The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding babies up to two years, precisely because of the breast-cancer-prevention benefits.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding along with introducing appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years of age or longer.
The Mayo Clinic website states that children are weaned on average between ages 2 and 4 worldwide, and in some cultures, extended breast-feeding continues for a couple years past that, while the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends breast-feeding past infancy and gradual weaning at no precise age.
It adds: "You and your baby can carry on enjoying the benefits of breastfeeding for as long as you like." The World Health Organization agrees that breastfeeding should continue "up to two years of age or beyond".
After that, they recommend breastfeeding as long as “mutually desired by mother and infant.” The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and then continuing to breastfeed for “up to 2 years and beyond.”
But people should be informed that nursing a 6-7+year-old is a perfectly normal and natural and healthy thing to be doing for the child, and that their fears of emotional harm are baseless."
With “dry” breastfeeding your baby does not actually drink significant amounts of milk, but he is able to smell and taste the droplets of milk that remain in your breast after pumping.
There is a huge variation in practice regarding the maximum age limit for breastfeeding, depending on which school of Islamic jurisprudence the family chooses to follow. The opinions of Muslim scholars fluctuate, but generally range between two and seven years.
Nutrition experts say breast milk of grandmothers is recommended for babies who cannot be breastfed by their biological mothers for whatever reason, noting that contrary to assumptions, women who are over 60 years can still produce breast milk and effectively breastfeed infants.
“It is very possible. We have mothers who are even up to 60 years old, who have had to start a re-lactation process, to recover the ability to produce breast milk under some kind of tutelage,” he said. “With a bit of training, that woman can begin to produce breast milk again.
Women who have never given birth, and those well past menopause, can still produce breast milk.
After one year, the AAP recommends breastfeeding for as long you and your baby wish to do so. The AAP also states that "There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer."
The relationship occurs when an infant receives the milk of a woman other than the biological mother, creating familial relationships between the child and the woman whose milk is received. As milk siblings, her children and the recipient infant must never marry each other.
Whatever the reason, it is usually perfectly safe to breastfeed while pregnant. Your body will carry on producing enough milk to nourish your older child, while your unborn baby will get all the nutrients they need from your body.
It's not unusual for milky discharge to continue for up to two to three years after discontinuing breastfeeding and it typically affects both breasts.
The wet-nursing mom may have problems with the let-down reflex. There is always the potential for infection (in the woman or baby). There may be an interruption of the breast milk supply for the mother's own baby. Wet-nursing may get a negative response from the baby's siblings and other's in the household.
Comfort nursing is the name sometimes used to describe breastfeeding for reasons other than for food such as breastfeeding a baby to sleep, calming a crying baby or because baby enjoys sucking. Babies will still get a little milk while they are comfort nursing and it's a great mothering tool.
Despite views to the contrary, breasts are never truly empty. Milk is actually produced nonstop—before, during, and after feedings—so there's no need to wait between feedings for your breasts to refill. In fact, a long gap between feedings actually signals your breasts to make less, not more, milk.
“If they feed for as long as they want to they will naturally wean. “In a lot of countries it's perfectly normal to breastfeed older children and they will do it for a lot longer than we do in the West.”
The AAP doesn't recommend the practice because of the potential for passing infection from the nursing woman to the baby. Again, keep in mind that a person can pass along an infection without being aware that they're infected.
However, drinking breast milk is safe only if it is from your partner whom you know well. This is because breast milk is a bodily fluid, and you do not want yourself to be at risk of infectious diseases such as cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus, or syphilis.
PIP: Islamic law requires mothers to breast feed their children for 2 years. the father must assist the mother in breast feeding the children by providing her with food and clothing. If the father dies or does not live at home, the heir must support the mother thereby allowing her to breast feed her infants.
It's fine to offer him a taste. If he wants to suckle, though, make sure that you, he, and/or the baby don't have a communicable virus or infection such as thrush or herpes that can pass easily among the three of you. Remarkably, the immunological properties of breast milk benefit humans at any age.
Although there are some studies that suggest the estrogen can pass into breastmilk, there is no evidence that it leads to any effects on the baby.
And a related article in Time shows that the World Health Organization recommends breast-feeding until at least age two, and the average age of weaning worldwide is around four, she points out.