How long you breastfeed your child is ultimately for you to decide. There are many factors that go into the decision-making process, such as when you want to return to work. Many mothers also choose not to breastfeed extensively for aesthetic reasons, because the shape and size of the breasts change over the course of breastfeeding, especially if you have breastfed several children.
The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends exclusively breastfeeding a baby for six months, then beginning the introduction of complementary foods and continuing to breastfeed supplementally until the baby’s 2nd birthday or beyond.
What is usually practiced is the following more open and flexible recommendation:
- Infants should be exclusively breastfed at least until the beginning of the 5th month of life, and better until the 7th month of life. Especially for children at risk of allergies, longer breastfeeding is beneficial. The child does not need additional fluids during this time.
- From the 5th month of life, but no later than the 7th, can be started with complementary food. The introduction of complementary food is individual and slow and gradual. Supplementary breastfeeding is given. Gradually, the proportion of the infant’s normal diet increases and the breastfeeding meals become fewer. The amount of milk adjusts accordingly.
- From the 6th month of life of the infant, the mother’s milk alone is no longer sufficient to provide. A supplementary feeding becomes necessary. The proportion of solid food (complementary food) should be steadily increased during weaning until only one meal a day consists of breast milk. Easily digestible foods such as potatoes, rice and vegetables are best suited.
Note: A soy-based diet in infants led to sex-dependent changes in one study:
- Girls: smaller uteri (wombs) and uterine involution (uterine regression) was slightly slower; breast buds showed a relative size maximum at week four, then relative size decreased, only to increase again later.
- Boys: Breast buds showed a relative size maximum in the fourth week, then declined steadily, but remained significantly higher under the soy diet.
- A possible influence on puberty and fertility can not be excluded.
To immediately assign any food intolerances, new foods must be introduced slowly – one food at a time at weekly intervals. Foods with known high allergenicity such as whole grains, corn, mushrooms, eggs, fish, hazelnuts, cow’s milk, as well as citrus fruits should be completely avoided in the first year of life. Often such foods are difficult to digest and irritate the digestive tract.
Exclusive breastfeeding for shorter periods than six months or partial breastfeeding are also judged to be reasonable by the Breastfeeding Commission.
