Extended Breastfeeding - How long does it take?

How long does it take to feed an older infant?

It can vary from less than 5 minutes to 20 minutes or more. Some babies are slow feeders but take the same amount of milk as fast feeders. If we unlatch a slow feeder before she is ready, she may not take enough milk. Also she may not get the fatty hind milk that she needs to grow well.

Should I continue to breastfeed even when my baby becomes a toddler?

The benefits of breastfeeding continue for as long as you are at it and some even so when you stop. For example, your risk of getting breast cancer goes down with every month you continue to breastfeed.

Your baby will continue to receive those important immunity benefits for as long as he continues to nurse. As he becomes older and takes solid food, he will nurse less and less and your milk becomes more concentrated with the protective factors.

Perhaps one of the key benefits of extended breastfeeding is the comfort you can provide your toddler. If she falls down or is sick, nursing can comfort her in ways nothing else will.

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