At What Age Should You Stop Breastfeeding Your Children?

One question that most new mothers ask doctors and pediatricians is how long they should breastfeed their children.  Breastfeeding your child is one of the best ways to ensure that they get the proper nutrition, and can help them enjoy a better immune system.  However, there comes a time when your child needs to stop nursing and move on to regular food and drink. 

According to the American Pediatric Association, you should only breastfeed your child for the first year of his or her life.  However, not all parents agree with this.  Some choose to continue breastfeeding their child until "they are done."  This can be at quite an old age – some children will continue to breastfeed until they are three or four years old if allowed.

However, the American Pediatric Association does offer support to women who want to breastfeed their child for a longer period.  Experts state that there is nothing "wrong" or "unnatural" about a woman breastfeeding a toddler, and it is in no way damaging to the physical or mental health of the child, either.

In fact, the association says that nursing until it is "no longer mutually desired" is the best route to go, but that it is best to nurse for at least the first year after birth.  In fact, experts point to other nations of the world where breastfeeding a child until he or she is five years old is not uncommon.  This actually offers some significant health benefits for the child.