These days, there are few who would argue with the fact that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your newborn baby. While there are some who choose to formula feed for one reason or another, no one is seriously suggesting that it is healthier for your baby these days. But how long should you breastfeed your baby?

The World Health Organization has made it a priority to promote breastfeeding in order to promote better health of babies and mothers as well. They recommend giving your baby nothing but breast milk for the first six months of life. After your baby is six months old, you can begin offering solid foods, but you should continue to breastfeed your baby throughout at least the first full year of his life.

Many mothers choose to continue breastfeeding after baby’s first birthday, and studies show that there are considerable benefits to breastfeeding your child until his second birthday. How long you breastfeed beyond that is really up to you. There is no harm in continuing to breastfeed for a while if you want to.

When you start feeding your baby solid foods, you will find that his need to breastfeed gradually decreases as the amount of solid food you give him increases. In most cases, babies can be gradually weaned between one and two years old. Again, however, there is no need to stop breastfeeding until you are ready to do so. As long as your child isn’t still breastfeeding when it’s time to go to preschool, there isn’t a problem.

Most babies take to eating solid food fairly quickly, and seem to enjoy the sudden variety in their diets. If your baby doesn’t, however, there really isn’t a big hurry to get them to eat solid foods. They will show interest in solid foods soon enough. Unless advised otherwise by your baby’s pediatrician, feel free to continue breastfeeding for as long as your baby wants to. Just make sure to periodically offer solid foods starting at six months of age.

In short, breastfeed your baby exclusively for his first six months. After that, in most cases it is best to continue breastfeeding your baby, supplemented with increasing amounts of solid food, until she is about two years old.

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