How Long Should you Breastfeed?

Are you wondering how long you should breastfeedrelative risks/benefits of breast milk and formula.(3-8)
for? If you are asking this question, it is likely becauseBecause we are so keen to promote and support
of one of the following reasons:breastfeeding, we over-inflate the benefits of
* you want to know what the officialbreastfeeding, at the same time we over-inflate the
recommendations are for breastfeeding;risks of formula feeding. Even though breast milk is the
* you are considering stopping breastfeeding and youhealthiest choice, formula is considered a safe and
want to know if it is okay to do this; orhealthy alternative.
* you want to keep breastfeeding (i.e., extendedOne thing to keep in mind, though, is that it can be quite
breastfeeding) and are wondering it this is okay.difficult to re-establish breastfeeding once you stop. So,
Each of these considerations is addressed below.if you are not yet sure about what you want to do, I
1. Official Recommendationswould suggest keeping up with somebreastfeeding until
When it comes to establishing official guidelines foryou feel certain about wanting to stop. Again, it is
breastfeeding, most medical and health organizations,always a good idea to talk to your health provider, and
including the American Academy of Pediatrics and theor other moms whose opinions you trust, to help you
Canadian Pediatric Society, follow themake this decision.
recommendations put out by the World Health3. Extended Breastfeeding
Organization, which are as follows:How long should you breastfeed if you really love it?
"Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6When wondering how long they should breastfeed,
months of age, with continued breastfeeding along withmany moms wonder if extended breastfeeding is
appropriate complementary foods up to two years ofokay. Extended breastfeeding is typically defined as
age or beyond." (WHO 2009)breastfeeding beyond the first year. And the short
In other words, official health guidelines recommendanswer is "yes, extended breastfeeding is perfectly
that babies be fed breast milk, exclusively, forfine." Indeed, many mothers continue to breastfeed into
approximately the first six months of life. At about sixtoddler-hood, and in many parts of the world it is the
months, when solid foods are introduced, continuednorm to breastfeed for more than two years.
(non-exclusive) breastfeeding is recommended for asHowever, because extended breastfeeding is not the
long as mom and baby are still enjoying it.cultural norm in Western societies, you may feel a
Thus, even though the WHO text doesn't state this ascertain lack of support -- or even disagreement --
clearly as it perhaps could, the "official"from others about the practice.(9) That said, if you feel
recommendation about how long you shouldstrongly about wanting to continue breastfeeding, don't
breastfeed is this: once your baby is eating solid foods,let others discourage you from doing so -- do what
it is really up to you to decide how much longer tofeels right for you, for your child, for your family.
breastfeed for. (1-2)Sometimes, finding support from other moms can help.
2. Stopping Breastfeeding EarlyThe La Leche League is also an excellent resource
If you are thinking of stopping breastfeeding before thefor breastfeeding support.
big "six month" milestone, here is some information youSources:
might find reassuring:1. World Health Organization. "Breastfeeding" Located
* Official recommendations for how long should youat
breastfeed are standardized, population-level2. Calgary Health Region. 2008. From Here Through
recommendations. They are meant to provideMaternity: A Resource for Families. Calgary, Canada:
consistency about what the official “message”Author.
should be about infant feeding. At the end of the day,3. Knaak, S. 2006. The problem with breastfeeding
though, every baby is different, and every mother’sdiscourse. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 97(5),
situation is unique. So, the specific best thing for you412-414.
may very well involve deviating in some way or4. Knaak, S. 2010 (forthcoming) "Contextualizing Risk,
another from the standard message. Not only is thisConstructing Choice: Breastfeeding and Good
okay, it’s part of what becoming a self-aware,Mothering in Risk Society," Health, Risk & Society.
empowered, and informed parent is all about.5. Kukla, R. 2006. Ethics and ideology in breastfeeding
* Remember that the World Health Organization (theadvocacy campaigns. Hypatia, 21(1), 157-180.
organization from which our recommendations derive)6. Wolf, J.B. 2007. Is breast really best? Risk and total
has a global mandate. This means they need to makemotherhood in the national breastfeeding awareness
recommendations that take the entire world intocampaign. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law,
account. The health outcomes of feeding breast milk32(4), 595-636.
vs. formula milk are quite different when comparing7. Law, J. 2000. The politics of breastfeeding:
developing countries (larger health differencesAssessing risk, dividing labor. Signs, 25(2), 407-450.
between formula and breast milk) to developed ones8. Wall, G. 2001. Moral constructions of motherhood in
(much smaller differences between formula andbreastfeeding discourse. Gender & Society, 15(4),
breast milk).(3) If you are living in the developed world,592-610.
reaching that six month mark for exclusive9. Van Esterik, P. 2002. Contemporary trends in infant
breastfeeding is good -- but it’s certainly not crucial.feeding research. Annual Review of Anthropology, 31,
*The scientific literature is increasingly recognizing that257-78.
we are not doing a proper job of communicating the