BREASTFEEDING, IS BEST FOR TODDLERS TOO!

nursing my Brendan as a newborn

While browsing my own blog which had been empty of my posts for a while, I saw a post about breastfeeding. There was only one post because I wasn't really nursing anymore during that time. My son Boris was weaned by me when he was about two years and nine months.

On that post, I was encouraging mothers to breastfeed their babies less than two years old. During that time, I wasn't really knowledgeable about breastfeeding except by personal experience and some things I heard from a few different people. However, even if I lacked the proper information, I knew then that breast milk should be the babies' primary source of food.

Now that I have my second son who is two years and seven months, I know better. I may not be a breastfeeding expert, but I know enough to personally encourage mothers to breastfeed. I know enough to share to those who are willing to listen (and even those who don't) about breastfeeding and its countless benefits.

What I realized about that post is that I was under the impression then that breastfeeding is only best for babies two years and below. I was thinking then that after the baby turns two, he should be stopped from nursing from mom and should be taught to drink formula milk from a glass. That was why I made sure I weaned my firstborn before he turns three. He didn't want to stop breastfeeding then but I told him there won't be enough milk left for his future baby brother or sister. At that very young age, my son willingly agreed that he will no longer feed on my breast. 

Looking back at that time makes me really sad. I regretted the fact that I made up a story just to wean my little Boris. I didn't realize that it may have a bad effect on him. He stopped drinking milk altogether after that. He has been a picky eater until now, so he is very thin. I'm just glad that he is not a sickly child, which I attribute mostly to the fact that I breastfed him. It wasn't exclusive, but it is better than having just formula.

With my little Brendan now, milk formula is not an option. No matter how much people around make unnecessary remarks about him still breastfeeding, I just smile.
For me, breast milk is the only milk for babies from birth until he weans himself.
I know now that BREASTFEEDING, IS BEST FOR TODDLERS TOO.