From the many online posts by parents asking for help on the introduction of food to their babies and on how breastfeeding is not important after the six-month mark, one can see that there is still confusion as to when to start a child on food and how this relates to breastfeeding.

Some health professionals are still advising parents to not only start food at four months of age but that breast milk is not important after the baby turns six months. It is important to clarify that breastfeeding (or formula feeding, for that matter) should be exclusive for the first six months of life. This means that nothing else, except milk, is given to the baby.

After six months of age, we are to introduce food but up to one year of age, milk should still be the main source of nutrients for infants. In other words, breastfeeding should not be replaced by food at six months but food should be added as a supplement.

Why at six months? At around this age, the infants’ guts are ready for food, their oral-motor development has reached its peak and delaying food can be as bad as introducing it early. That said, some children are not ready for food at six months. Nothing to panic about. In fact, most children would really start eating foods more around at eight to nine months of age. The most important thing with new beginnings is to take children’s cues and move along accordingly.

Possibly, the idea that breast milk is not important after six months of age stems from a number of misconceptions. The first originates from the fact that the World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and many interpret this as meaning that breast milk for these first six months only is essential for an infant. Another misconception arises from the fact that infants start food around this age and many believe that now milk needs to be replaced by food. Truth is that food should only be supplement at this moment in time.

Weaning is not recommended before one year of age

Thirdly, because breast milk composition remains constant throughout a child’s nursing life, health professionals believe that after six months, breast milk alone is not enough and breastfeeding is not important.

In fact, one of the main reasons given is that children do not receive an adequate amount of iron. The reality is that iron in breast milk is absorbed well into the body and therefore a child does not need big amounts. Infants have stores of iron accumulated during gestation, which will start to be released and used up once more iron is needed by the baby.

It is documented that toddlers get a lot from breast milk: 29 per cent of energy requirement; 46 per cent of proteins; 36 per cent of calcium; 75 per cent of vitamin A; 76 per cent of folates; 94 per cent of vitamin B12; and 60 per cent of vitamin C. As Jack Newman says: “Breastfeeding is not just another way of getting calories and nutrients. It has also many types of immune, protective and growth factors. Breastfeeding is also a close intimate relationship between mother and child weaved in love and the best start in parenting an infant.”

So while breastfeeding should not be exclusive after six months, it is not because breast milk is not good enough or unnecessary but because children need to learn how to eat, together with getting some extra calories. One cannot stress enough that weaning is not recommended before one year of age, as children still get most of their needs from their mother’s milk.

Melissa Bugeja is a certified breastfeeding counsellor. She breastfed her two children into early childhood and helps mothers through breastfeeding matters by organising courses, workshops, support groups and home visits. Get in touch with her at www.breastfeedingmatters.net or https://www.facebook.com/groups/breastfeedingmatters/ .

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