Breastfeeding

Many women choose to breastfeed their babies due to the significant health benefits provided over infant formula for both baby and mother. Any amount of breastfeeding has positive effects and the longer a child is breastfed for, the longer the health benefits will last for both baby and mother.

What is Breastfeeding?

Breast milk contains a wide range of nutrients that enable it to be the ideal dietary source for all infants.

Breastfeeding Questions

When Should I Not Breastfeed My Baby?

Breastfeeding and Diet

Breastfeeding and Allergies

Breastfeeding: Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol

Breastfeeding and Medications

What are the Health Benefits of Breastfeeding?

Sleeping Close to Baby

Breastfeeding, Preparing for Arrival

How do I Manage Breastfeeding and Work?

Breastfeeding Pumps

See more featured articles »

Breast Anatomy

Breastfeeding and Hormones

Breastfeeding Tips

What is Breast Compression?

Correct Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and Vitamin D

Breastfeeding Around Family

Breastfeeding and Jaundice

Breastfeeding and Reflux

Breastfeeding and Cleft Palate, Cleft Lip

Breastfeeding Twins or Multiples

Breastfeeding During Pregnancy

Breastfeeding after Breast Surgery

Breastfeeding Inducing Lactation

Storing Breast Milk

What is a Galactocele?

Overactive Let-Down (OALD) Reflex

Smoking and Breastfeeding

The Protective Role of Breastfeeding in Breast Cancer

Latest Breastfeeding News and Research

Researchers discover key blood molecules impacting child development

McMaster University researchers have identified small molecules in the blood that may impact early childhood development, showing how dietary exposures, early life experiences, and gut health can influence a child's growth and cognitive milestones.

28 Feb 2025

Virtual lactation support shows promise in increasing breastfeeding rates

Mothers who were given access to virtual breastfeeding support (or telelactation) through a free app tended to report more breastfeeding than peers who did not receive such help, with a more-pronounced effect observed among Black mothers, according to a new RAND study.

27 Feb 2025

New mathematical model assesses drug exposure for breastfed infants

A new mathematical model developed at the University of Waterloo can determine a baby's overall drug exposure when their mother is taking medication.

26 Feb 2025

Routine psychological screening can improve maternal cardiovascular health

Integrating routine psychological health screening and treatment during and after pregnancy may reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and improve maternal cardiovascular health, according to a new scientific statement published today in a Go Red for Women spotlight issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

25 Feb 2025

FDA provides essential tips for safe infant formula handling

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees manufacturers of infant formulas and helps ensure that these products are safe and support healthy growth in infants who consume them.

20 Feb 2025

Do prenatal antibiotics weaken breast milk immunity? A new study aims to find out

A new study will investigate whether prenatal antibiotic use impairs breast milk immune function and disrupts neonatal gut microbiota, potentially affecting infant health. Researchers aim to assess how prolonged antibiotic exposure in late pregnancy alters breast milk IgA and neonatal immune development.

19 Feb 2025

Surge in violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo leads to healthcare crisis

The recent surge in violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has led to significant loss of life, trauma, displacement, and the destruction of critical health infrastructure, exacerbating an already dire situation for millions of people.

8 Feb 2025

Can parents' diet predict childhood obesity? New research weighs in

Children’s eating habits are strongly influenced by their parents' weight status, with those having overweight or obese parents consuming more carbohydrates and exhibiting higher obesity risks.

6 Feb 2025

Dartmouth study links missing birth support to higher stress levels

Most animals, including other primates, give birth alone, but humans require assistance during childbirth due to the physiological complexities of the process.

3 Feb 2025

Key information to consider before getting breast implants

Should I get breast implants? Should they be saline or silicone? Which style? How much monitoring is needed after surgery?

31 Jan 2025

New FDA initiatives focus on medication safety for pregnant and nursing women

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding often need to take prescription medications.

31 Jan 2025

Trump’s order on gender-affirming care escalates reversal of trans rights

President Donald Trump ratcheted up his administration's reversal of transgender rights on Tuesday with an executive order that seeks to intervene in parents' medical decisions by prohibiting government-funded insurance coverage of puberty blockers or surgery for people under 19.

31 Jan 2025

Infant mortality drops in the United States while SUID rates rise

Infant mortality in the United States decreased by 24.2% between 1999 and 2022. Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU discovered this improvement in a study published Jan. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.

27 Jan 2025

An Arm and a Leg: The ‘Shkreli Awards’ — for dysfunction and profiteering in health care

Every year, a health care think tank called the Lown Institute ranks the 10 worst examples of "profiteering and dysfunction" in health care and "honors" the winners.

27 Jan 2025

How gut microbiota impacts childhood obesity

Gut microbiota plays a critical role in childhood obesity by influencing energy metabolism, inflammation, and appetite regulation, with emerging therapeutic strategies like probiotics, dietary interventions, and fecal microbiota transplantation showing promise.

21 Jan 2025