“My doctor told me that I do not have enough fat in my breastmilk now that my son is 1 year old and that I should give him cow’s milk. Do I really have to do this?”
This is a common concern, and unfortunately, we hear it a lot. You do not have to change a thing once your child turns a year, and you do not have to give cow’s milk either. Breast/chest feeding past 1 year gives your child many unique benefits. As your child grows into toddlerhood, they are learning to walk, touching more things, learning more about the environment. Human milk will change to protect them in ways that were not necessary months ago. Your child may be nursing less because of solids (and let’s face it, it is busy work being a toddler!), but the milk they get is concentrated to still include all the nutrients and vitamins necessary for growth. You can continue to give your child your milk knowing they are getting exactly what they need. To learn more about this, check out this episode of the Badass Breastfeeding Podcast! It goes into much more detail about how milk changes with your child.
Dianne Cassidy is a Lactation Consultant in upstate NY. She has been working with new families for 15 years and is also a blogger and co-host of the Badass Breastfeeding Podcast. Dianne is the mother to 3 kids, including a set of twins, and 2 dogs. You can find more from Dianne at her blog, Milkly.
