But it is said that breastmilk has no value after six months.

Perhaps this is said, but it is patently wrong. That anyone (including paediatricians) can say such a
thing only shows how ill-informed so many people in our society are about breastfeeding. Breastmilk is, after
all, milk. Even after six months, it still contains protein, fat, and other nutritionally important and appropriate
elements which babies and children need. Breastmilk still contains immunologic factors that help protect the
baby. In fact, some immune factors in breastmilk that protect the baby against infection are present in greater
amounts in the second year of life than in the first. This is, of course as it should be, since children older than
a year are generally exposed to more sources of infection. Breastmilk still contains special growth factors that
help the immune system to mature, and which help the brain, gut, and other organs to develop and mature.
It has been well shown that children in daycare who are still breastfeeding have far fewer and less
severe infections than the children who are not breastfeeding. The mother thus loses less work time if she
continues breastfeeding her baby once she is back at her paid work.
It is interesting that formula company marketing pushes the use of formula (a very poor copy of the
real thing) for a year, yet implies that breastmilk (from which the poor copy is made) is only worthwhile for 6
months or even less (“the best nutrition for newborns”). Too many health professionals have taken up the
refrain.