Breast is best for more than 6 months

Laura N. Haiek; Suzanne Dionne

The trial reported by Cindy-Lee Dennis and coauthors1 will undoubtedly help clinicians and public health professionals to choose effective interventions to prolong the duration of breast-feeding. Nevertheless, we would like to provide a clarification regarding the authors' advice, which is based on recommendations of the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS)2 and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)3

In 1998, the CPS, Dietitians of Canada and Health Canada recommended that “breastfeeding may continue for up to 2 years of age and beyond.”4 The AAP3 recommends that breast-feeding “continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired.” Nowhere in these recommendations is there a suggestion that breast-feeding should last only 6 months. Exclusive breast-feeding is recommended by most experts3^,5^,6^,7 for the first 6 months of life.

If we want families to make informed decisions about their infant feeding methods, it is important that physicians understand (and communicate) that breast-feeding for only 6 months is not recommended.

Laura N. Haiek Physician Montérégie Department of Public Health Longueuil, Que. Suzanne Dionne Physician CLSC de la Haute-Yamaska Granby, Que.

References

1.↵
Dennis CL, Hodnett E, Gallop R, Chalmers B. The effect of peer support on breast-feeding duration among primiparous women: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ 2002;166(1):21-8.
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2.↵
Canadian Paediatric Society, Nutrition Committee. Meeting iron needs of infants and young children: an update. CMAJ 1991;144:1451-3.
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3.↵
American Academy of Pediatrics, Work Group in Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics 1997;100:1035-9.
OpenUrl Abstract/FREE Full Text
4.↵
Canadian Paediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada and Health Canada. Nutrition for healthy term infants. Ottawa: Health Canada; 1998.
5.↵
Kramer MS, Kakuma R. Optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding [Cochrane review]. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002;(1):CD003517.
6.↵
The optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding: results of a WHO systematic review. Indian Pediatr 2001;38(5):565-7. Available: www.who.int/inf-pr-2001/en/note2001-07.html (accessed 2002 Aug 8).
OpenUrl PubMed
7.↵
L'allaitement maternel au Québec: Lignes directrices. Québec. Québec: Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec, Sept. 2001. p. 75. Version életronique : http://206.167.52.1/fr/document/publication.nsf/4b1768b3f849519c852568fd0061480d/134a35e195595a8485256acb0053a12f?OpenDocument (date de la dernière consultation par l'auteur : 2002 août 8).