What is the right age to stop breastfeeding a baby?

Many new mothers have questions about when is the right age to stop breastfeeding their newborns.
There are many different opinions on when it is appropriate to cease breast feeding your baby. Many moms want to breastfeed as long as possible. Others feel that it is best for the baby to be weaned.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least 12 months and then continuing until at least the child starts solid foods. For many moms, breastfeeding will continue longer than just these two years. The decision on when is the right age to stop breastfeeding your child is completely dependent on your child's needs and how you feel about breast feeding.

Stopping breastfeeding is called weaning. According to the World Health Organization there is no such time to stop feeding a baby. It is totally up to you and your baby to decide when the time is right. The World Health Organization recommends that all babies be exclusively breastfed for six months, then gradually introduced to appropriate family foods after six months while continuing to breastfeed for two years or beyond.

How long you keep breastfeeding for is your decision. It will depend on how you feel emotionally, as well as your personal circumstances. When your baby is ready to try her first solid food at least after six months, you can give it a try. Some babies decrease the number of breastfeeds as they begin to be able to digest solid food. The first foods do not that much get digested by the baby. It is often not until nine to 12 months or later that babies are able to actually ingest (swallow) and use the solid foods that they eat.