What should be the cut-off age for breastfeeding children?

You might notice that there is no mention of a cutoff or weaning age. In fact, both groups advise continued breastfeeding for as long as it is beneficial to both mother and child. read more

There is no cut off age. The WHO recommends breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond. No matter the age of the child breast milk provides nutritional benefits, such as LCFAs and IgAs. It is free, there are no problems with infection risk, promotes bonding and may help the mother return to pre baby weight/size. read more

Only 5.7% of children are still breastfeeding at 18 months. If we look at exclusive breastfeeding the numbers drop even further to 33.5 % of children at 3 months and 13.8% of children at 6 months. If only 5% of children are still breastfeeding at 18 months it is logical to assume that a much smaller proportion of children are still breastfeeding at three, four, or even five years of age. read more

They also note that “If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned.” (AAFP 2008) The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine affirms breastfeeding beyond infancy as the biological norm. read more