Dear Doctor,

My sister still breastfeeds her three year old daughter. I feel like this is too long. When is the right time to stop breastfeeding? Anita

Dear Anita,

Breastfeeding has many advantages for the baby as well as the mother. Breast milk provides necessary nutrients like calcium, vitamins, fat, and proteins to the baby. It is suitable for the digestive system of an infant, hence, is digested easily. Breast milk also boosts the immunity of the baby and increases the ability to fight diseases. The intelligence and alertness of an exclusively breast fed baby is said to be more than that of one who has been on top feeds. Breastfeeding confers beneficial effects for the mother as well. It protects a woman from breast cancer, uterine and ovarian cancer. It prevents stasis of milk in the breasts in lactating women, which carries risk of getting infected, causing inflammation and painful breasts. Lactation serves as a natural contraceptive, thus protecting a woman from pregnancy immediately after delivery.

Breastfeeding has a soothing effect on the baby. A baby feels secure when feeding.  It is also calming for the mother and reduces stress. Best advantage is, it causes bonding between the mother and her child.

These benefits of breast milk do not reduce as the baby gets older. It is like any other nutritious food. One can take it for a long period (extended breast feeding) and it is always beneficial. The benefits do not reduce with age.

Usually, if a woman is lactating adequately, the baby is exclusively breast fed for first six months. Then he or she is put on solid feeds to meet other requirements of a growing body. The solid food is introduced gradually and quantity of food and variety is increased slowly. However, the mother can still continue to breast feed the baby. It may not be as frequent as before, but it can be regular. If the child is a year old or so and the mother is busy, breastfeeding can be occasional. Ultimately, it depends on the choice of the mother and the baby and the convenience of the mother. But there is no valid reason to stop breastfeeding, as long as the breast milk is being produced.

 Dr. Rachna   Pande is a specialist in internal medicine.