I am often asked, “How long should I breastfeed?” I use the WHO guidelines which is “6 months followed by a combination of continued breastfeeding and safe, appropriate and adequate feeding with other foods”.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is now considered a global public heath goal that is linked to reduction of infant morbidity and mortality.
And as I mentioned in my recent post on tips for breast cancer prevention according to American Institute for Cancer Research/World Cancer Research Fund (AICR/WCRF): “Evidence is convincing that mothers who breastfeed reduce their risk for breast cancer. There is also probable evidence that children who are breastfed have a lower risk of gaining excess weight as they grow.”