Comparing the typical duration period of breastfeeding in the U.S. to the rest of the world, Melissa, and concluding that there’s something wrong with the way we do it is a bit of a leap.

The length of time women breastfeed in other parts of the world often is driven by the availability of food and fresh water. UNICEF puts Rwanda at the top of the long-duration list (2 or more years). All the countries also listed near the top are filled with mothers who simply have no other choice. We don’t know if they’d choose formula or solid earlier if it was an option. If you limit the list to industrialized nations, other countries do better than us in terms of the percent of babies nursed for six months or a year, but few mothers in high and middle income countries go as long as two years.

The overall benefits of breastfeeding diminish as time goes on, with the most important ones imparted closer to birth. So, although, two years might be better than one, and one year better than six months, women who, for whatever reason can only do three months, are still providing a great benefit, and women who are unable to do it at all, are still able to raise happy, healthy, creative, and intelligent children.