Becoming a mother has made me whole in a way that I never expected; has filled me up with so much more love and joy than I ever expected. In fact motherhood has been jam-packed with surprises and has been a huge part of my personal growth.

For example, I never knew I would be a mother nursing a toddler and absolutely loving it. Not that I thought I wouldn’t necessarily, I just never even thought about nursing an older child. And then when breastfeeding did enter my reality I assumed I would nurse for 6 months (if I could make it an entire 6 months!).

I have learned so much over the past two years about breast milk, nursing, and the unique bond that forms through breastfeeding. Nursing a toddler is an entirely different ballgame all together. They can verbalize how much they need mama’s closeness and tell you how much they love their (insert your name for nursing here). We call our nursing sessions "nummies." Lacks in originality, I know.

Some statistics from Kellymom.com:

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

My daughter does have a healthy appetite and eats a variety of different nutritious foods. What better vitamin supplement than mom’s milk, produced and designed just for her! The fat and energy content significantly increases in breast milk produced beyond the first year of life and continues to provide key nutrients to the growing toddler.

There are the benefits we have long heard about such as fewer illnesses and allergies and some immune factors increase in the second year of lactation (Goldman 1983, Goldman & Goldblum 1983, Institute of Medicine 1991). And this from the World Health Organization: "A modest increase in breastfeeding rates could prevent up to 10 percent of all deaths of children under 5: Breastfeeding plays an essential and sometimes underestimated role in the treatment and prevention of childhood illness."

Just as important however is the gentle transition from baby to independence that nursing your toddler can provide. According to Elizabeth N. Baldwin in "Extended Breastfeeding and the Law": "Meeting a child's dependency needs is the key to helping that child achieve independence. And children outgrow these needs according to their own unique timetable." In short, meet your individual baby’s dependency needs and will follow healthy independence.

So let's band together, rethink our own definition of the mother and child nursing relationship, and change our culture for the better.