How Long to Breastfeed? Benefits of Long-Term Breastfeeding for Mother and Baby
Dear Mom, if you are wondering how long to breastfeed, you are not alone - there are many myths and conflicting opinions surrounding this topic. Is it true that when a child turns 1, mother's milk turns into water and loses nutritional value? How long should breastfeeding last?
In this article, we answer the question of how long to breastfeed your baby, debunking the most popular myths and explaining the benefits of long-term breastfeeding for both mother and baby.
How long should breastfeeding last? expert recommendations
Let's start with the most important, expert recommendations: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 miesięcy After this time, along with expanding the diet, breastfeeding (BF) should be continued until the age of 2 or longer, if the mother and child want it [1,5]. Until when to breastfeed – the decision to continue or end breastfeeding should therefore be made to you and your baby.
Expert advises
How long should breastfeeding last? In practice, each child is different and has its own individual needs. It is important to observe the baby and respond to its signals, without giving up your own needs and preferences. There is no clear answer to the question of how long to breastfeed - although specialists' recommendations clearly promote feeding a child with mother's milk for as long as possible, each family (first and foremost the mother and child) should make their own decision on how long to breastfeed, guided by the good of both the baby and other family members.
How long to breastfeed? Discover the benefits of long-term breastfeeding for your baby
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Strengthening immunity and minimizing the risk of infection:
Breast milk is real elixir of immunity. It contains, among others: antibodies, immunoglobulins, leukocytes, lysozyme and lactoferrin, which help protect the baby against infections. How long should breastfeeding last??
Expert advises
Long-term breastfeeding helps build a strong immune system for your child, which is especially important when the baby starts attending nursery or kindergarten. Moreover, studies show that long-term breastfeeding can reduce the risk of a child developing, among others, otitis media and malocclusions [2].
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Support for cognitive development:
Breast milk is an invaluable support for brain development child. When a properly balanced diet rich in oily sea fish and/or with appropriate supplementation in a breastfeeding woman, breast milk contains omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA, which are essential for the proper development of the baby's brain and nervous system. Until when should you breastfeed?
Studies show that babies who are breastfed longer often score better on intelligence tests and have better memories [2].
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Emotional regulation:
Physical closeness during breastfeeding helps build a sense of security and connection between mother and child.
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Reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes:
Studies suggest that prolonged breastfeeding may reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life [2]. Breast milk contains appetite-regulating hormones, such as leptin, which may help shape healthy eating habits in children in the future.
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Midwife, Expert in issuing opinions on utility products at the Institute of Mother and Child
Until when to breastfeed - How does long-term breastfeeding affect the mother's health and well-being?
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Reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer:
Long-term breastfeeding is natural for a woman. protection against breast and ovarian cancer [1,2]. Each month of breastfeeding reduces the risk of developing these cancers. It has also been proven that long-term breastfeeding reduces a woman's risk of developing type 2 diabetes [2].
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Faster return to shape after childbirth:
Breastfeeding not only helps the uterus shrink faster after birth. The processes associated with milk production are an energy cost for the breastfeeding mother's body of approx. 670 kcal/day, which naturally helps to lose extra pounds. If you are breastfeeding and wondering how to safely lose extra pounds after giving birth, we invite you to read our Article on this topic.
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Convenience and savings:
Breast milk is always available (also outside the home, e.g. when travelling), ready to drink and at the right temperature. Until when to breastfeed - long KP allows save time and money, which would have to be spent on purchasing formula milk, bottles and feeding accessories.
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Strengthening the bond with your child:
Breastfeeding is a special time of closeness between mother and child — how long should breastfeeding last? From the perspective of building a strong bond, breastfeeding should continue for as long as possible. However, if a mother wants or needs to stop breastfeeding for important reasons and does not know how to do it, she should not hesitate to seek advice from an experienced midwife or a Certified Lactation Consultant (CDL).
Debunking the myths – does milk turn into water, until when should you breastfeed?
There are many myths surrounding long-term breastfeeding. Here are a few of them:
WITH: How long should breastfeeding last, since after the first year of life, mother's milk no longer has any nutritional value for the child and turns into water?
FACT: This is not true! Even after the first year of life, breast milk is a valuable source of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antibodies for a child.
What's more, breast milk throughout the lactation period changes its composition and is ideally suited to the needs of the child at a given stage of development [1].
WITH: Long-term breastfeeding is harmful to your baby's teeth.
FACT: Long-term breastfeeding is not harmful to a baby's teeth as long as parents take care of them. daily oral hygiene for your baby. If you want to know how to properly care for your baby's teeth, we invite you to read our Article.
WITH: How long should you breastfeed if long-term breastfeeding supposedly makes it harder for your baby to become independent?
FACT: Breastfeeding is not an obstacle to a child becoming independent, quite the opposite! KP can affect sense of security child, which promotes its proper development and achieving independence in later stages of life.
WITH: How long should breastfeeding last? Breastfeeding a two-year-old or older child is socially perceived as shameful and weird.
FACT: Unfortunately, mothers who decide to breastfeed for a long time sometimes encounter a lack of social acceptance of their decision. Fortunately, more and more people are aware of benefits resulting from long-term breastfeeding.
It is important that you feel confident in your decision and not worry about the negative opinions of those around you.
How Long to Breastfeed - Summary
Deciding how long to breastfeed, belongs to you and your family. How long should breastfeeding last? There is no one right answer. The most important thing is that you feel good about your decision, guided by the good of yourself, your family and your child.
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Bibliography:
- World Health Organization. Infant and young child feeding. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023. (accessed on February 04.02.2025, XNUMX): https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infant-and-young-child-feeding
- Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effects, Victora, Cesar G et al.The Lancet, Volume 387, Issue 10017, 475 – 490
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breastfeeding benefits both baby and mom. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2023. (accessed on February 04.02.2025, XNUMX): https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/features/breastfeeding-benefits.html
- Aune D, Norat T, Romundstad P, Vatten LJ. Breastfeeding and the risk of type 2 diabetes in mothers and their offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Epidemiol. 2014;43(1):282-297.
- World Health Organization. Continued breastfeeding for healthy growth and development of children. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013. (accessed on February 04.02.2025, XNUMX): https://www.who.int/tools/elena/bbc/continued-breastfeeding#:~:text=Evidence%20also%20indicates%20that%20breastfeeding,continued%20(6%2D8.
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