The anatomy and physiology of breastfeeding
How long and how often?
Diet, alcohol, smoking, drugs, medications and herbs
The experience of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding twins or more
Australian Breastfeeding Association
In an ideal world, every newborn baby would have their mother's breast milk as their total source of nutrition for the first 4 to 6 months of their life, and as their main milk drink (complimenting solid food) until they were at least 1 year old. However, this is not always achievable (or possible) and some women choose not to breastfeed their baby, or decide to wean their baby off the breast earlier than is recommended. In these circumstances, young babies need to have a specially designed milk formula until they are 12 months old.
Breast milk is unique, when compared to the milk of any other mammal, and specifically designed to nourish newborn babies and encourage them to thrive. One of the most beneficial aspects of breast milk is its 'antiinfective' and 'antiallergenic' properties that make it impossible to be exactly emulated by artificially made formulas. This means it gives the baby extra immunity against illnesses in the early weeks, and reduces their chances of developing allergic illnesses (such as asthma) and skin disorders (such as eczema), later in life.
Breast milk is also recognised as being a protective factor against ear infections and is known to prevent life-threatening complications for premature babies, such as
Necrotising enterocolitis (or NEC).
This section explores the properties and production of breast milk and some general information about breastfeeding your baby. If you wish to read about the issues surrounding making the choice to breastfeed, and any preparations for breastfeeding, you can click to
choosing how to feed your baby.
For information about the first breastfeed and how to correctly latch your baby, you can read
the first breastfeed - Class 10.