Ever since I found out that I was pregnant with Ziggy, I already made a commitment to breastfeed him for a longer period of time than I did with both Zoe and Ziya. With the girls, I was still working full time and had to go back to work a month after giving birth. So, I was only able to breastfeed for a month and even then, it was actually mixed feeding from the start. I want so badly to be able to exclusively breastfeed Ziggy for as long as I can because of the many benefits that this experience will give him.
It was due to this commitment I made that I started researching about breastfeeding. I really wanted this to be a successful experience for me and Ziggy. So far, I haven’t gone to a breastfeeding class yet but I have found some really good sources for breastfeeding information online. However, new studies come up every now and then that could leave moms like me confused, such as this article I read a few days ago, which reports on a study made recently by the University College London’s Institute of Child Health. According to the study, if a baby is exclusively breastfed for the first six months it could lead to him being at a higher risk for anemia and other allergies. Read the entire article by clicking here.
The article left me feeling really confused though it did not make me question my commitment to breastfeeding. The thing is, it seems to go against previous studies made on the subject. We can also expect that more updated studies will be available in the future that will either refute or further support previous studies made. How is a parent supposed to decide on this matter then?
For me, there is no question as to the benefits of breastfeeding, which is why I still stay true to my commitment. My goal is actually to breastfeed Ziggy until he turns a year old. The question is on how long I will exclusively breastfeed my baby. Both Zoe and Ziya started on solid foods by the time they were in their 4th month and they turned out fine. I guess, in the end, it’s really all about the parents’ choice. All of us parents just want the best for our kids. The important thing is that we base our decisions on research and reliable information and not just on opinions made by well-meaning relatives and friends. So, now that I still don’t have an answer to “how long I should”, I guess, I’ll just keep on researching.