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Breastmilk also changes in consistency as a child grows, making it appropropriate for the age of the baby.
Since this thread is about tandem nursing in particular, this is something I've always wondered. BF advocates always cite that the milk changes and is the prefect cosistency for the child's age. How then, does tandem nursing fit into this equation? The mother's milk could not possibly be perfect for 2 different children of 2 different ages? And what about pumping, freezing the milk, and using it later? Wouldn't the milk then be tailored to the age the baby was at the time it was expressed?
The milk adjusts to the age of the younger child, if mom is tandem nursing. The milk changes things like the proportion of fat to sugar and the concentration of antibodies with age, or really with how much volume of milk is being produced. Typically, as a child gets older, she will drink less milk. When the child drinks less milk, mom makes less milk, but the milk she makes will be more concentrated to make up for it. For example, toddler milk will typically have more immunities per ounce than infant milk, and in this way the toddler still benefits from a lot of immunities even though she is drinking fewer ounces. When a mom is tandem nursing though, the younger child will typically be nursing more, so the milk volume goes up, and concentrations are matched to the needs of the younger child.
How does the breast know how old the child is who's latched on to it? The OP is a link to a mother who breastfeeds both a newborn -and- a 7-year-old. Does the breast magically know which child is at which breast, at any given moment?
LOL, this is the same point I was just trying to make.
Regarding pumping, yes, the milk is best suited for the age of the baby at the time it was expressed. That is why, when someone uses donor milk, they are advised to try to find a mother whose baby is within 6 months of age of their own if possible. If not, most people who are using donor milk still think that milk made for a child of a different age is preferable to formula though.
How does the breast know how old the child is who's latched on to it? The OP is a link to a mother who breastfeeds both a newborn -and- a 7-year-old. Does the breast magically know which child is at which breast, at any given moment? I'm just not buying it. 7 year old kids are suckling because mom wants them to. 7 year old kids have all their baby teeth, can reach for the milk from the fridge, and have absolutely no need for their mother's breast, unless they have acquired some kind of Freudian attachment to it. Which - would be taught by their mother.
First of all, the child in the article from the op is 6, not 7. If you read the article you will see that when the child turned 3 the mother told him that she thought that he was too old to be nursing but she had a hard time telling him no. Clearly she wasn't pushing it, she was simply allowing him to continue because he continued to ask. His nursing became an occasional thing but his interest in it rose when the new baby was born (very common) and he now nurses once a day in the morning and he nurses less and less often (a sign of weaning).
I've seen women on parenting boards say things on more than one occasion like, "I think my child is starting to wean. I'm not ready for him/her to stop. What can I do to encourage him/her to keep nursing?"
I find that really wierd. Nursing is supposed to be for the child. If the child is ready to stop, WHY would you try and keep them nursing? I'm not saying anyone here nurses to older ages for themselves, but some women do. Its emotional letting go of your "baby" and continuing to nurse your "baby" (even though they clearly are not a baby anymore) is a way to hold on to that for some.
I do and have accepted people that choose to breastfeed beyond age 2. What I have a problem with is people stating they do it for the health benefits of the child. All children like to cuddle with their parents, whether there is suckling involved or not, but let's face it most people choose extended breastfeeding because they, the mother, wants to do it.
That's all I was trying to say too - let's at least call it what it is in so many cases after the age of 2, something mom needs more than the child. Which, while wierd to me personally, is okay as long as the child is not being harmed in some way
In the grand scheme of things, with the world full of so many neglectful, abusive, and selfish moms I am glad for any child who has a mother that takes the time to do what they really think is best for their child!
The milk adjusts to the age of the younger child, if mom is tandem nursing. The milk changes things like the proportion of fat to sugar and the concentration of antibodies with age, or really with how much volume of milk is being produced. Typically, as a child gets older, she will drink less milk. When the child drinks less milk, mom makes less milk, but the milk she makes will be more concentrated to make up for it. For example, toddler milk will typically have more immunities per ounce than infant milk, and in this way the toddler still benefits from a lot of immunities even though she is drinking fewer ounces. When a mom is tandem nursing though, the younger child will typically be nursing more, so the milk volume goes up, and concentrations are matched to the needs of the younger child.
Repeating the question, since you didn't answer it:
How does the nipple know which set of lips is the younger set? Frequency? So if the newborn is in ICU since he's a premie, and 7-year-old-Johnny is the only one on the breast at the moment, the breast knows that the lips on it aren't the newborns?
What an absolutely ridiculous excuse. Totally not credible.
Repeating the question, since you didn't answer it:
How does the nipple know which set of lips is the younger set? Frequency? So if the newborn is in ICU since he's a premie, and 7-year-old-Johnny is the only one on the breast at the moment, the breast knows that the lips on it aren't the newborns?
What an absolutely ridiculous excuse. Totally not credible.
Don't forget the husbands lip, how does the nipple adjust to that?
Just adding levity here folks, only kidding, but AnonChick's point makes sense here.
Repeating the question, since you didn't answer it:
How does the nipple know which set of lips is the younger set? Frequency? So if the newborn is in ICU since he's a premie, and 7-year-old-Johnny is the only one on the breast at the moment, the breast knows that the lips on it aren't the newborns?
What an absolutely ridiculous excuse. Totally not credible.
Adventive answered your question. The milk adjust to the age of the younger child. The body knows to produce milk appropriate for a newborn after the mother gives birth. If the mother is nursing her 7 year old (probably for a few minutes a day at most) while her baby is int he NICU the milk will still be most appropriate for a newborn.
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Huh?
