How long need to breastfeed

However, in licensing trials, the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccine in breastfed infants was comparable to that in non-breastfed infants external icon. CDC does not recommend restricting or discontinuing breastfeeding before or after a child receives the rotavirus vaccine.

Breastfed infants should be vaccinated according to the same schedule as non-breastfed infants. Learn More about prevention of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis among infants and children.

Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. What are the benefits of breastfeeding? When should a mother avoid breastfeeding contraindications? How is growth assessed for breastfed infants? How long should a mother breastfeed? What can happen if someone else's breast milk is given to another child? Are special precautions needed for handling breast milk?

Where can mothers find more information about preparation and storage of breast milk? What are human milk banks? Is it safe for families to buy breast milk on the internet? What legal rights do breastfeeding mothers have? How can a mother continue to provide breast milk to her infant after returning to work or school? Where can mothers find breastfeeding support and additional Information about breastfeeding?

Riordan, J. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Fourth Edition. Jones and Bartlett Learning. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFamily. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.

We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Factors That Affect Duration. Breastfeeding Time by Age. When to Make Adjustments. Breast vs. Bottle Feeding Time. Breastfeeding Challenges. Common Breastfeeding Problems and Solutions. When to Call the Doctor Reach out to your healthcare provider if your baby: Has very long or very short feedings Has less than six wet diapers daily after day five Is irritable, crying , and does seem satisfied after most feedings Is not breastfeeding well Is too sleepy for most feedings.

Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Bantam Books. New York. Related Articles. How to Relieve Breast Engorgement. The act of being close to your baby, instantly responding to his needs and engaging in lots of eye contact also sends signals between you.

The longer you breastfeed, the stronger the positive outcome is likely to be. Did you know that breast milk is actually alive? Studies show a consistent three-point IQ advantage for children who were breastfed over those who were never breastfed. Breastfeeding beyond six months has even been linked to fewer behavioural problems in school-age children 23 and improved mental health in children and adolescents.

The health claims on the packaging may look impressive, but there is no better milk for your baby than your own. No formula milk contains all the antibodies, live cells, growth factors, hormones or helpful bacteria, nor the array of enzymes, amino acids and micronutrients found in breast milk. Read Breast milk vs formula: How similar are they? By continuing breastfeeding beyond six months, you lower your lifelong risk of developing heart disease, 27 type 2 diabetes 28 and cancers of the breast, 29 ovaries 30 and uterus.

Not to mention that after six months, breastfeeding is very convenient. Health topics: Breastfeeding [Internet]. When to wean: biological versus cultural perspectives. Clin Obstet Gyecol. Available from www. Breast volume and milk production during extended lactation in women. Exp Physiol. Introduction of solid food to young infants. Matern Child Health J. Nutrition, growth, and complementary feeding of the breastfed infant. Pediatr Clin North Am. Does prolonged breastfeeding reduce the risk for childhood leukemia and lymphomas?

But in the early months, growth spurts often happen when a baby is:. During these times and whenever your baby seems extra hungry, follow your little one's hunger cues.

You may need to breastfeed more often for a while. That's a personal choice. Experts recommend that babies be breastfed exclusively without formula, water, juice, non—breast milk, or food for the first 6 months. Then, breastfeeding can continue until 12 months and beyond if it's working for you and your baby. Breastfeeding has many benefits for mom and baby both. Studies show that breastfeeding can lessen a baby's chances of diarrhea , ear infections , and bacterial meningitis , or make symptoms less severe.

Breastfeeding also may protect children from sudden infant death syndrome SIDS , diabetes , obesity , and asthma. For moms, breastfeeding burns calories and helps shrink the uterus. In fact, breastfeeding moms might return to their pre—pregnancy shape and weight quicker. Breastfeeding also helps lower a woman's risk of diseases like:. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.