If the answer you expect is only abstract numbers, it is simple. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommend breastfeeding to last 1.5 to 2 years. The American Academy of Pediatrics proposed in 1997 to "continue for at least 12 months." Many textbooks believe that the shortest period of breastfeeding should not be less than 8-10 months.

　　However, if you consider the specific situation of each pair of mother and child, especially the needs and feelings of the baby, the answer to this question becomes complicated. First of all, as far as the nutritional needs of babies are concerned, older babies definitely need more nutrition than smaller ones. Moreover, no matter when breast milk, its nutritional value is not completely replaced by milk or formula. In addition, even if the baby has eaten milk or formula milk, breast milk is still one of the components of the recipe diversity. All in all, we cannot think that the baby is older, he does not need the nutrition of breast milk, that is, the child grows up to a certain age is not the reason why he must wean.

　　Secondly, the baby has a natural sucking need. From this perspective, when the baby''s need for suction disappears, weaning is appropriate for him. The baby''s need for suction generally disappears between 9 months and 3.5 years old. In other words, many babies are still willing to breastfeed even if they are over 1 year old or older. As long as the mother has the conditions (time permitting, body permitting), why not let the baby eat more breast milk?

　　 Some mothers worry that breastfeeding more than one year old may spoil the child and enhance The sense of dependence or making it too possessive. In fact, only spoiling a child will spoil him. Breastfeeding with proper management and training will not spoil the child; the child’s possessiveness arises because his needs are delayed by his mother, and breastfeeding does not Possess appetite; some studies have shown that prolonging breastfeeding does not increase the child’s dependence, but instead makes the child more independent. Therefore, it is completely unnecessary to worry that “breastfeeding over one year of age may be detrimental to the physical and mental development of the baby”. A few breastfeeding babies up to the age of 3 do seem to have a greater sense of possessiveness and dependence. That is not the fault of breastfeeding, but the mother’s failure to manage her behavior and fulfill her needs.

　　 In fact, many children who were in need of conditional breastfeeding for a longer period of time were weaned at the age of about 1, habitually, and erroneously, which is a pity.

　　On the other hand, as mothers, especially in developing countries like China, they often face situations beyond their control, unable to fulfill their desire to breastfeed their babies for a longer period of time, even breast milk Feeding can not reach 12 months, and some even cannot breastfeed at all. This situation is by no means uncommon. Some are not allowed to go to work, some are not allowed by their own physical conditions, and some are to choose a more free lifestyle. Whatever the reason, it does not mean that the mother is unqualified. There are many ways and aspects for mothers to love and raise children, and breastfeeding is just one of them. Moreover, some babies have been satisfied with breast milk for less than a year and are ready for weaning. In other words, even weaning within 12 months, such as 8 months or 10 months, is not a serious mistake.

In summary, weaning is a personal decision. If any one of the mother and the child is ready-ideally, both are ready-weaning is possible. As for whether it is 8 months, 12 months, 1.5 years old, or 2 years old weaning, that is entirely a personal choice, and there is no uniform standard or dogma. Of course, for the child''s physical and mental development, the principle is to breastfeed as long as possible.