Like so many questions about Baby, the answer depends on what’s right for you and your family.
Things to consider:
- Breastfeeding can be smooth sailing or require a ton of support. If you enjoy breastfeeding your baby, it can be easier to continue doing so and meet feeding goals. Seeking expert help can get you through early challenges!
- Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics suggest that Baby should be nourished exclusively through breastfeeding for the first six months of their life.
- After the first six months, both organizations recommend starting to introduce solid foods, but as a supplement to breast milk, not a replacement. It’s still the easiest to digest and most nutritious source of food until age one.
- Longer amounts of paid family leave often translate into longer term breastfeeding rates. But a supportive work environment can also be a real win to making the logistics of breastfeeding continue to work. Be open with your employer about your feeding goals, and lean in to any state or federal protections you may have for pumping.
- General medical opinion says that while exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months is ideal, you should continue to feed Baby both solid food and breast milk for as long as the combination is right for both of you.
- Family and community support makes a world of difference. Sometimes finding support means reaching out in-person or on-line to find your people.
- You may know that breastmilk provides excellent nutrition for Baby as long as you offer it. But you may not know that health benefits for you increase the longer you choose to breastfeed. For example, for every year you breastfeed, the risk of breast cancer goes down 4.3%.
And remember, if for whatever reason your feeding goals are different from what’s described above, any amount of time spent breastfeeding has a positive impact on your health, Baby’s health and their immune system! There isn’t one perfect way to feed your baby, and you know your family best.
Sources
- “Making the decision to breastfeed.” WomensHealth.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, January 23 2017. Retrieved October 25 2017. https://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/making-decision-breastfeed.
- “Up to what age can a baby stay well-nourished just by breastfeeding?” World Health Organization. World Health Organization, July 2015. Retrieved October 25 2017. http://www.who.int/features/qa/21/en/.
- Stordal B. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer: A call for action in high-income countries with low rates of breastfeeding. Cancer Med. 2023 Feb;12(4):4616-4625.
- Feldman-Winter, Lori “Breastfeeding: AAP Policy Explained.” Healthy Children American Academy of Pediatrics. 5/17/2024
