I was one of the lucky ones who was able to nurse my child for as long as I could. I followed the generally accepted rules at the time, and he didn't start eating solid foods until he was about six months old. However, it seems the advice has changed now. Apparently, there is new research out to suggest that children may develop better if they are exposed to solid foods earlier than that. Check out this story for details.
Reading new 'expert' advice seems to prove - once again - that no matter what we do as parents that we think is in the best interest of our child will have some research to prove it wrong.
But, what is right? How long should you breastfeed your child?
According to BabyCenter.ca, you should nurse your child for as long as it makes sense for each of you. And, it's not unheard of for cultures to nurse their kids for more than two years.
When is it inappropriate to be nursing your child? In a recent article, it noted that one woman was breastfeeding both her five month old and her six year old. The article generated more than 160 comments - many of them negative.
I don't know the right answer to when a child should stop nursing; all I know is what was right for our family. Initially, I hoped to stop when he was one, but he became very ill, and the doctors said that breastfeeding him was the best was to keep him nourished and comforted. He continued to nurse in the evenings before he fell asleep until he was a little older than two. It seemed the right time for both of us - my son and me.
The controversy over breastfeeding will continue - how long before introducing solid foods and when to stop. My thoughts are: you know your kid better than anyone else... you have to do what you think is right.
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