Breast Milk - Whittier,CA

Even IF that was true about the antibodies (which I don't think it is) breastmilk is still good for babies for it's nutrients!!

Found this on Kellymom.com. I think your doctor is a quack

•In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
◦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
-- Dewey 2001

•The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "As recommended by the WHO, breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement. It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years. Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection, better social adjustment, and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer." They also note that "If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned." (AAFP 2008)

Your doctor is nuts.

Mothers share milk all the time. A mother who nurses a 2 year old can donate milk to a newborn and that child will get the same, amazing milk quality as from a mother who is nursing an infant as well. Breastmilk is derived from a incredibly complex process involving multiple organs. And the antibodies and stem cells that breastmilk produces are from the antibodies in your blood supply. As long as your blood makes antibodies, your milk produces them. If your blood stopped producing antibodies, well . . . you would probably be dead, pretty quick.

I am truly amazed by the medical professions complete lack of detailed study on lactation and the powerful properties of breastmilk.

All breastfeeding moms should seek out a pediatrician that is a LONG TERM breastfeeding mother or is a father to a long term breastfed child (at least until they are 2 years old, if not beyond). My pedi practice is all long-term nursing mothers and one tandem nursed her toddler and infant. They are real advocates and you need pedis like them on your side :)

Or . . . crazy, long-term nursing moms like myself who run a 100+ member boobie club and help connect mothers in need with donated milk. :)

Oh, and FYI: The WHO (World Health Organization) says breastfeeding should be a MINIMUM of 2 years.

Your Dr is nuts. Antibodies aren't the only good thing in breastmilk, the recommended age to feed breastmilk is at least 1 by US standards and 2 by worldwide standards.

You would have to start buying formula, why do that if you have perfectly good breast milk to give, and that you both enjoy doing?

I would switch doctors...really.

I'm very surprised a DOCTOR would be so uninformed!

Breast milk should still be your daughters MAIN source of nutrition! God wouldn't have women being able to breast feed for years if there was no benefit! He made breast milk perfect~!

NOT TRUE! As long as you make milk it contains antibodies, nutrition and everything else it's supposed to make for your child. Breast milk is ever evolving day to day, hour to hour as your child's needs change.
World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until at least 2 years old. The American Academy of Pediactrics is behind the times in only recommending 1 year. The bulk of a child's nutrition should be coming from breast milk (or formula if need be) for the first year of life. The recommendation of cow's milk after a year is because they still need the nutrients in milk. Human milk of course being better than cows milk whenever possible but cows milk is an accepted substitue.
Your milk does not "go bad" or become any less nutritional dense magically at 6 months. Simply, at 6 months their gut is now mature enough to begin introducing other sources of nutrition to help it form the bacterias and such that it needs as an older child and adult. Solids are practice for the gut and to learn the coordination skills needed to eat.
Your doctor needs correct, up dated information on breast feeding and breast milk.
Wonderful online resources for breastfeeding are
La Leche League http://www.llli.org/ (the woman you can contact through this organization are always wonderful angels full of amazing information and support!)
Kellymom http://kellymom.com/
You're giving your child a wonderful gift by wanting to continue to pump until she's a year. It takes a lot more to exclusively pump and I applaud you. Best of luck!

I'm not sure about the antibodies, but breastmilk has all sorts of other great nutrients. Solids don't account for much of the baby's nutrient intake at that age, just calories, so if she's not getting your breastmilk, she'd need formula. And that has all sorts of chemicals that she doesn't need. I certainly don't begrudge any mom formula if that's what works for them, but if you're making it work with breastmilk, that will be better than formula until you take her off breastmilk/formula altogether!

Wow! That is all I can say at the moment!

You need a new doctor that is knowledgable and supportive of breastfeeding because yours is out to lunch.

Katrina is on the money! Any time my little ones-especially my preemie son-seemed like they might be getting the slightest hint of a cold they would ramp up their nursing and never really get sick! You can't tell me that formula can do that! And my preemie didn't even get a hint of a cold till he was 10 months old. My 2nd unfortunately got all of her big brother's cooties but she would power nurse her way thru it and bounce back pretty darn quick.

Breast milk is truly amazing as Katrina pointed out. It changes as baby grows and matures to meet babies nutritional needs. It tastes different depending on what you have eaten thereby exposing baby to countless tastes which is never a bad thing.

Keep up the hard and good work mom! I know how taxing it can be to pump exclusively. I did it for the 1st 12 weeks of my little preemie's life.

There is value in BFing/breastmilk beyond 6 months. Though antibodies are an important part, there is the whole "perfect nurtrition" argument. There is also the special mommy-baby time that comes with nursing. Obviously, children can also get awesome bonding with out BFing. They can get great nutrition from formula.

Whatever you decide to do now, you have given that baby of yours a phenomenal start in life. You should feel proud. Pumping is no easy task!

UPDATE: Read a few of the responses and I just wanted to caution against doctor bashing. It is his job to inform you of all your choices. Weaning at 10+ months is a valid choice. Your doctor may have been "hearing" from you that you were finding pumping to be a challenging task. Maybe he was just trying to find a way to reassure your that weaning from breastmilk wouldn't make you a bad mom?

Your doctor is a misinformed IDIOT!! Find a new one STAT!! The longer you nurse the better for your daughter!! As the others have said: the WHO recommends a MINIMUM of two years, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends a MINIMUM of one year. In fact, the ONLY THING your baby needs for ALL the nutrition she needs in the ENTIRE first year is breast milk!!

Seriously, if your doctor is giving you this HORRIBLE advise regarding the health and well being of your daughter, who knows what else s/he will tell you that simply IS NOT TRUE!! You and your daughter's health is PARAMOUNT!! Find a new one that knows better! Tsk tsk.

I haven't nursed for over a year, but my recolectionis that one year is the current recommendation. Also, it is not just about antibodies, which I think remian beyond 6 months, but about easily digestable proteins and brain fats, assumning you diet is pretty good.

I think that you have done great for your daughter. But if you are happy to continue, you should go for it. Besides at 10 months, she will be declining her intake as she eats more solids and starts dringking cow's milk also, that she won't need so much. You could pump for a few more months at the current rate and keep her going for months.

I nursed for 13 and 18 months respectively. It was a wonderful bond to my child. And breast milk is cheaper. But I did it for so long primarily because I thought it was better.

Ask La Leche League.
And . . . if you enjoy pumping and she enjoys having your milk, why stop?
Presuming you will be starting cereal and vegetables and fruit soon.
Variety.
I'll be your doctor never breastfed a baby.