for mothers, and there is no harm in extended breastfeeding.

6 # Lower Risk of Child Obesity

These days many cases of child obesity are happening near all of us. Breastfeeding is the one way of keeping your toddler safe & lower the risk of obesity in your child. Many Mothers do not know this fact and give up breastfeeding at a very early stage, only for having a good body.

7 # Toddlers get Good Nutritional value for Mother Milk

Many people do not know that mother’s milk has good nutritional value and it does not reduce till a particular age. Kids till the age of 3 years will get all nutrition and benefits from mother milk without any doubts. Extended Breastfeeding mothers can enjoy more good time with their kids as compared to others. Plus their kids have good inner strength and immune systems.

 8 # Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer

Many mothers do not know that breastfeeding reduces the chance of breast cancer in women like in older age. Mothers who do not get a chance of breastfeeding their babies have more chances of having breast cancer as compared to breastfeeding mothers.

Breastfeeding is not only good for your child’s health but it’s very important for mother health too.

9 # Any case of Emergency, it helps to fulfill Toddler’s Demands

Extended breastfeeding helps mothers to handle their Toddler tantrums and mood swings. It also helps in dealing with emotional children. Sometimes in an emergency situation like illness, mood swings, aggressive nature or angry, extended breastfeeding can come in-between can help mothers to handle them by bringing their kid closer to them and calming them.

10 # Help in Travelling

Oh! Yes, it’s damn helpful when we talk about traveling with toddlers. It became easy for a mother to handle their kid during traveling by any means of transport. Kids do not get irritated or feel uncomfortable in traveling, as whenever they want they can get comfort from mother milk.

What Nutritional Value Breastfeeding can provide Toddlers:

29% of his daily energy needs

43% of protein requirements

75% of Vitamin A requirements

60% of Vitamin C requirements.

 Source: Dewey KG 2001, Nutrition, growth and complementary feeding of the breastfed infant.