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Physical, social development common reasons for breastfeeding beyond 1 year
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SAN DIEGO — Physical and social development are considered most important among mothers who choose to breast-feed their child beyond 1 year of age, according to research presented at the 2014 AAP National Conference and Exhibition.
“The three most important reasons that mothers gave for extended nursing were the nutritional benefits of breast milk, the other health benefits of breast milk and the opportunity to build a stronger social bond with their baby,” Alexis Tchaconas, research assistant of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, said in a press release.
Researchers used an online questionnaire to evaluate reasons for breast-feeding beyond 1 year of age. Participants included 27,003 mothers aged 18 to 50 years living in the United Stated who breastfed one or more children past the age of 1 year. Participants were asked to rank 15 factors related to extended breastfeeding as “very important,” “important” and “somewhat important.”
The five factors most commonly reported at “very important” were nutritional value of breast milk (92.2%), other health benefits (89.9%), building a strong bond with the child (88.8%), child enjoys when he/she is being breastfed (84%) and mother enjoys breastfeeding (68.1%).
Andrew Adesman
“Although most women felt comfortable with discussing their decision to nurse their baby beyond 1 year of age with their child’s pediatrician and with their own health care providers, the recommendations of these health care professionals were not identified as being important in terms of the mother’s decision to extend nursing,” study researcher Andrew Adesman, MD, FAAP, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center, said in the press release.
For more information:
Adesman A. Abstract 26398. Presented at: 2014 AAP National Conference and Exhibition; Oct. 10-13, 2014; San Diego.
Disclosure: Infectious Diseases in Children was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.