Medela: How Long Should I Breastfeed my Baby?

08/27/2016

The breastfeeding journey is different for every mother. Most moms love the physical and emotional experience of breastfeeding with all their heart and treasure the connection that it gives them to their baby. They want the best for their baby and are happy to do whatever they can to deliver those health benefits for as long as possible. Even if at the beginning, that means 12 feeds a day and endless sleepless nights! Of course, there are also the hidden benefits for both baby and mom. The simplicity and cost saving of breastfeeding is one very practical benefit. And there are also many health benefits that a mother gains for herself. This includes helping her body recover from childbirth, weight loss, and emotional wellbeing. Breastfeeding has even been reported to reduce the risk of cancer and positively impact a woman’s health conditions later in life.

There has recently been a lot of research showing that the connection between mothers and babies is even stronger than originally thought. A Scientific American article shows how baby and mother connect on a cellular level in their brains and how this impacts the health of a baby so much more than just the expression of maternal love.

The breastfeeding journey impacts every woman and baby differently. After a few months and the experience of a growing baby who wants to experiment with solid food, the question a lot of mothers ask is, “How long should I breastfeed my baby.”? The answer is of course impacted by medical, social and personal considerations. Sometimes babies want to move on from breastfeeding themselves. One member of the Medela community said ‘I recently had triplets and one little peanut prefers a bottle – go figure.” Other children are very happy to breastfeed well into their second year. The truth is that every baby is different and the idea that there is a“normal” way to breastfeed a baby is not plausible. There is not one right answer. But let’s look at the question from some different angles.

Want to read more, including What the Experts Say, Going Back to Work and more click here

If a mother and her baby are both enjoying breastfeeding, the best advice is to continue for as long as you both want. It is as simple as that. Time will go fast enough, and the act of breastfeeding is a gift worth giving for as long as possible.