Attachment Parenting :: Articles :: How Long Should I Breastfeed / Nurse My Baby?

Most people know that breastfeeding a newborn is very important because the mother produces a substance known as colostrum during the first few days of life; the colostrum, the precursor to milk, is extremely rich in antibodies, as well as being custom made for that mother's baby.

Most also know that it's "good" to breastfeed a baby for "a few months", but, sadly, that is as far as the breastfeeding knowledge of many goes.

In fact, babies should be exclusively breastfed for approximately the first 6 months of life. Solids should be introduced at whatever point after six months the baby starts showing a serious interest in solid food (indicia include grabbing food off others' plates, staring intently at others eating, and making chewing motions while starting at others eating).

Even after the introduction of solids, babies should be breastfed for at least the first full year of life. Even the very conservative American Academy of Pediatrics recommends "that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired." (See cite to site below.)

The World Health Organization recommends that children should be breastfed up until two years of age, or beyond.

Additional Resourcs:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants should be fed exclusively on breastmilk for approximately the first six months of life, and "that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired". (See specifically "Item 6" under "Recommended Breastfeeding Practices")
• The World Health Organization recommends that after an "initial 4-to-6-month period of exclusive breast-feeding, children should continue to be breast-fed for up to 2 years of age or beyond."