How Long Should You Breastfeed?
Are you wondering how long you should you breastfeed for? If you are asking this question, it is likely because of one of the following reasons: * you want to know what the official recommendations are for breastfeeding; * you are considering stopping breastfeeding and you want to know if it is okay to do this; * you want to breastfeed for longer (i.
e.
, extended breastfeeding) and are wondering it this is okay.
Each of these three considerations is addressed below.
1.
Official Recommendations When it comes to official guidelines for breastfeeding, most medical and health organizations -- including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric Society -- follow the recommendation put out by the World Health Organization, which is as follows: "Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
" (WHO 2009) In other words, official health guidelines recommend that babies be fed only breast milk for approximately the first six months of life.
At about six months, when solid foods are introduced, continued (non-exclusive) breastfeeding is recommended for as long as mom and baby are still enjoying it.
Even though the WHO text doesn't state this as clearly as it possibly could, the answer to the question "how long should you breastfeed" is thus as follows: once baby is getting solid foods, it is really up to you to decide how much longer to breastfeed for.
2.
Stopping Breastfeeding Early If you are thinking of stopping breastfeeding before the big "six month" milestone, here is some information you may find reassuring.
* Official recommendations for how long should you breastfeed are standardized population-level recommendations only; they are not individual-specific.
In other words, they provide consistency around the official "message" on infant feeding, not individual situations and contexts.
At the end of the day, every baby is different and every mother's situation is unique.
This means that standardized recommendations are not "one size fits all" in real life.
* Remember that the World Health Organization (the organization from which our recommendations derive) has a global mandate.
This means they need to make recommendations that take the entire world into account.
The health outcomes of feeding breast milk vs.
formula milk are quite different when comparing developing countries (larger health differences between formula and breast milk) to developed ones (much smaller differences between formula and breast milk).
In other words, if you are living in the developed world, reaching that six month mark for exclusive breastfeeding is good, but certainly not crucial.
* The scientific literature is increasingly recognizing that we are not doing a proper job of communicating the relative risks/benefits of breast milk and formula.
Because we are so keen to promote and support breastfeeding, we tend to over-inflate the benefits of breastfeeding, at the same time as we also over-inflate the risks of formula feeding.
The bottom line is this: if you are thinking of stopping breastfeeding early (i.
e.
before the officially recommended time), don't stress too much -- especially if your baby is already getting some solid foods, and/or if you've found a formula that you feel relatively confident about.
Even though breast milk is the healthiest choice, formula is considered a safe and healthy alternative.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that it can be quite difficult to re-establish breastfeeding once you stop.
So, if you are not yet sure about what you want to do, I would suggest keeping up with SOME breastfeeding until you feel certain about wanting to stop.
It is always a good idea to talk to your health provider, and/or other moms whose opinions you trust, to help you make this decision.
3.
Extended Breastfeeding How long should you breastfeed if you really love it? It is in this context that many moms wonder if extended breastfeeding is okay.
Extended breastfeeding is typically defined as breastfeeding beyond the first year.
And the short answer here is, "yes, extended breastfeeding is perfectly fine.
" Indeed, many mothers continue to breastfeed into toddler-hood, and in many parts of the world it is the norm to breastfeed for more than two years.
However, because extended breastfeeding is not currently the cultural norm in Western societies, you may feel a certain lack of support -- or even disagreement -- from others about the practice.
Of course, if you feel strongly about wanting to continue breastfeeding, don't let others discourage you from doing so -- do what feels right for you, for your child, for your family.
Sometimes, finding support from other moms can help.
The La Leche League is also a popular resource for breastfeeding support.
e.
, extended breastfeeding) and are wondering it this is okay.
Each of these three considerations is addressed below.
1.
Official Recommendations When it comes to official guidelines for breastfeeding, most medical and health organizations -- including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric Society -- follow the recommendation put out by the World Health Organization, which is as follows: "Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
" (WHO 2009) In other words, official health guidelines recommend that babies be fed only breast milk for approximately the first six months of life.
At about six months, when solid foods are introduced, continued (non-exclusive) breastfeeding is recommended for as long as mom and baby are still enjoying it.
Even though the WHO text doesn't state this as clearly as it possibly could, the answer to the question "how long should you breastfeed" is thus as follows: once baby is getting solid foods, it is really up to you to decide how much longer to breastfeed for.
2.
Stopping Breastfeeding Early If you are thinking of stopping breastfeeding before the big "six month" milestone, here is some information you may find reassuring.
* Official recommendations for how long should you breastfeed are standardized population-level recommendations only; they are not individual-specific.
In other words, they provide consistency around the official "message" on infant feeding, not individual situations and contexts.
At the end of the day, every baby is different and every mother's situation is unique.
This means that standardized recommendations are not "one size fits all" in real life.
* Remember that the World Health Organization (the organization from which our recommendations derive) has a global mandate.
This means they need to make recommendations that take the entire world into account.
The health outcomes of feeding breast milk vs.
formula milk are quite different when comparing developing countries (larger health differences between formula and breast milk) to developed ones (much smaller differences between formula and breast milk).
In other words, if you are living in the developed world, reaching that six month mark for exclusive breastfeeding is good, but certainly not crucial.
* The scientific literature is increasingly recognizing that we are not doing a proper job of communicating the relative risks/benefits of breast milk and formula.
Because we are so keen to promote and support breastfeeding, we tend to over-inflate the benefits of breastfeeding, at the same time as we also over-inflate the risks of formula feeding.
The bottom line is this: if you are thinking of stopping breastfeeding early (i.
e.
before the officially recommended time), don't stress too much -- especially if your baby is already getting some solid foods, and/or if you've found a formula that you feel relatively confident about.
Even though breast milk is the healthiest choice, formula is considered a safe and healthy alternative.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that it can be quite difficult to re-establish breastfeeding once you stop.
So, if you are not yet sure about what you want to do, I would suggest keeping up with SOME breastfeeding until you feel certain about wanting to stop.
It is always a good idea to talk to your health provider, and/or other moms whose opinions you trust, to help you make this decision.
3.
Extended Breastfeeding How long should you breastfeed if you really love it? It is in this context that many moms wonder if extended breastfeeding is okay.
Extended breastfeeding is typically defined as breastfeeding beyond the first year.
And the short answer here is, "yes, extended breastfeeding is perfectly fine.
" Indeed, many mothers continue to breastfeed into toddler-hood, and in many parts of the world it is the norm to breastfeed for more than two years.
However, because extended breastfeeding is not currently the cultural norm in Western societies, you may feel a certain lack of support -- or even disagreement -- from others about the practice.
Of course, if you feel strongly about wanting to continue breastfeeding, don't let others discourage you from doing so -- do what feels right for you, for your child, for your family.
Sometimes, finding support from other moms can help.
The La Leche League is also a popular resource for breastfeeding support.
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