The Nursing Baby - Q&A

Marieanne Van de Vall aks:

My son is 25 months and we are both still enjoying nursing.How much milk does he drink in say 5 minutes(most of the time he drinks for 20 or more minutes,3-6 x a day).How much nutritions are in the breastmilk? He also eats solids. He is on the average scale in length and weight,so I think he gets enough.

It's impossible to tell how much milk your son is drinking. Toddlers generally need about 800-1000 calories per day. Your best guess would be to see how many solids he is eating, and subtract from that. Breastmilk is 20 calories an ounce.

So if your son eats 500 calories in solids and other liquids, he is probably getting 300-500 calories from breastmilk (or 15-25 ounces).

As long as your son is nursing 2-3 times per day, your son is getting all the calcium from breastmilk he needs. Breastmilk is just as nutritious the second (and third, and fourth, etc) years as it is the first year. Some nutrients, like zinc and copper, decrease because a toddler's brain is not growing as rapidly as a newborn's does.

Congratulations for continuing to nurse your boy! You are doing the very best thing for him nutritionally, immunologically, and emotionally for him!

These tips are not intended to be medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have questions.

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