The World Health Organization (WHO) urges its member states to strengthen activities “to protect, promote and support exclusive breastfeeding for six months as a global public health recommendation and to provide safe and appropriate complementary foods, with continued breastfeeding for up to two years of age or beyond”. It is because of the fact that breast milk provides the most complete form of nutrition for infants, protects from chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes. The benefits to the mother are the improvement of maternal health through the physiologic responses associated with breastfeeding. The German mothers breastfeed their infants normally for four months.

My personal opinion is 12 months. Such children have no or fewer allergies. Allergies are one of the biggest health problems today. If you have allergies your life quality comes down drastically. Why not 12 months?