One of the biggest decisions you will make in your baby’s life is whether to feed them breastmilk or formula. If you choose breastmilk, you may be curious as to when you should start weaning your baby off breastmilk.

When should I wean my baby off breastmilk?

The World Health Organization recommends that babies be fed with breastmilk for the first six months of their life and continue having breastmilk alongside other foods until two years old. Breastmilk is a natural comforter for your child, it can boost immunity, and it can strengthen the parent and child bond.

While the World Health Organization recommends offering breastmilk until the age of two, historians and anthropologists theorized that humans may have breastfed for much longer, potentially up to six or seven years old. With this in mind, there is no set time for you to start weaning your baby off of breastmilk, but it is important to introduce solid foods at the six-month mark.

At six months, your baby will need higher levels of certain nutrients they cannot get from breastmilk, but at first solid foods will only complement breastmilk. Eventually, your baby should have a primary diet of solid foods and a complementary diet of breastmilk. You can supplement your baby’s diet with breastmilk for as long as you want to, and the decision to completely wean your baby is your choice. It is all about what feels right for you and your baby.

Once you have a feeding routine down, the next question is how long should you breastfeed, or at what point should you start weaning your baby off of breastmilk. There is no perfect time to wean your baby off of breastmilk. It is all dependent on the parent and the child, so the breastfeeding parent can choose to wean their baby around six months or wait until six years old!