PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Breastfeeding is an important factor for the health of both mother and child. A new guideline on breastfeeding duration recommends, for the first time in Germany, six months of exclusive breastfeeding and a total breastfeeding duration of at least twelve months. However, these recommendations contradict other national guidelines and policy recommendations that suggest four to six months of exclusive breastfeeding. At the same time, the guideline rates the underlying evidence predominantly as low to very low. This article questions whether the strong recommendations are sufficiently evidence-based and discusses the methodological limitations of the new guideline on breastfeeding duration.