Breastfeeding beyond the first year may post a unique set of challenges. But overcoming them provides dividends for your baby, argues anita daubaras

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), breastfeeding should continue at least until age one, and thereafter, for as long as is mutually desired by mother and child; extended breastfeeding provides significant health and developmental benefits for mother and child, and there is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding.

When I was expecting my first baby, I had been keen to try breastfeeding my newborn; however, I had never thought that my breastfeeding story would turn out the way it has. I exclusively breastfed my daughter until about six months of age, then began introducing semi-solid food to her. It was around this time that we discovered her allergy to dairy and wheat products. After taking food containing these ingredients, she would throw up continuously for many hours, and be irritable and fussy. She would also refuse to nurse or eat any other food. After a few hours, she would begin to nurse but would still refuse solid food. This refusal lasted for many days after each allergic response; during this time, she relied on breastfeeding for her nutritional needs as well as to comfort her. As we identified the specific suspect foods and avoided them in her diet, her allergic episodes became fewer.

Breastfeeding continued to full a large part of her dietary needs. My daughter's first birthday passed but weaning her felt arbitrary and somewhat odd; my faith in breastmilk's ability to nourish my baby in the gentlest way, my wariness of triggering further allergic reactions, together with nursing being able to meet my baby's intense need for closeness motivated me to continue breastfeeding her for as long as it felt 'right' for us both.

Click Babycare Breastfeeding (PDF) to read more.