How long should I breastfeed?

I joke when I teach my prenatal classes that you should never ask a lactation consultant this question. My answer will be “until the kid starts school”. Just kidding. My wish is for every child to be nursed till two but it is not my choice, its yours.

If I got to choose, it would be a year minimum. But my overall motto is “As much as you can, for as long as you can.”

What do others have to say?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for a year, with breastmilk being the primary source of nutrition until supplementary foods starting at 6 months.

The World Health Organization recommends “As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed(1) for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health(2). Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond.”

The American Academy of Family Practice says: “Breastfeeding is the physiological norm for both mothers and their children. Breastmilk offers medical and psychological benefits not available from human milk substitutes. The AAFP recommends that all babies, with rare exceptions, be breastfed and/or receive expressed human milk exclusively for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding should continue with the addition of complementary foods throughout the second half of the first year. Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired. Family physicians should have the knowledge to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding. (1989) (2007)”

What is the answer then? It is up to you. It is a FREE commodity that you make just for your baby- so why not use it?What if breastfeeding is not working for you?If breastfeeding is too overwhelming or not enjoyable to you for whatever reason, try pumping and giving expressed breastmilk. If pumping does not work either, you can obtain breastmilk from a donor milk bank or a milksharing program.

Want to learn more about breastfeeding in an easy to watch DVD? Here is a great one by a board certified lactation consultant.

I hope you enjoyed this article How long should I breastfeed.

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