Patient's question:
My daughter is now 5 months old. I don't want to breastfeed her anymore because of work-related reasons—it's very troublesome to run back and forth between home and the office every day. I want to give her formula, but my mother-in-law says it's not good for the child and disagrees. How old should a baby be before they stop breastfeeding? What is the best age to stop breastfeeding? Can my baby stop breastfeeding now?Doctor's answer:
Generally, babies should start digesting complementary foods around 4 months old. By 6 months, they should rely on their own resistance to fight external viruses. At 8 months, if a baby is exclusively breastfed, it's best to start digesting some formula milk as the nutritional value of breast milk may not keep up. If possible, breastfeeding should be continued as long as possible, and weaning should not be done before 1.5 years old to avoid the baby rejecting breast milk and refusing other foods.