What is the average age a baby stops breastfeeding?

The Average Age for Weaning: A Complex Decision
The journey of breastfeeding is as unique as each mother and child pair, influenced by a myriad of factors including health, lifestyle, and personal preference. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to when a baby should stop breastfeeding, health organizations provide guidelines that can help shape this decision.
Guidelines from Health Authorities
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. This period is crucial as it provides essential nutrients and antibodies that help protect the baby from infections and diseases. Following this initial phase, the AAP suggests that breastfeeding can continue alongside the introduction of solid foods until the child reaches one year of age or beyond.
The Role of Individual Circumstances
However, the decision to stop breastfeeding is deeply personal and can vary significantly from one family to another. Factors such as the baby’s readiness, the mother’s comfort, and lifestyle considerations all play a role. Some mothers may choose to wean their babies earlier, while others may continue breastfeeding well into toddlerhood. In fact, many health professionals advocate for continued breastfeeding for two years or longer, as long as it is mutually desired by both mother and child.
Self-Weaning and Natural Progression
Interestingly, many children begin to self-wean between nine to twelve months. At this stage, they may show less interest in breastfeeding as they become more engaged with solid foods and other activities. This natural progression can ease the transition for both the child and the mother, allowing for a gradual reduction in breastfeeding frequency.
Cultural and Societal Influences
Cultural norms also significantly influence breastfeeding duration. In some cultures, extended breastfeeding is common and accepted, while in others, there may be societal pressures to wean earlier. This can lead to variations in the average age at which children stop breastfeeding, with some studies indicating that many mothers stop breastfeeding by six months, often due to a combination of personal choice and external pressures.
Conclusion: A Personal Journey
Ultimately, the average age a baby stops breastfeeding is not a fixed number but rather a reflection of individual circumstances and preferences. While health guidelines provide a framework, the decision is best made through open communication between mother and child, considering their unique needs and situations. Whether a mother chooses to wean at six months, one year, or beyond, the focus should remain on what works best for both her and her baby.

When do most moms quit breastfeeding?

But although 96% of children are breastfed soon after birth, only 15% of mums are still breastfeeding exclusively 5 months later. So, what’s preventing some parents from continuing to breastfeed, and how can they persist with longer-term breastfeeding, if that’s their wish?

What is the oldest breastfed child?

A British mother has revealed how she will miss breastfeeding her daughter after the youngster finally weaned – at age 9. Sharon Spink, a mom of four, insisted that feeding daughter Charlotte until earlier this year was completely normal and has cemented a lifelong bond between them.

What is the normal age to stop breastfeeding a baby?

The World Health Organization recommends that all babies are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of their life, and from 6 months babies should start eating solid foods as well as being breastfed for up to 2 years or longer.

What is the average age to stop breastfeeding around the world?

Most children in traditional societies are completely weaned between two and four years of age (5).

What is the longest age to breastfeed?

In the US, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and to continue for at least 12 months5. But in other countries, the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding up to the age of 2 or beyond6.

How long does the average mom breastfeed?

Among those who breastfed, average duration was 6.9 months; when stratified by race, breastfeeding duration was longest among White mothers at 7.3 months, followed by mothers of other races at 6.3 months, while Black mothers had shortest average duration, with 5.1 months.

What are the negative effects of breastfeeding too long?

For example, duration of breastfeeding experience has been shown to correlate negatively with parent-reported antisocial and aggressive behavior in children from 4 to 11 years of age [43]. These effects on antisocial behavior appear to extend well beyond childhood into adulthood.

Do you lose weight when you stop breastfeeding?

That said, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll gain weight after you stop nursing. “Some women actually lose weight after weaning,” Cording says. It’s worth checking in with yourself if you’re concerned about your overall health or feel like your eating habits haven’t been the best lately.

At what age is it unhealthy to breastfeed?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers feed their babies only breast milk for six months and continue breastfeeding for at least one year. After that, it really depends on how long the mother and child want to continue.

How does stopping breastfeeding affect a baby?

For infants, never breastfeeding or early weaning is associated with increased risks of otitis media, diarrhea, lower respiratory tract infection, sudden infant death syndrome, leukemia, and type 1 diabetes.