Sesame Street - How Milk Is Made

I allow Bailey to watch old school Sesame Street. Today he finally sat through an episode long enough to see the "where milk comes from" section. It goes on for five minutes talking about how most of the milk we drink comes from cows. "Ever wonder where that delicious stuff from the carton comes from? Cows nurse their baby calves, but she makes more milk than her calf can drink..." so farmers extract the milk and we drink it ... song about cows chimes in as we watch the various ways and the flow of milk. Thank you Sesame Street for the truth. But my question is:

What about milk from our mothers? Did I mention they show a baby drinking milk from a bottle in the beginning! Will this confuse my child? Or will he be comparing my boobs to the cows next time we are at the petting zoo?

Mommy's milk is best

We are the NORM

Breastfeeding your child past infancy is NORMAL

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

• The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that breastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "As recommended by the WHO, breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement. It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years. Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection, better social adjustment, and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer." They also note that "If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned." (AAFP 2008)
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  Breastfeeding children benefit NUTRITIONALLY 

  • In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
    
    • 29% of energy requirements
    • 43% of protein requirements
    • 36% of calcium requirements
    • 75% of vitamin A requirements
    • 76% of folate requirements
    • 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
    • 60% of vitamin C requirements
    -- Dewey 2001
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    Breastfeeding children are SICK LESS OFTEN

• "Antibodies are abundant in human milk throughout lactation" (Nutrition During Lactation 1991; p. 134). In fact, some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration during the second year and also during the weaning process. (Goldman 1983, Goldman & Goldblum 1983, Institute of Medicine 1991). 

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