Breastfeed All You Want

By now, I think the vast majority of Americans have seen the cover of Time magazine with the breastfeeding three year old. I am not going to comment on attachment parenting or the ridiculous picture Time chose portraying attachment parenting. I will comment on breastfeeding a three year old though. My comment:

MOMS, BREASTFEED AS LONG AS YOU AND THE KIDS WANT!***

 

***But make sure kids are introduced to solid food strategically and when they are over a year old, food must take priority over breastfeeding.

 

I have seen older breastfed kids who are not gaining good weight because they are nursing too much. Older breastfed kids, when given free access to moms, will nurse multiple times per day. This type of breastfeeding can blunt the kids’ ability to do a good job of eating table food and therefore result in poor weight gain.

 

If a mother chooses to breastfeed beyond a year, I congratulate her, but offer this advice. Schedule nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day and insert nursing sessions strategically so they do not interfere with the calories, protein and fat meals and snacks provide. Too much of a good thing, even breastfeeding, can be a problem.

About Melanie Silverman

Melanie is a pediatric registered dietitian nutritionist (RD) and a board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) working primarily in pediatric nutrition for well over 15 years. She spent seven years as a clinical dietitian at The University of Chicago Medical Center in the neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit, adult and pediatric burn units, and high risk pediatric follow-up clinic. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University Chicago. Melanie has presented at state and national meetings for the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN), March of Dimes, Prader-Willi California Foundation, Texas Prader-Willi Association, Oklahoma Prader Willi Syndrome Association, Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (FPWR) in the United States and Canada and the Prader-Willi Syndrome USA (PWSA). She worked hard for her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Spanish from Indiana University and a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition from Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center. A member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, California Dietetic Association, Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group, Women’s Health Group, Nutrition Entrepreneurs and an active member of the International Lactation Consultant Association.