The decision about how long to breastfeed is very personal and can depend on a number of factors. We provide information and support to help you make the decision that is right for you and your baby.
Both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommend that you exclusively breastfeed your baby for the first six months (around 26 weeks), and that you continue breastfeeding alongside introducing solid food for two years or more. The reality is that although most babies are breastfed at the beginning, very few babies in the UK continue to be breastfed beyond the first few months as we have one of the lowest breastfeeding rates for any developed country.
This means that our society is not used always to seeing breastfeeding and schools, colleges, employers, families and communities can lack awareness of breastfeeding. This can make the decision to breastfeed and to keep breastfeeding more difficult for you, particularly during times of change like returning to study or going back to work.
Support and understanding of breastfeeding is growing. We know that every drop of breastmilk that a baby receives is valuable and the longer breastfeeding continues, the greater the benefits to both your baby and you.
Each month of breastfeeding lowers the risk of illnesses that can put babies into hospital. It also helps protect babies against becoming overweight or obese, which means they are less likely to develop diseases like diabetes in the future. Every breastfeed is beneficial for your baby and breastfeeding for even a short time, or in combination with feeding infant formula, will still benefit your baby.
There is no need to decide how long you will breastfeed for at the beginning of your breastfeeding journey. You can take it day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month and even year-by-year. You can continue for as long as it feels right for you and your child. We can provide information on and support with stopping breastfeeding at any point, if you need it. The natural duration of breastfeeding is thought to be anywhere between two and seven years.
We are here to help you make breastfeeding work for you.
You may find these NHS links useful:
Why breastfeed, Start4Life, Building Blocks leaflet
You can read more about breastfeeding toddlers and older children here:
How long should a mother breastfeed? (La Leche League International)
What are the benefits of breastfeeding my toddler? (La Leche League International)