According to WHO, breastfeeding should be continued with appropriate foods till the age of:

MNS 2024

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: MNS 2024

Explanation

The World Health Organization (WHO) explicitly recommends continuing breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years of age or beyond.
This duration provides sustained immunological benefits, crucial for protecting against common childhood illnesses.
Breast milk continues to be a significant source of energy, high-quality protein, and essential nutrients even in the second year of life.
Complementary foods are meant to supplement breast milk from 6 months onward, not replace it.

Option A: This is the recommended duration for exclusive breastfeeding, not the endpoint for breastfeeding altogether. At 6 months, complementary foods should be introduced while breastfeeding continues.
Option B: There is no specific WHO guideline mandating breastfeeding up to 4 years. The recommendation is 'up to 2 years or beyond,' leaving the decision to continue past 2 years to the mother and child.
Option D: While breastfeeding for the first year is highly beneficial, the WHO recommends continuing into the second year to maximize the health, nutritional, and developmental advantages.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain WHO guidelines on infant breastfeeding duration as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are at the forefront of educating new mothers and families about infant nutrition. Providing accurate information on WHO breastfeeding guidelines is a core nursing responsibility to promote infant health and prevent malnutrition.
Adherence to these guidelines is proven to reduce infant morbidity and mortality from common illnesses like diarrhea and pneumonia, as breast milk provides antibodies and other protective factors.
What if? If a mother reports she has to return to work at 9 months, the nurse should not advise stopping breastfeeding. Instead, the nurse should provide education on expressing breast milk, safe storage, and maintaining milk supply to ensure the baby continues to receive its benefits.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements of the question: the authority ('WHO') and the specific topic ('continued breastfeeding with appropriate foods').
Recognize that this is a factual recall question based on established global health guidelines.
Differentiate between the period of 'exclusive breastfeeding' and 'continued breastfeeding with complementary foods'.
Recall that exclusive breastfeeding is for the first 6 months. This allows you to eliminate '6 months' as the answer for continued breastfeeding.
Recall the specific WHO recommendation for the total duration, which is 'up to 2 years or beyond'.
Compare this recalled fact with the given options and select the one that matches.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QSEYJjtckKqAo7dcAQNRKy

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 80-82

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 456-458