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Q: giving breast milk to older children

Im so looking forward to breastfeeding my 3rd child. i always regretted not doing it for the full first year with my first 2 children. We bought a mini deep freezer to hold the stored breast milk and i got a great double electric pump. i plan on breastfeeding and storing as much as possible. so i guess my question is, would it be wrong to give my older children a cup of breast milk each day?... maybe mixed with chocolate syrup? or in their cereal? ...they are 3 and 4. would it have the same health benefits.?..or it is really no different then giving a child cows milk after they reach a certain age.? It would save money (we drink alot of milk) but im more concerned with giving them the health benefits if there are any. friendly and polite opinions please!

This question was asked Aug. 10, 2012 12:34pm
Category: Postpartum

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Answers (6)

Answered by cherienc - Sep. 24, 2012 6:03pm

If you have extra milk, go for it! My daughter is two, I am still nursing her and I am 11 weeks pregnant so I am wondering how things will turn out. I am trying to wean my daughter into nursing only at nap time and bed time, she has been very upset about it so far! Good luck!

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Answered by klara2222 - Aug. 10, 2012 5:10pm

I think it would be fine, although grown-ups might this it's weird. If you have a lot of over-supply, you might also consider donating part of your surplus to babies in the ICU at your local hospital. I know that there have been pleas for donated milk for very sick infants in my area, and if I happen to have an over-supply I would hope to donate as I've got no other little ones around. :)

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Answered by a member - Aug. 10, 2012 3:25pm

hahaha thanks everyone! i know what you mean,some people really are uneducated... i recall my grandmother (old dutch lady) saying "how can you feed your baby from your breast! thats for pigs and cows!" regardless, ill be doing it quietly
thanks for the answers, i feel quite comfortable with doing it now !

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Answered by looney - Aug. 10, 2012 2:57pm

Perfectly fine, perfectly healthy. Wonderful idea honestly, and I've made pancakes for my family before using breastmilk (hey, I was in a pinch!) and it was fine. Just don't go around telling people, because there are a lot of people out there, uneducated, naive... who knows for sure, that don't understand the molecular benefits of breastmilk, regardless of the consumers age. If you want to give your older babies left over frozen milk from the deep freezer, that is fine, but if you ever have extra fresh milk, let them have a little of that in a cup too... the live components of the milk are still intact :) Just, don't tell your MIL... or any of your mainstream friends... you might creep them out ;)

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Answered by a member - Aug. 10, 2012 1:18pm

My thought is if you have milk to spare (and it will go to waste if you don't use it), then might as well!

But first priority would go to the baby, which I'm guessing of course you would do anyway. :)

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Answered by monroezelda - Aug. 10, 2012 1:08pm

Breastfeeding continues to offer health benefits into and after toddlerhood. These benefits include a somewhat lowered risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome increased intelligence decreased likelihood of contracting middle ear infections, cold and flu bugs, a tiny decrease in the risk of childhood leukemia, lower risk of childhood onset diabetes, decreased risk of asthma and eczema, decreased dental problems and decreased risk of obesity later in life, and may possibly include a decreased risk of developing psychological disorders, particularly in adopted children. I don't think it will do any harm.

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