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Mom: Hello?

Me: Oh, hi, mom, am I calling too late? (She says no, so I plow ahead.) So, I’m writing my new babygooroo column about extended breastfeeding, and I thought I should do a Q&A with you since you breastfed me for around two years, right?

Mom: Oh, yes, close to two years. And this was when breastfeeding wasn’t widely accepted, and I didn’t get much help from my family.

I had absolutely no help from the pediatrician or the doctors. They said, here, take formula….then, in 1977, La Leche League had gotten big in Athens, and there were notices at the doctor’s office (for meetings). Your dad was extremely supportive.

Me: That’s so cool.

Mom: Yeah, it was, because my parents weren’t! At the end (of nursing you) I didn’t tell them. What was the point? By then, you were down to morning and night….they didn’t understand, so I had to hide it. That’s just not healthy.

Me: Man.

Mom: Yeah, it sucked—No pun intended. La Leche League was where I turned to when I had breast infections. The doctors told me I had to stop, but La Leche League had a board of doctors and told me I could keep going.

Me: So, how were the siblings with the breastfeeding? Were you pretty open about it with them?

Mom: They just took it in stride. I was pretty open with it, especially with your sister. And I think because of it your sister breastfed, too.

Me: So, assuming your openness and support of extended breastfeeding may have influenced, in some way, the decisions of me, my sister and sister-in-law to breastfeed for at least a year or longer…how does it feel knowing you might have helped, let’s see, five kids get breastfed?

Mom: It’s really a great feeling. It’s a wonderful thing to pass on. Also, it’s like, hey—this is the primary function of the breast, dearie.

Me: Tell me more about extended breastfeeding as a comfort.

Mom: That time I had to have your stomach pumped (MJ says: I had gotten into my dad’s medicine bag and popped some pills), it was so nice to be able to breastfeed you afterward. And the nurse there at the time was a La Leche League Leader! I asked her if I could breastfeed you afterwards and she said, yes, so I did.

Me: Do you think there’s more of a climate of acceptance for extended breastfeeding these days?

Mom: You’re still going to run into some people who think it’s weird. You’ll always have people like that…you just have to have a good support system. There’s a lot more medical data coming out with extended breastfeeding.

(We briefly interrupt this phone conversation, since now is a good time to note some of that medical data. Last month, a U.S. News and World Report article reported that breastfeeding longer than a year reduces the mother’s risk of rheumatoid arthritis by half, according to a new Swedish study.

According to Dr. William Sears, the brain grows more during the first two years of life than any other time, and babies benefit from the “smart fats,” or omega-3 fatty acid that is unique to breastmilk. He also notes that extended breastfeeding reduces the risk of uterine, ovarian and breast cancers.

La Leche League suggests that extended breastfeeding actually helps children become more independent, since their dependency needs are being met—and meanwhile, the breastmilk is still delivering immunities and vitamins.

The World Health Organization recommends “exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months…with continued breastfeeding up to two years and beyond.”And the American Academy of Pedatrics says “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.”

My son, Tommy, will be two in September, and still breastfeeds—once upon waking in the morning, once during the day, usually before a nap, and once before going to bed. Now, back to the phone conversation.)

Me: I know you said that part of the reason you wanted to breastfeed me was because you weren’t able to breastfeed the others, and you saw some of the health problems they had.

Mom: It’s just something I wanted to do and do it well, because I knew that the benefits were so great. I felt I was a failure with your brother (by not being able to breastfeed more than a month).

Me: Oh, no! I hope you realize now that you weren’t a failure.

Mom: No. It was the doctors. (laughs)

Me: What advice would you give to someone who wants to keep breastfeeding past a year but is worried about what other people will think?

Mom: I think I would just sit them down and say, what do you want to do, what do you really want to do? Forget about other people…go for it and feel comfortable.

Me: I sure am lucky you’re my mom.

Mom: Oh, gee— thanks, kid! I’m glad you’ve chosen to do what you’re doing with Tommy.