Breastfeeding is best

Fundamental POINTS

  • Breast milk is the all-time food for babies in the beginning twelvemonth of life. It helps babies grow healthy and stiff.

  • Breastfeeding helps protect a baby from many illnesses. Breastfed babies have fewer wellness issues than babies who don't breastfeed.

  • Your breast milk changes as your baby grows then he gets exactly what he needs at the correct fourth dimension.

  • Information technology's best to feed your baby only breast milk for at least vi months. Go on breastfeeding for 12 months, fifty-fifty when your baby starts solid foods.

Why is breastfeeding good for your baby?

Breast milk is the best food for babies in the first yr of life. It helps them grow healthy and strong and protects them from infections and illness. For example:

  • Chest milk has hormones and the right amount of protein, carbohydrate, fatty and well-nigh vitamins to help your baby abound and develop.
  • Breast milk has antibodies that help protect your babe from many illnesses. Antibodies are cells in the torso that fight off infection. Breastfed babies accept fewer health problems than babies who aren't breastfed. For example, breastfed babies don't take as many ear, lung or urinary tract infections. And later in life they're less likely to exist overweight or accept asthma, certain cancers and diabetes (having too much sugar in the blood).
  • Breast milk has fatty acids, like DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), that may assist your baby's encephalon and eyes develop.
  • Breastfeeding tin reduce your infant's run a risk for sudden infant decease syndrome (too called SIDS). SIDS is the unexplained death of a babe younger than one year old.
  • Chest milk is easy to assimilate. A breastfed baby may have less gas and belly hurting than a baby who is fed formula. Formula is a human-fabricated product that yous buy and feed your infant.
  • Breast milk changes every bit your baby grows so he gets exactly what he needs at the correct time. For example, for the commencement few days after giving birth, your breasts make a thick, mucilaginous, early on class of chest milk called colostrum. Colostrum has nutrients and antibodies that your baby needs in the first few days of life. It changes to breast milk in 3 to four days.
  • Breast milk is always gear up when your babe wants to eat. The more than you breastfeed, the more milk you make.

In the United States, near new moms (about lxxx percent) start breastfeeding. More than than half (most 58 percent) of moms breastfeed for half-dozen months. Almost one-tertiary of new moms (36 percent) breastfeed for 12 months. Our March of Dimes Breastfeeding Guide has tips for breastfeeding holds, using a chest pump and storing breast milk.

Is breastfeeding good for babies with special needs?

Yes. Some babies are born prematurely or with birth defects or other medical atmospheric condition. Breastfeeding babies with special needs like these can assistance them grow and protect them from illness. Premature birth is birth earlier 37 weeks of pregnancy. Nascence defects are wellness atmospheric condition that are present at birth. They modify the shape or part of one or more parts of the body. Birth defects can cause problems in overall health, how the body develops or how the body works.

If your infant has health weather similar these, you lot may need extra help to make breastfeeding work. Your health intendance provider, your babe'south provider or a lactation consultant can help you and your babe learn to breastfeed. A lactation consultant is a person with special training in helping women breastfeed.

Is whatsoever amount of breastfeeding good?

Yep. It's best to feed your baby only breast milk for at least 6 months. This ways no water, formula, other liquids or solid food—but breast milk. But any amount of breastfeeding is good for your babe's health and development. Even breastfeeding for a brusk time is proficient for your baby.

Is breastfeeding good for mom?

Yep. Breastfeeding helps y'all because:

  • It increases the amount of a hormone (chemical) in your torso called oxytocin. This helps your uterus (womb) after birth become dorsum to the size it was before you lot got meaning. Information technology also helps end bleeding later giving birth.
  • It burns extra calories. This helps you lot get back to your pre-pregnancy weight (your weight before pregnancy).
  • Information technology may assistance lower your take a chance for diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
  • It tin can help you bond with your baby. Bonding is when you get shut to your babe and get to know each other.

Breastfeeding also delays the return of your catamenia. Just this tin arrive hard to know when yous can become pregnant once again. Utilise nascence command to assist prevent pregnancy until you're ready to go pregnant again. Talk to your provider about birth control that'due south safe to use when you're breastfeeding.

Is breastfeeding safe for all moms and babies?

No. Breastfeeding may not be safety for your infant if:

  • You lot have sure medical conditions
  • Take certain medicines
  • Utilize harmful drugs

Y'all can pass some infections, medicines and drugs to your babe through breast milk. Some can be harmful to your infant. Learn how to go on breast milk safe and healthy. Talk to your provider if you think you lot have a condition that may make breastfeeding unsafe for your babe.

More data

  • American Academy of Pediatrics
  • La Leche League International
  • International Lactation Consultant Association
  • womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding

Final reviewed Apr, 2019

See besides: Breastfeeding your baby in the NICU