Moms should breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months, after which they can gradually start introducing solid foods, according to the updated guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Hopefully, the new recommendation will encourage more mothers to breastfeed for longer, and swing their pediatricians' opinions away from promoting early solids.
Dr Richard Schanler, a neonatologist from North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, co-authored the updated guidelines. He told Reuters Health: "It's a health choice and not just a lifestyle choice, and it's going to protect her baby as well as her. Our problem as pediatricians is we're not getting that message across enough to mothers."
According to the new guidelines, it's best if mothers breastfeed exclusively meaning no solids, but no supplementation with formula either for six months. But they also say that breastfeeding up to one year and even beyond is encouraged. In my experience as a long-term nursing mom, pediatricians are often quite hostile to parents who breastfeed longer than a few months, and many actually actively promote early solids and formula.
Hopefully, this set of recommendations which are all backed by large amounts of scientific research will help make that stop. Currently, only 13 percent of moms are still exclusively breastfeeding their babies by six months of age. According to the AAP, supplementing with formula or offering solid foods at an early age undermines the benefits breastfeeding gives babies. Babies who are breastfed are less likely to get diabetes or become obese, and tend to score better on IQ tests. But, in order to reap the benefits, exclusive nursing is needed, pediatricians say.
What else is new? The AAP now encourages hospitals to help new moms breastfeed as soon as possible, within an hour of the baby's birth. And, of course they do acknowledge that there are women who actually can't breastfeed, and that formula is still a viable alternative to nursing.
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