Kathleen, Thankyou very much for passing on the link (I did look but couldn't find it, I love Lactnet!).



Anyway, checking the document has underlined how important it is to look at the primary source. 

 

The NHMRC Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia, 2003 states "It is recommended that breastfeeding continue until 12 months of age and thereafter as long as mutually desired." and cites Michaelsen KF, Weaver L, Branca F, Robertson A. Feeding and nutrition of infants and young children: guidelines for the WHO European region, with emphasis on the former Soviet countries. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2000. 



However, this document says something quite different


"For the WHO European Region it is therefore recommended that breastfeeding should preferably continue beyond the first year of life, and in populations with high rates of infection continued breastfeeding through the second year of life and longer will benefit the infant."

However, the AAP statement says  "It is recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired" 



It is very strange indeed. The statement in the NHMRC document does not say anything like what is in the WHO Europe document but in fact says something that is close to (but certainly not the same) as the AAP position statement. I wonder if this is deliberate or accidental, who did they mean to quote? Did they just add in a reference to back up what they thought the recommendation should be.
 

Moral to the story, never believe any quoted position statement, always check the primary source!

 

Karleen Gribble

Australia

 

Hi Karleen,

   I believe the document you are looking for can be found at:
  http://www.euro.who.int/document/WS_115_2000FE.pdf 

  Hope this helps.

  Kathy

  Kathleen Fallon Pasakarnis, M.Ed. IBCLC
  Nurturing Family Lactation and Parenting Services

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html