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

New hypothesis links caffeine to lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome

After decades of stalled national progress in reducing the rate of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), a category of infant mortality that includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), researchers at Rutgers Health have proposed an unexpected solution: Caffeine might protect babies by preventing dangerous drops in oxygen that may trigger deaths.

11 Jun 2025

Early signs of breastfeeding failures after premature birth

A study on breastfeeding after premature birth identifies key factors affecting milk composition and volume, emphasizing the need for early support for mothers.

10 Jun 2025

Maternal exposure to metals rewires infants’ gut and resistance genes

Prenatal exposure to trace elements like selenium, copper, and arsenic can significantly alter the infant gut microbiome, metabolism, and antibiotic resistance gene patterns. These changes appear as early as three months and evolve during the first year of life.

5 Jun 2025

Dog exposure may lower genetic risk of eczema in children

New research published in Allergy indicates that certain environmental exposures may affect a child's risk of developing atopic eczema, a condition characterized by dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. In other words, although some people may be genetically predisposed to eczema, certain environmental factors may increase or decrease that risk.

5 Jun 2025

Breastfeeding habits barely change milk’s microbiome, study reveals

A study shows that breastfeeding frequency and duration do not significantly alter the human milk microbiome, highlighting other influencing factors.

4 Jun 2025

Household environments may affect the likelihood of children developing eczema

Household environments, including owning a dog, may affect the likelihood of children developing eczema, according to an analysis of almost 300,000 people from across Europe.

4 Jun 2025

Early contact with pet dogs protects genetically susceptible children from eczema

Having a dog at home could help to prevent eczema in children who are genetically prone to the condition, a study suggests.

4 Jun 2025

Maternal obesity linked to children's heightened risk of infection-related hospitalizations

Children born to mothers who are very obese with a BMI of 35 or higher are at heightened risk of being admitted to hospital for an infection, finds a long term study published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

3 Jun 2025

Digital baby formula campaigns undermine breastfeeding and put child health at risk

A global resolution on digital marketing of breast milk substitutes must be rigorously enforced, writes Afshan Khan, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.

1 Jun 2025

Fathers' teenage diets linked to healthier eating habits in children

While moms have traditionally gotten much of the focus when it comes to children's eating habits, a new study highlights the importance of dads in shaping a child's relationship with food.

1 Jun 2025

Early allergen introduction reduces childhood food allergy risk

Investigating allergy prevention, this research highlights early intervention strategies and the promise of biologic treatments in managing allergic conditions.

29 May 2025

Understanding cow’s milk allergy in breastfed infants

Cow’s milk allergy (CMA) affects up to 2.2% of infants, with a complex interplay of immunological mechanisms, allergen transfer via breast milk, and variable responses to maternal elimination diets. Current evidence challenges the routine use of maternal dietary restrictions, highlighting the need for precise diagnosis and further research.

27 May 2025

Is a vegan diet the right choice for your child?

A new scoping review analyzes current evidence on vegan diets in children, examining health outcomes, growth, and nutritional adequacy. The findings show that well-planned vegan diets can support normal growth, but highlight crucial gaps and the need for ongoing clinical and research guidance.

26 May 2025

Researchers establish a new golden standard for human lactation studies

Women who choose to stop treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding are putting their health at risk, and have to weigh their desire to have children and breastfeed against a risk that we know very little about.

22 May 2025

Longer breastfeeding boosts brain growth and thinking skills in teens, study shows

Longer breastfeeding duration is associated with greater cortical thickness, surface area, and improved fluid cognition in adolescents. These brain structures and cognitive benefits remain stable over two years and support current recommendations for extended breastfeeding.

20 May 2025

Gut bacteria and genes jointly shape obesity risk, review reveals hidden links

Researchers examined the heritability of body mass index (BMI), highlighting that genetics and the gut microbiome both play major roles in obesity risk. The review emphasizes that maternal microbiome transmission and family environment may help explain “missing heritability” beyond known genetic factors.

20 May 2025

Repeated antibiotics in preterm infants linked to long-term lung problems

Repeated perinatal antibiotic exposure in very low-birth-weight preterm infants was associated with impaired lung function and a higher risk of asthma at early school age. The findings underscore the need for cautious antibiotic use and targeted respiratory health strategies in this high-risk group.

18 May 2025

New device offers real time breastfeeding data for parents and clinicians

While breastfeeding has many benefits for a mother and her baby, it has one major drawback: It's incredibly difficult to know how much milk the baby is consuming.

14 May 2025

Gaza faces growing hunger crisis amid ongoing aid blockade

The risk of famine in Gaza is increasing with the deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid, including food, in the ongoing blockade.

13 May 2025

Antibiotic use in infancy raises early puberty risk in girls, study finds

Girls exposed to antibiotics in the first three months of life are significantly more likely to enter puberty early, according to a large South Korean study. The risk increases with earlier exposure and a greater number of antibiotic classes, with no similar effect seen in boys.

10 May 2025