Breastfeeding is a personal choice. Therefore, if you’ve been considering that it’s time to stop breastfeeding, then here are some important questions, tips, and suggestions that can help you.
When should you stop breastfeeding?
Experts recommend that infants be breastfed for at least six months. There are plenty of reasons for this.
- It establishes a bond between the mother and child
- Breast milk contains the essential nutrients a baby needs in his or her growing stages
Ideally, you should stop breastfeeding by the age of one. This is the time a child’s nutrition demands increase and intensify, and breast milk may not be enough to fulfill these anymore. However, this decision is completely dependent on how comfortable the baby and the mother are.
After the age of one, babies use breast milk for comfort as they are used to their mothers, and to support their immune system.
Sometimes, mothers also experience pain, itchiness, tightness, and sagging breasts due to breast engorgement, mastitis, thrush, or blocked milk ducts. This is a primary reason why many opt to stop breastfeeding.
Therefore, it is a decision that the mother and her partner need to take, keeping in mind the baby’s well-being.
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