Choosing how and what to feed your baby is a personal decision that deserves careful and thorough consideration. Breast milk is the natural nutritional source for infants less than one year of age.
Most health care professionals (including the American Academy of Pediatricians and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners) recommend breastfeeding for your baby's first year.
Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for the first 6 months of life. It contains appropriate amounts of carbohydrate , protein , and fat , and provides digestive enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and hormones that infants require. Breast milk also contains antibodies from the mother that can help the baby resist infections.
Experts agree that breastfeeding your baby for any length of time, regardless of how short, is of benefit to you and your baby.
You can provide your baby with breast milk directly by breastfeeding or by feeding your baby breast milk from a bottle.
Breastfeeding your baby (directly from your breast) can only be done by you. It can be done exclusively or can be supplemented with bottle feedings.
Breast milk feedings with a bottle:
Can be given with a bottle by you or others
Requires regular pumping of milk from your breasts
Requires appropriate handling and storage of milk
Requires appropriate preparation of bottles and nipples
Most doctors advise strictly breastfeeding for the first couple of weeks, until breastfeeding is firmly established, rather than switching back and forth to a bottle. This recommendation is based on the possibility of nipple confusion, which can cause sucking and feeding problems for infants who are switched between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. After the infant is 2 months of age, most adapt to bottle nipples easily.
Breastfeeding is a natural function, but is not necessarily a natural instinct for mothers. Most mothers need information about how to feed their babies. Mothers also need support, encouragement, and assistance after birth to enjoy feeding and caring for their babies.
ADVANTAGES OF BREASTFEEDING
Research shows that breastfed babies may have less frequent:
Enhancement of the unique bond between mother and child
Moms who breastfeed their babies should:
Understand that ANY medications you take may enter the breast milk and affect your baby (check with your physician or lactation consultant about which are safe, and do not stop any prescribed medication without discussing with your provider first)
Maintain adequate nutrition
Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, every day
Get plenty of rest
Take good care of your nipples and breasts
Relax and enjoy the experience
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS
If you run into any problems, contact a lactation consultant. Moms who breastfeed may experience:
Difficulty knowing how much milk the baby is drinking
Not enough milk for the baby's needs
Moms who breastfeed their babies may feel confused by lack of experience or support, afraid or ashamed to ask for help for such a "natural" activity.
Most problems can be easily managed with guidance from a lactation consultant.
Cow's milk by itself is not an adequate source of complete nutrition for infants. Commercially prepared formulas for bottle feeding are excellent sources of nutrition for babies who do not breastfeed.
OTHER FACTORS
Some circumstances can change your plans to breastfeed. How and what your baby eats may ultimately depend on the infant's physical condition and your health after birth. However, with help from a consultant, most babies -- even premature babies -- can breastfeed.
Some babies are unable to adequately breastfeed due to:
Premature birth
Small size
Weak physical condition
Difficulty sucking
Birth defects of the mouth (cleft lip or cleft palate)
See a lactation consultant if you have a breast infection or breast abscess , breast cancer or other cancer, previous surgery or radiation treatment, or inadequate milk supply (uncommon).
Some mothers are advised NOT to breastfeed due to health problems such as:
Serious illnesses (heart disease or cancer, for example)
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection or AIDS
Active herpes lesions on the breast
Severe malnutrition
RESOURCES
See breastfeeding tips for ways to overcome common problems. Health care professionals, such as physicians, dietitians, nurses, and nurse-midwives, can help answer your questions.
An excellent resource is the La Leche League International -- www.lalecheleague.org .
Review Date: 10/23/2007 Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, M.D., FAAP., Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
