I hate the AAP

[Anonymous]

Actually good news for me. I’m fortunate to have always worked from home with a nanny and have been able to breastfeed at will. One self-weaned at 14 months and the other is still going at 2.

That said, regardless of what the AAP says, my older child was done at 14 months. I couldn’t make him stay on the breast if I wanted to.

[Anonymous]

I take a lot of flack for continuing to nurse my two-year-old at will. This gives me some “cover” at least. Even my primary care physician gives me lectures about continuing to nurse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I take a lot of flack for continuing to nurse my two-year-old at will. This gives me some “cover” at least. Even my primary care physician gives me lectures about continuing to nurse.

I think the AAP advice about extended BF is mostly focused on people like you who aren't really looking for support as much as acceptance.

The reality is that most of those who breastfeed past a year don't need that much in terms of workplace accommodations as the child's diet becomes more diverse.

I know the repeat poster is probably a troll, but I wanted to make one other point about the complaints about the costs to employers of pumping at work. Having nursed my own children while working and based on decades of work in a female-oriented environment, I have never found that breastfeeding creates an undue burden on co-workers. I've always been happy to have experienced co-workers return to the workplace after maternity leave. The real burden on co-workers who are forced to do the job of two or more people tends to be when a new parent indicates that they will return to work after the birth of a child and then don't, or return briefly and then quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually good news for me. I’m fortunate to have always worked from home with a nanny and have been able to breastfeed at will. One self-weaned at 14 months and the other is still going at 2.

That said, regardless of what the AAP says, my older child was done at 14 months. I couldn’t make him stay on the breast if I wanted to.

This is why the AAP actually says IF “mutually desired.” If the baby doesn’t want to nurse - that’s it for nursing! But if both parties do want to continue that should be encouraged not discouraged since there are some benefits.

[Anonymous]

I'm curious how pediatricians will interpret this guidance. Contrary to what some posters have said, the new guidance says nothing about nursing for one year and then deciding if you want to continue. It just says all babies except in extremely rare cases should be breastfed for six months. Then the "mutually desired" language (which used to apply to "one year and beyond) now applies to two years. Will any pediatricians reduce (to six months) or increase (to two years) when they recommend women nurse until (before women regain their bodily autonomy at either six months or two years)?

Also, why two years? Why not say the AAP supports breastfeeding children of any age? Is there an age at which it considers breastfeeding to be harmful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious how pediatricians will interpret this guidance. Contrary to what some posters have said, the new guidance says nothing about nursing for one year and then deciding if you want to continue. It just says all babies except in extremely rare cases should be breastfed for six months. Then the "mutually desired" language (which used to apply to "one year and beyond) now applies to two years. Will any pediatricians reduce (to six months) or increase (to two years) when they recommend women nurse until (before women regain their bodily autonomy at either six months or two years)?

Also, why two years? Why not say the AAP supports breastfeeding children of any age? Is there an age at which it considers breastfeeding to be harmful?

My understanding is that a child still benefits from breastfeeding up until two years. But benefit and necessity are two very different things. Beyond two years it most likely isn’t beneficial and may promote psychological issues - I’m just guessing. I doubt that drinking breast milk is ever harmful - just ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take a lot of flack for continuing to nurse my two-year-old at will. This gives me some “cover” at least. Even my primary care physician gives me lectures about continuing to nurse.

I think the AAP advice about extended BF is mostly focused on people like you who aren't really looking for support as much as acceptance.

The reality is that most of those who breastfeed past a year don't need that much in terms of workplace accommodations as the child's diet becomes more diverse.

I know the repeat poster is probably a troll, but I wanted to make one other point about the complaints about the costs to employers of pumping at work. Having nursed my own children while working and based on decades of work in a female-oriented environment, I have never found that breastfeeding creates an undue burden on co-workers. I've always been happy to have experienced co-workers return to the workplace after maternity leave. The real burden on co-workers who are forced to do the job of two or more people tends to be when a new parent indicates that they will return to work after the birth of a child and then don't, or return briefly and then quit.

+1. Same. The women who pumped were never a burden or lost productivity because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious how pediatricians will interpret this guidance. Contrary to what some posters have said, the new guidance says nothing about nursing for one year and then deciding if you want to continue. It just says all babies except in extremely rare cases should be breastfed for six months. Then the "mutually desired" language (which used to apply to "one year and beyond) now applies to two years. Will any pediatricians reduce (to six months) or increase (to two years) when they recommend women nurse until (before women regain their bodily autonomy at either six months or two years)?

Also, why two years? Why not say the AAP supports breastfeeding children of any age? Is there an age at which it considers breastfeeding to be harmful?

My understanding is that a child still benefits from breastfeeding up until two years. But benefit and necessity are two very different things. Beyond two years it most likely isn’t beneficial and may promote psychological issues - I’m just guessing. I doubt that drinking breast milk is ever harmful - just ridiculous.

Are psychological harms not real harms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious how pediatricians will interpret this guidance. Contrary to what some posters have said, the new guidance says nothing about nursing for one year and then deciding if you want to continue. It just says all babies except in extremely rare cases should be breastfed for six months. Then the "mutually desired" language (which used to apply to "one year and beyond) now applies to two years. Will any pediatricians reduce (to six months) or increase (to two years) when they recommend women nurse until (before women regain their bodily autonomy at either six months or two years)?

Also, why two years? Why not say the AAP supports breastfeeding children of any age? Is there an age at which it considers breastfeeding to be harmful?

My understanding is that a child still benefits from breastfeeding up until two years. But benefit and necessity are two very different things. Beyond two years it most likely isn’t beneficial and may promote psychological issues - I’m just guessing. I doubt that drinking breast milk is ever harmful - just ridiculous.

Are psychological harms not real harms?

They are real harms but I think PP was saying she isn’t sure if extended nursing would be a psychological harm.

[Anonymous]

By all means please link to the research showing breastfeeding for two years benefits the mother more than breastfeeding for one year, but breastfeeding for three years has no benefits/might be harmful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take a lot of flack for continuing to nurse my two-year-old at will. This gives me some “cover” at least. Even my primary care physician gives me lectures about continuing to nurse.

I think the AAP advice about extended BF is mostly focused on people like you who aren't really looking for support as much as acceptance.

The reality is that most of those who breastfeed past a year don't need that much in terms of workplace accommodations as the child's diet becomes more diverse.

I know the repeat poster is probably a troll, but I wanted to make one other point about the complaints about the costs to employers of pumping at work. Having nursed my own children while working and based on decades of work in a female-oriented environment, I have never found that breastfeeding creates an undue burden on co-workers. I've always been happy to have experienced co-workers return to the workplace after maternity leave. The real burden on co-workers who are forced to do the job of two or more people tends to be when a new parent indicates that they will return to work after the birth of a child and then don't, or return briefly and then quit.

+1. Same. The women who pumped were never a burden or lost productivity because of it.

I pumped and definitely lost productivity. It was never "hands free" for me no matter what bra/flanges I used. Plus washing pump parts takes time. It's not like I could skip lunch to make up for it since I needed the calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take a lot of flack for continuing to nurse my two-year-old at will. This gives me some “cover” at least. Even my primary care physician gives me lectures about continuing to nurse.

I think the AAP advice about extended BF is mostly focused on people like you who aren't really looking for support as much as acceptance.

The reality is that most of those who breastfeed past a year don't need that much in terms of workplace accommodations as the child's diet becomes more diverse.

I know the repeat poster is probably a troll, but I wanted to make one other point about the complaints about the costs to employers of pumping at work. Having nursed my own children while working and based on decades of work in a female-oriented environment, I have never found that breastfeeding creates an undue burden on co-workers. I've always been happy to have experienced co-workers return to the workplace after maternity leave. The real burden on co-workers who are forced to do the job of two or more people tends to be when a new parent indicates that they will return to work after the birth of a child and then don't, or return briefly and then quit.

+1. Same. The women who pumped were never a burden or lost productivity because of it.

I pumped and definitely lost productivity. It was never "hands free" for me no matter what bra/flanges I used. Plus washing pump parts takes time. It's not like I could skip lunch to make up for it since I needed the calories.

Sorry to hear that. I didn’t. I never washed the pump parts at work and just kept them in the fridge and ate lunch while I pumped. I also got good at reading reports while I pumped.

But I know it isn’t feasible for all women working. I can’t imagine how police or nurses or shift workers among others handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By all means please link to the research showing breastfeeding for two years benefits the mother more than breastfeeding for one year, but breastfeeding for three years has no benefits/might be harmful.

Link the research that it does have benefit after two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By all means please link to the research showing breastfeeding for two years benefits the mother more than breastfeeding for one year, but breastfeeding for three years has no benefits/might be harmful.

I think common sense will tell you that infantilizing an older child would be harmful, PP. All mammals wean their young.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to point out that you can breastfeed to 2 years and choose not to pump at work after a certain time.

I bf my kids to between 1-2 years. But I only pumped until they got on solids around 6-7 months. After that I nursed at home and on days off, and I was fine with a formula bottle when I was gone.

So it's not like every woman who is breastfeeding past one is pumping three times a day.