The Academy of Pediatrics Just Issued New Breastfeeding Guidelines. Here’s What We Know.
If you or someone you know if having a baby soon, this is for you.
The Academy of Pediatrics Just Issued New Breastfeeding Guidelines and it’s something worth knowing about.
If you’ve ever had a baby, you know that typically the guideline has been, breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months then slowly introduce solid foods with babies being able to drink cow’s milk at 1 years of age.
As of today, The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its guidance on breastfeeding – extending the recommended time for parents to breastfeed their children.
In policy recommendations published on Monday, the AAP maintained its guidance to breastfeed infants exclusively in the first six months of their lives, before introducing other foods to complement nutrition.
However, now, the AAP is also urging pediatricians to help support parents to breastfeed their children for 2 years or longer.
“We know that any breastfeeding is better than none… and the longer the total duration of breastfeeding the better,”
Dr. Joan Younger Meek, lead author of the AAP reports and a professor emeritus in clinical sciences at the Florida State University College of Medicine
I mean, I am all for natural food and I would have loved to breastfeed my kids (I couldn’t) but 2 years is a lot.
Breastfeeding and pumping around the clock is pretty much a full-time job. What about moms that need to work outside the home? Not every employer is supportive in the matter.
So, why the sudden change from the APP? It’s the first update in 10 years, so why now?
Well, the AAP says that in addition to providing key nutrients to infants, research has shown links between breastfeeding and decreased rates of lower respiratory tract infections, obesity, severe diarrhea, ear infections and decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
“Breast milk is unique in its nutrients and protective effects, and really quite remarkable when you look at what it does for a child’s developing immune system,”
Dr. Joan Younger Meek
I mean, it’s a great point and certainly worth knowing about. If you can and want to do it for 2+ years, by all means do it. But the bottom line for me is, fed is best.
