Now that you have made it to six months breastfeeding you might be wondering if there are any breastfeeding benefits after 6 months? Well the answer is yes, all the same benefits that your baby already gets from breastfeeding continue past six months and beyond.
While it is recommended to introduce solid foods somewhere around the half yearly mark there is no reason to stop breastfeeding.
At this point breastfeeding is probably very easy for you. During this time you can really enjoy the breastfeeding relationship that you have established with your baby.
There are a lot of strange rumors floating around out there about reasons to stop breastfeeding past a certain age. In truth, there is no reason to stop at six months or even a year. I know when I had my first baby I kept hearing switch to cow’s milk at one year old. Now I am not really sure why I heard this at all. I suppose if you are formula feeding cow’s milk is cheaper and it makes sense to switch.
If you are breastfeeding there really is no reason. My daughter hated cow’s milk and I was worried about it but her pediatrician assured me it was not needed. So, we kept on nursing until she decided to wean.
I realize now that breast milk was much more nutritious so I am happy with the way it turned out.
Current Recommendations
Some of the current breastfeeding recommendations from leading health sources encourage breastfeeding till at least two years and beyond.
It has been said that the normal human weaning time frame is somewhere between two to four years old. While that may not seem to be the norm in the US, it is very common in other parts of the world.
WHO: 
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
AAP: 
The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life. This means your baby needs no additional foods (except Vitamin D) or fluids unless medically indicated. Babies should continue to breastfeed for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby. Breastfeeding should be supported by your physician for as long as it is the right choice for you and your baby.
UNICEF: 
Recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months; and continued breastfeeding for two years or more, together with safe, nutritionally adequate, age appropriate, responsive complementary feeding starting in the sixth month.
So, what are the breastfeeding benefits after 6 months?
There are many benefits to breastfeeding past six months for your baby and you.
For your baby:
Breast milk still carries all of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your baby needs.
Breast milk carries antibodies and still has immunologic factors. This can be even more important from six months and beyond when babies are exposed to much more illness and infection as they get out and about even more.
Breastfeeding lowers the risk of certain conditions later in life including gastrointestinal tract infections, diabetes, respiratory infections, asthma and obesity.
Breastfeeding lowers the risk and duration of common illnesses such as ear infections and the common cold.
Some benefits of breastfeeding past six months for you:
Saving the money you would be spending on formula. I don’t know about you but I love that I don’t need to spend hundreds on formula each month.
Breastfeeding continues to burn up to 500 calories a day.
Breastfeeding is still the easiest and most convenient way to feed your baby. No need to bring anything with you or worry about forgetting your milk.
Most babies are feeding very quickly and not as frequently at this stage which really makes breastfeeding very easy.
Your period may still be missing. It is common for it to stay away until weaning in some women.
And one of the best benefits of breastfeeding six months and beyond is the wonderful bond between you and your baby.
This has lasting effects on your baby for life and is the best part of breastfeeding. Anyone who has been breastfeeding awhile knows what I am talking about.
What about solids?
Sometime around the half yearly mark it is recommended to slowly introduce solid foods to your baby.
This is not meant to be a substitute for breast milk. Introducing foods too early can cause problems if it replaces breast milk which still has all the of the nutrients that babies need.
Please consult with your pediatrician on the best guidelines for you to follow.
Breastfeeding challenges after six months
While breastfeeding after six months is generally very easy there are still some challenges that you may come across.
Some babies may go through a nursing strike. This is a period where a baby refuses to nurse but it does not mean he is weaning. The strike could be due to illness, teething or any reason. Babies rarely self wean abruptly and before they are much older.
If your baby is refusing to nurse it may be helpful to try and nurse him when he is very tired, going to sleep or just waking up. Keep offering the breast and if you must pump and give milk to your baby during the strike.
Teething can continue to cause breastfeeding issues. Some babies don’t want to nurse as much when their teeth are coming in or others may want to nurse all the time because it helps the pain.
Distraction while breastfeeding is a big issue for me. I just plan to nurse somewhere quiet and get my best nursing sessions in before naps and bedtime when my baby is calm.
As your baby gets more teeth many moms worry about biting. I have never found this to be a major problem. If my baby does try to bite it is because he is usually done nursing and I just pop him off pronto.
This can occur more with teething as well. Continuing to nurse during quiet times when my baby is focused on breastfeeding and drowsy seems to work best to prevent biting too.
Milk supply. Some women worry that their milk supply is getting much lower after six months or so. It is most likely just adjusting to less breastfeeding and more solids as time goes on. At this point your supply should be pretty well established.
Conclusion
There are many breastfeeding benefits after six months and no reason to stop now. If you have made it this far then you are probably experiencing the best and most enjoyable time breastfeeding. The benefits only continue as long as you go and the bond you are creating with your baby will last forever.
Please let me know if you have any questions at all.
Hi Jen,THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL articles.I was wondering if i could introduce 1 or 2 bottle of formula per day after 6 months.I work a lot and it would help me a lot. I pump but it is never enough.Ava will be 6 months December 6.I dont want to lose the benefits of breasstfeeding.Will i lose something by introducing a little bit of formula? (french brand cause i am from Paris living in Miami)Thank you!!
Hi Caroline,
I will be honest I have no experience with introducing formula at all. My daughter did get a little as a newborn but otherwise I did not use it. I hate to advise you wrong so maybe check with La Leche League http://www.llli.org/ You may be able to find a facebook page for them or a contact via that website that could advise you. I don’t think at that age it would hurt but it may lower your supply a bit. I know pumping is so hard but once you replace it with formula your body will make that much less. Good luck and hopefully you can find someone who may be able to give you better advice!
Hi My baby has a cows milk allergy, her nails have become a little brittle and I wondered whether she is not getting as much calcium as she should be from me? I take a big calcium suplement, my baby is 11 months old so is eating solids but only bits and bobs, she is still drinking a lot. Will she be getting all the calcium she needs from me? Thanks for your article. Emily
Hi Emily, I think she should be getting what she needs from you and other foods she may eat. I am not too sure about calcium in general though so definitely consult with your pediatrician.
I have been told to give my baby a daily vitamin D supplement because vitamin D is needed for adequate absorption of calcium. You may want to try that if you aren’t already!
Hi
My daughter is 10 months old and since past three months,she is gaining weight slowly,right now she’s 8 kgs.i have a good supply and usually feed her myself and give only about 200 ml of formula .i have started her vitamin d3 drops since a month,as earlier they would get stuck and she was unable to take them! Her paediatrician here in India says that my milk is of no use to her now !!!and I should give her more solids,I m too confused about it !i was also recommended to give her iron drops by default after 3 months ,but I have discontinued them as they led to severe constipation with lot of pain during pooping!what foods do u recommend for her to gain weight?i give her a lot of curd,bananas,potatoes ,rice and pulses along with seasonal veggies.though my girl is very active,i still have concern about her weight .
Hi Kanika, In my experience most babies weight gain slows down once they are moving more, crawling and walking. All of my breastfed babies have gained quickly the first six months and then slowed down as they got closer to one year. I definitely would check with your pediatrician if you are concerned but I don’t agree that your milk is no use. Breastmilk is much more caloric and nutritious than many solids. I would keep breastfeeding her as much as you can and continue with the solids. Good luck!
This was a great article! Thank you.
I breastfed my first son for one year as was pre-determined by my husband and myself at the time. I really regret following through on that decision though. I wish that I continued breastfeeding him for as long as possible.
Formula is extremely expensive, plus I enjoyed the bond we shared during breastfeeding. I am currently nursing my 4-month-old and I have every intention of going the distance with him.
That’s great. Enjoy nursing the second time around and for as long as possible with your 4 month old! Good luck!
I had to go back to work when my baby was only 3 months old 🙁 but I got to nurse her until she was 24 months all thanks to this amazing breast pump i got : https://amzn.to/2qoPtCH
Six months it is! First two weeks were a struggle for me. I was scared that I’d fail. I got some tips back during pregnancy classes and at the hospital but is was not enough. When I got home with my baby I’ve found this great book (right on time – I know it now…) https://www.parental-love.com/shop/how-to-make-breastfeeding-pleasant-and-easy-pdf and have read it calmly. I guess you cannot learn it sooner since you need some practice, so maybe reading it while already breastfeeding was a good thing at the end. Or you could read it twice! First few days are really stressful but after half a year it is totally natural. Now I’m just afraid of teething and we will probably look for the first bottle soon.
I’ve just read Urban’s guide and must say that I LOVE IT! It doesn’t treat breastfeeding women like they were sick or something. It tells how to cope with breastfeeding with modern way. Excellent guide, thanks for the source 🙂
Thanks for this post! We also just did 6 months and I’m trying to decide what to do next. I used this How to make breastfeeding pleasant and easy guide too! I was a bit afraid it’s never gonna be pleasant but it really is. The author is totally right (and helpful)! This bond you have with your little one is priceless. But I need to get back to for so I’m thinking pumping or formula or mix…
Hello,my baby is 3months old now,I stopped breastfeeding her when she was 2months old and the substitute was cow’s milk.I had an emergence in my schooling and had to leave her behind,but I’m guilt and strongly convinced to re-lactate when she will be six months.Is there any health threat on re-lactation or rather on her situation now?
I do not know too much about relactation but you may want to check with Le Leche League. She is too young for cow’s milk though. You should use formula if you cannot breastfeed or provide breastmilk. Good luck!