Breastfeeding Fact O' The Week

Toddlers between the ages of 12 and 24 months benefit from breastfeeding.

There has been little research on nursing beyond the age of two, but from the research before the age of two, there is a lot of great benefits. So moms who nurse toddlers, sing its praises! I know I sure will.

If you haven't discovered Kelly Mom (kellymom.com) yet, then you ought to. As a breastfeeding mom, this site is chock full of answers and questions to your every day nursing needs.

According to Kelly Mom and its researched experts, here are the nutrients found in breastmilk after that first year of a little one's life:

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

448 mL of breastmilk is just 15 liquid ounces! Just that little bit of milk contains that many vitamins and nutrients! If you ask me, that just goes to prove how awesome a woman's body is. Her breastmilk grows her child's body, mind, and immune system for the first year and beyond!

I found this interesting: A study done in Bangladesh found that breastmilk beyond the first year is a significant source of Vitamin A for the nursing toddler. Vitamin A deficiency is often found in undeveloped countries where left untreated and at its worse can cause irreversible blindness!

Well, my nursing toddler just so happens to be poking at the screen, causing me irreversible laptop blindness, so I should go. ;)

To read more, click here and visit Kellymom.com!