WHO recommendations

[Nicci P]

I read on a thread here that the World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding for the first 2 years.
I BF my 19 month old and would like to have the proof of the recommendations so that I could show people who comment (getting more and more comments these days, especially now I'm pregnant).
I had a look on the WHO website and all I could find was that its recommended exclusively for the 1st 6 months, so could anyone post a link for me?
Thanks everyone!
xx

[PatioGardener]

Congratulations on both your pregnancy and breastfeeding your 19 month old!

The WHO website (http://www.who.int/topics/infant_nutrition/en/) says (right at the top)

Adequate nutrition during infancy is essential for lifelong health and wellbeing. Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods, while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or more.

[PatioGardener]

Why stop at the WHO? Here is the AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) statement about breastfeeding:

Breastfeeding is the physiological norm for both mothers and their children. Breastmilk offers medical and psychological benefits not available from human milk substitutes. The AAFP recommends that all babies, with rare exceptions, be breastfed and/or receive expressed human milk exclusively for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding should continue with the addition of complementary foods throughout the second half of the first year. Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired. Family physicians should have the knowledge to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding. (1989) (2007)

(bolding mine)
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/p...ingpolicy.html

[ErinsJuneBug]

Doesnt the AAFP also say that toddler who are not breastfed until 2 shows an increase in illness?

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by ErinsJuneBug

Doesnt the AAFP also say that toddler who are not breastfed until 2 shows an increase in illness?

Yes! That is the position paper on breastfeeding - it took a while for me to hunt it down. The previous statement is from their Policy Statement on breastfeeding.

NURSING BEYOND INFANCY
As recommended by the WHO, breastfeeding should ideally continue beyond infancy, but this is not the cultural norm in the United States and requires ongoing support and encouragement. It has been estimated that a natural weaning age for humans is between two and seven years. Family physicians should be knowledgeable regarding the ongoing benefits to the child of extended breastfeeding, including continued immune protection, better social adjustment, and having a sustainable food source in times of emergency. The longer women breastfeed, the greater the decrease in their risk of breast cancer. Mothers who have immigrated from cultures in which breastfeeding beyond infancy is routine should be encouraged to continue this tradition. There is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman's personal decision. If the child is younger than two years, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child.

Note: references removed for easy reading - the original paper plus all the references are found here: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/p...tionpaper.html

[Carita]

wow that is a great quote!!

[Nicci P]

Thanks!!

You are all absolute stars! Going to print these off and carry them around with me at all times!!!