CHENNAI: In the summer of 2022, in an Instagram post influencer Sruti Nakul spoke about tandem feeding and feeding her daughter who was two years old then. Sruti continues to feed both her babies to date. “It has been challenging. Tandem feeding is not easy, only if the mother and the children are up for it and the mother has ample support, it is possible,” she says. Sruti shares that she is going to complete three years of feeding her daughter, Akira this week.
This is called extended feeding which benefits both the mother and the child. She shares, “Extended breastfeeding should be normalised because it is more than just milk for the babies. It gives soothing comfort helping with growth spurts, and is a very natural way to build immunity.”
Extended breastfeeding is often not taken in the same light as breastfeeding newborns. Doctors and parents are actively shedding light on its importance, only if the mother and child are comfortable.
Breastmilk consists of active components like immunoglobulin — which help in immunity building — strengthening of the gut system, and liver function. Even the process of breastfeeding helps babies to be calm, independent, flexible, adaptive, and emotionally mature. It is when the babies are psychologically, emotionally and physically ready that they wean away. “Mothers are a safe space for every kid. Only when they get emotional security and become emotionally independent, they wean off,” says Kanimozhi Senthamarai Kannan, lactation consultant. Sruti notes that her daughter was slowly weaning away, but during the end of her second pregnancy, Akira started being clingy and was nursed even during labour.
Myths busted
Some of the common myths around extended feeding is that it would stop the mother from working, would be difficult for the child to attend school and focus on studies, and in later years, the child would start sexualising breasts.
Kanimozhi suggests that by normalising extended breastfeeding for both genders, breasts will just be another part of our bodies and not something sexualised. She also says, “It is also normal to breastfeed a 6-year-old.”
Vahini Suriyanarayanan, a mother, shares her journey of how she feeds her 4-year-old daughter and how it is normal. “Once I had a disagreement with my daughter. I asked her if I should hold her hand or give her a hug for comfort. Instead, she asked for me to breastfeed,” she shares.
Motherly instincts
The decision has to be informed and mutual. A lot of people are not aware of the benefits of it. It not only comforts the baby but also the mother. “Extended breastfeeding can also be done after the birth of the second child. The firstborn will be needing more undivided attention and the mother feels guilty if quality time is not spent. In such times feeding helps,” says Kanimozhi.
Sruti shares that though Akira was clingy and annoyed in the beginning when she got the attention and warmth of skin-to-skin, things began to change. On the other hand, Vahini is not ready to stop breastfeeding her daughter yet.
Benefits
80 per cent of breast milk consists of water. So water is an important source for mothers to lactate better.
Solids are just complementary to breastmilk as the latter is every child’s primary source of food.