Specifically, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation is for:
— Exclusive breastfeeding of infants for the first six months of life before introducing nutritious complementary foods.
— Maternity care practices at birth hospitals or centers that improve breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity.
— Breastfeeding as long as mutually desired for two years or beyond.
— Support of mothers who choose to breastfeed beyond the first year, including protections against workplace barriers.
— Policies that protect breastfeeding and are essential to supporting families in sustaining breastfeeding.
As important as breastfeeding is, though, it can be challenging. And it’s like any other new skill: It needs to be learned, and questions and concerns often can arise along the way.
Learning the positions that work best for you and your baby is an important first step. A newborn’s feeding pattern can be unpredictable, but you can look for cues from your baby that can signal readiness to feed and satisfaction when finished.
Maintaining your milk supply during breastfeeding is important for your baby’s health and growth. Many factors can cause a low milk supply, including not breastfeeding often enough, supplementing breastfeeding and an ineffective latch.
Babies sometimes suddenly will refuse to breastfeed after breastfeeding well for months. This doesn’t necessarily mean your baby is ready to wean, though. Your baby may be trying to tell you something. Common causes of a “breastfeeding strike” include discomfort…
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