The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least one year because of the nutritional and health benefits provided by breastmilk. By this stage, your baby will have reduced risks of several childhood illnesses and well as improved cognitive abilities. Your baby will be eating solid food regularly now, but that doesn’t mean that breastmilk is no longer valuable. Your breastmilk still contains valuable immunities and healthy fat that helps your baby grow.
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Two Tips for Breastfeeding at One Year:
- Comfort nursing is still popular among babies at a year. It is perfectly normal to nurse your baby if they are needing comfort or to be consoled after an accident or upset. A few moments in mom’s arms can help a baby recover from a minor injury quickly and give them the confidence to return to whatever they were doing.
- Your baby may still be waking during the night to nurse or requesting to nurse to sleep. Many breastfeeding professionals agree that falling to sleep without nursing or sleeping through the night is a physiological milestone that babies will reach when they are ready. Just like walking and talking cannot be forced, sleeping through the night consistently isn’t a skill that can be learned, it has to be part of their development process. Babies can experience several sleep regressions throughout the first year of life. It is important to remember that it won’t last forever.
Information provided in blogs should not be used as a substitute for medical care or consultation.
About the Author
Contributing to this blog is Dr. Kendall-Tackett, PhD, IBCLC and FAPA, and award-winning health psychologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She specializes in women's health research including breastfeeding, depression, and trauma, and has authored more than 420 articles or chapters, and is author or editor of 35 books.
