I'm under "other." It's not "every bit" as much for me, but it's not solely for my child either. My benefits factor in, and I feel the bonding experience was critical for us. I realize it's not for every woman, I just feel that for me personally it absolutely helped our bonding, my maternal feelings, etc.

I chose to breastfeed primarily for my children's best interests, but the benefits to me aren't ignored either.

I have to say though that your first sentence is not only bothersome but misleading - the bonding is not the main reason most of us who choose to breastfeed past a year do so. There are a great many health benefits for the child in nursing past a year as well. In fact, bonding never even factored into my "past a year" choice, our bond was already firm and weaning at a year wouldn't have broken that. Your first sentence makes it sound like it's the only possible reason to breastfeed past a year.

I am hoping that a breastfeeding topic will bring out some mommies who can offer some advice ..... I am currently breastfeeding my 13.5 month old son ... mostly just at night and the morning. He takes a bottle before his naps and drinks from a sippy cup so he mostly just nurses for comfort. I am really torn about when to stop. He just LOVES to nurse and gets so upset if I try to not nurse him. I am mostly ready to stop, but I feel really guilty about it, and there are still times when I do still love it. To make it even more difficult we co sleep and if he wakes up during the night he nurses for a minute and drifts back to sleep. If I try to get him to go back to sleep without nursing ... forget it ... he screams! I have read the No Cry Sleep Solution and it doesn't really seem to touch on this topic enough. With all the experience on this board I am hoping someone has some advice. Should I just wait and see if he will outgrow wanting to nurse? (although that doesn't seem likely) or just cut him off now? I am afraid if I stop nursing I won't ever get him to sleep again like he does now. It breaks my heart to make him cry to nurse, but I feel like I am just putting off the inevitable by keeping up with the nighttime nursing .... Help!
(please no negative comments on co sleeping!)

There's no rush to wean. The World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics both suggest breastfeeding for 1-2 years minimum. Wean when it feels right. Breastmilk continues to have nutritional and antibody benefits.

Here's a great link for support for breastfeeding past one year:

http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11704

SnickersBar - I private messaged you with my experience. I hope it helps!

I'll PM you as well Snickers.

Can someone explain to me the benefit of breastfeeding until kids are 4, 5, 6 ..?

Same as with a one-year-old: immunities, vitamins, nutritional content. Also, comfort, same as with an infant.

i'm all for breastfeeding the first, and maybe second year. (although i wasn't able to) but the coverage i've seen on long-term breastfeeding -- until 4-5-6-etc years old -- pretty much grosses me out. kids that age can get all their nutrition from food.

When i breast fed my son, I felt a very special bond between me and him.
I felt very close to him. Maybe because I knew that he needed me to survive his first few months.

To know, that I was the only one that can comfort him in that way made me feel very special.