Breastfeeding | Benefits of Breastfeeding | MedlinePlus

Breastfeeding | Benefits of Breastfeeding | MedlinePlus

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding offers many benefits to your baby. Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients to help your infant grow into a strong and healthy toddler.  Some of the nutrients in breast milk also help protect your infant against some common childhood illnesses and infections.

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding
• Overcoming breastfeeding problems

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Breastfeeding is theEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Breastfeeding

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Summary

Breastfeeding offers many benefits to your baby. Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients to help your infant grow into a strong and healthy toddler. Some of the nutrients in breast milk also help protect your infant against some common childhood illnesses and infections. It may also help your health. Certain types of cancer may occur less often in mothers who have breastfed their babies.

Women who don't have health problems should try to give their babies breast milk for at least the first six months of life. Most women with health problems can breastfeed. There are rare exceptions when women are advised not to breastfeed because they have certain illnesses. Some medicines, illegal drugs, and alcohol can also pass through the breast milk and cause harm to your baby. Check with your health care provider if you have concerns about whether you should breastfeed.

If you are having problems with breastfeeding, contact a lactation consultant.

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Start Here

• Breastfeed Your Baby  (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
• Breastfeeding Your Baby (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDFAlso in Spanish
• Breastfeeding: Hints to Help You Get Off to a Good Start (American Academy of Family Physicians)Also in Spanish
• How Do I Breastfeed?  (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)Also in Spanish
• Your Guide to Breastfeeding (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) - PDF

Diagnosis and Tests

• Warning Signs of Breastfeeding Problems (American Academy of Pediatrics)

Related Issues

• Breastfeeding FAQs: Pumping (Nemours Foundation)
• Breastfeeding FAQs: Safely Storing Breast Milk (Nemours Foundation)
• Breastfeeding FAQs: Sleep - Yours and Your Baby's (Nemours Foundation)
• Breastfeeding FAQs: Solids and Supplementing (Nemours Foundation)
• Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Breastfeeding: Planning Ahead (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
• Breastfeeding: Vitamin D Supplementation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Burping Your Baby (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Food Safety for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women (Department of Agriculture)
• Infant Allergies and Food Sensitivities (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
• Nursing Supplies (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Proper Handling and Storage of Human Milk (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Selecting a Caregiver Who Supports Breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
• Sexually Transmitted Infections, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)Also in Spanish
• Things to Avoid When Breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
• Travel Recommendations for the Nursing Mother (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Types of Breast Pumps (Food and Drug Administration)
• Weaning Your Child (Nemours Foundation)
• What to Know When Buying or Using a Breast Pump (Food and Drug Administration)Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Breast-Feeding Twins: Making Feedings Manageable(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Breastfeeding After Cesarean Delivery (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
• Breastfeeding FAQs: How Much and How Often (Nemours Foundation)
• Breastfeeding FAQs: Pain and Discomfort (Nemours Foundation)
• Breastfeeding FAQs: Some Common Concerns (Nemours Foundation)
• Breastfeeding FAQs: Your Eating and Drinking Habits (Nemours Foundation)
• Colostrum: Your Baby's First Meal (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish
• Common Breastfeeding Challenges(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
• Engorgement (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Extended Breast-Feeding: What You Need to Know(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Health & Nutrition Information for Pregnant & Breastfeeding Women (Department of Agriculture)
• Mastitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Nipple Dermatitis (Logical Images)
• Possible Problems: Inverted, Flat, or Pierced Nipples (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Bone Health (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
• Serious Illnesses and Breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• When breastfeeding, how many calories should moms and babies consume? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)Also in Spanish
• When Should a Mother Avoid Breastfeeding? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Images

• Nursing Positions (Nemours Foundation)

Health Check Tools

• Daily Food Plan for Moms (Department of Agriculture)

Videos and Tutorials

• Overcoming challenges  (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)

Statistics and Research

• CDC Vital Signs: Hospital Actions Affect Breastfeeding (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• LactMed: Drugs and Lactation Database  (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Breast Feeding  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Evaluation of a Designated Family Bonding Time to Decrease Interruptions... 
• Article: Sociocultural factors influencing infant-feeding choices among African immigrant women living... 
• Article: Community-Based Breastfeeding Support With the Tiger Babies Breastfeeding Support Tent. 
• Breastfeeding -- see more articles 

Find an Expert

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)Also in Spanish

Men

• Dad's Role in Breastfeeding (American Academy of Pediatrics)Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Overcoming breastfeeding problems (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Tips for Breastfeeding Moms (Food and Nutrition Information Center) - PDF