Are you excited to let your baby have their first taste of food? Well, you might want to hold off on that idea for a few more months if you want to have a long breastfeeding duration.
A study from a university in Sweden shows that the earlier infants begin to taste small samples of solid food, the earlier they eat more food and stop breastfeeding.
Study: Early Tastings Shorten Breastfeeding Duration
The research study, which was published in International Breastfeeding Journal was conducted by Uppsala University and Sophiahemmet University in Sweden. Mothers of 1,251 infants participated in the study, which aimed to show the connection between introducing food to babies and their breastfeeding duration.
The mothers were asked to complete questionnaires and answer questions about the child's food during the first year of life. In the results, it emerged that 48 per cent, around half of the children in the study, received tastings as early as the fourth month.
Moreover, the earlier the infants started with tiny tastings, the earlier they ate larger quantities of solid food. The effect? Letting their babies have an early taste of solid food in turn led to an earlier end to their breastfeeding journey and to a shorter breastfeeding duration for these children.
Importance of Extended Breastfeeding
It's important for breastfeeding mums to know how the timing of introducing solid food to their infants affect the length of their breastfeeding duration. This is so they can make an informed decision on the factors that may affect their breastfeeding journey.
"Existing research does not support the idea that the introduction of early tastings has health benefits for the child or the mother," said Eva-Lotta Funkquist,one of the researchers of the said study.
"On the other hand, we know that breastfeeding has many health benefits for both the child and the mother. For example, the child is protected against infections while breastfeeding, and both mother and child have a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases," she added.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding (meaning the only source of nourishment is breast milk) for the fix six months and continued breastfeeding for at least two years or longer.
According to a previous article, extended breastfeeding is defined as when a mother is still breastfeeding her child even when her child has started eating regular table food as part of his normal diet.
There are plenty of benefits in extended breastfeeding for kids, including those with special needs, according lactation experts.
- Extended breastfeeding helps children to cope better with new experiences and changes in routine.
- It promotes bonding between mum and child.
- It extends the capability of the mum to give their child immunity and replenish (but not totally replace) nutrition when the baby's appetite is down.
- Breast milk is gentler for the human body to digest and faster absorbed by the body, which leads to fewer digestion issues in babies.
- In fact, another study showed that breast milk after 1 year had higher energy and fat contents, which may be beneficial to babies.
So, mum, if you want your child to reap the benefits of breastfeeding for as long as they can, you might want to wait until they are six months old before they get started on solids. If your breastfeeding child is not gaining enough weight or you have any concerns about your child's breastfeeding habits, do not hesitate to consult their paediatrician.
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