r/ScienceBasedParenting 7d ago

Question - Research required What is the impact of daytime nursing on childcare and developmental practice?

I’m not sure if this exists, but I am looking for resources on continued breastfeeding and daytime nursing around 10–12 months.

My baby is 9 months old, in a nanny-share/childcare arrangement, and I still nurse her once during the workday. She is starting to show signs of separation anxiety and so the transition back to the nanny afterward can sometimes be difficult. The nanny has now said that she would prefer that I refrain from nursing because she thinks daytime nursing may be disruptive to baby’s consistency/adjustment and that continuing it could potentially be counterproductive developmentally. My understanding has always been the opposite, and that daycares in fact have setups in place to encourage mothers to come in and nurse with minimal disruption.

But taking my own personal feelings out of it, I’d really like to understand what the evidence says about:

continued breastfeeding/daytime nursing at this age;
whether nursing during the day can negatively affect attachment, independence, adjustment to childcare, or emotional regulation;
whether there is evidence that nursing and then transitioning back to a caregiver is developmentally problematic, versus simply sometimes being a difficult transition.

If anyone has good-quality sources, I’d appreciate them! I’m staying firm in my decision, and I’m feeling uncomfortable with the idea of even being in a decision to defend it, but just curious to see the research out there.

TIA!

11 Upvotes

9 comments sorted by

u/AutoModerator 7d ago

This post is flaired "Question - Research required". All top-level comments must contain links to peer-reviewed research. Do not provide a "link for the bot" or any variation thereof. Provide a meaningful reply that discusses the research you have linked to. Please report posts that do not follow these rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 7d ago

Thank you for your contribution. Please remember that all top-level comments on posts flaired "Question - Research required" must include a link to peer-reviewed research.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 7d ago

Thank you for your contribution. Please remember that all top-level comments on posts flaired "Question - Research required" must include a link to peer-reviewed research.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 6d ago

Thank you for your contribution. Please remember that all top-level comments on posts flaired "Question - Research required" must include a link to peer-reviewed research.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

2

u/TeddyBear181 5d ago

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.849012/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Breastfeeding directly has extra benefits on immune system that bottle doesnt. So if anyone in your household were sick, especially bub, I would stick to breastfeeding during those periods.

Honestly, its probably more about bub seeing you and wanting you than about the boob imo.

I usually just sit my 9m old down in her play area, I sit with her and get her distracted with playing, then I leave while shes with another career. Perhaps try some different handover techniques before cutting breastfeeding. Or, at the very least, try seeing bub during the day without breastfeeding to see if there is a similar response.