Introduction and objectives:

breastfeeding beyond 1 year or "extended" breastfeeding is a common practice in many cultures, although rare in Western countries. Our objective was to analyse the experiences of mothers that practice extended breastfeeding from a social perspective.

Materials and methods:

survey of 35 mothers that had breastfed or were currently breastfeeding children aged more than 1 year. We explored basic aspects related to this practice. In a second part, we assessed the support received from healthcare professionals, the social perception of extended breastfeeding and the obstacles faced by these mothers.

Results:

60% of mothers were currently breastfeeding, and the mean age of their children was 32.5 months. Most wished to maintain breastfeeding until the child chose to stop. They had all known from the outset that they wanted to breastfeed and would choose this feeding modality again as their preferred option. When concerns arose, their main sources of support were healthcare professionals (58%) and support groups (42%). Up to 65.7% reported getting help from health professionals, with midwives and paediatricians rated as being most supportive. Most mothers reported a high level of satisfaction with extended breastfeeding, but up to 50% had experienced some type of social rejection. Relatives, friends and co-workers had posed barriers at some point that prevented mothers from breastfeeding spontaneously.

Conclusions:

these mothers expressed a high degree of satisfaction and confidence. Healthcare professionals play an important role. There are still prejudices in society that pose barriers to this option and limit is widespread practice.

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