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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]There are two problems with the new statement:

1. It is very unclear. For a first time mom that buys into all the benefits of breastfeeding to the baby, but for whom it does represent a burden (as it does to many women), should she try to get to the 12 month mark? The 24 month mark? What is the goal, if the mother is doing it solely for the baby?

2. On the first point, I know some of you will say that women can make their own decision about this and that I am saying women do not have agency (lol). Well, if that's the case, then unfortunately this document is totally unhelpful. Once again, it grossly exaggerates the benefits of breastfeeding to both baby and mother. I am sorry, but as an example, the idea that breastfeeding reduces childhood obesity is absolutely, utterly absurd and unsupported by the research. It also suggests that breastfeeding has even greater benefits for Black babies, but the most recent research suggests the opposite. This document then uses these purported benefits to advocate for practices that may be harmful to babies, and which all mothers I know pretty much hate (like being required to room in at the hospital after major surgery, or keeping pacifiers away from babies), and have no proven benefits.

My reaction to this document is not just about the AAP's decision to "support" breastfeeding for 2 years, which I find disingenuous for a variety of reasons. It's that the document as a whole reads like a piece of propaganda written by KellyMom and then made to sound "scientific" by  a couple of White doctors who footnote a Black pediatrician to justify their extremely lazy racial equity analysis.[/quote]

Its pretty clear- 6 months exclusive breastfeeding and after that breastfeeding should be maintained along with complementary foods-no change from previous recommendations. It is giving the thumbs up for those who want to continue breastfeeding from year 1-2 and if mutually desired, beyond 2. And that mothers who feed beyond 1 year need additional support from their medical providers, so stop shaming women and telling them there is no benefit to breastmilk. As if at 12months day 1 it is no longer a viable source of nutrients. 
[/quote]

Actually it's not clear. I remember when I was pregnant I looked to the AAP's website for guidance. Well this is all that it says now: "The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months. We support continued breastfeeding after solid foods are introduced as long as you and your baby desire, for 2 years or beyond," and "Beyond 6 months, we recommend continued breastfeeding alongwith adding nutritious complementary foods. Your baby does not need any infant or toddler formula."

So if I'm not continuing to breastfeed because I really really want to, but because I bought into the BS evidence they are pushing, 2 years is the only recommended end date that a person can glean from this.  [/quote]

Yeah I remember being confused by what happens at 6 months too.

What women deserve is a clear, objective rubric setting out the benefits (and degree of certainty) and the predictable costs of each phase of breastfeeding, with a continuous focus on the mental health of the mother. That’s why I like voices like Jodi Seagrave at Fed is Best. She discusses the evidence in early breastfeeding - which is where both the costs and benefits are the greatest. So for example she writes very realistically about the limits of “triple feeding”: https://fedisbest.org/2019/12/mothers-describe-their-triple-feeding-experiences-and-the-impact-it-had-on-their-mental-and-physical-health/.

The AAP in contrast provides absolutely zero practical consideration for the costs of its breastfeeding (and sleep) recommendations. Zero acknowledgement that these are behaviors that are very complex with tradeoffs. It’s not just “take a vitamin!”[/quote]

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