How Long Should Breast Feeding be Continued?
It is natural that this question will pose itself before mothers. There is no single unequivocal answer to this question, as there are many factors inter-related with breast-feeding. The health of the mother, the rate of production of milk, the health and growth of the baby, the nutritive quality of the milk: all these factors have to be considered. Still, it can be said that in normal circumstances breast feeding may be continued till the baby is nine months old. Weaning must be commenced around this time.
There are many erroneous notions about the ‘advantages’ of continuing breast-feeding like if it is continued, the woman will not menstruate, and that even if she does, normal breast-feeding can continue. Despite the prevalence of this belief, if, as often happens, the mother or the child experiences discomfort on the first or the second day of menstruation, breastfeeding must be discontinued at once, and bottle-feeding should be substituted.
The best and most convenient time for weaning is when the baby is eight to ten months old. Breast-feeding is no longer advantageous beyond that time, as the nutritional requirements of the baby increase and the supply of milk decreases around that time.