Wandering Into Wellness

When you see an image of a mother breastfeeding her toddler, what does it make you feel? In this podcast we are discussing the realities of extended ( or more accurately 'Natural Term' ) breastfeeding in the western world. Given UNICEF's statistics that 77-91% of women in countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Rwanda and Malawi are breastfeeding over 20 months, you could be forgiven for thinking that we didn't have a job to do to encourage mums to take up breastfeeding. But it seems that countries with higher incomes and education such as our own ( Ireland ) - where only 13% of mothers continue breastfeeding to 6 months and beyond - have a crisis on their hands. Maria O'Sullivan is just one of a growing population of mums who have taken breastfeeding through to its natural term; allowing their children to wean when they are ready and therefore giving their babies a wealth of emotional and nutritional advantages, as well as incurring many health benefits themselves such as lower risks of breast cancer. Accord