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From the first moments of life, breast milk is essential for your baby's health and development.
Breast milk fulfills all nutritional needs of your infant during the first six months post-birth, necessitating no other food or liquid intake beyond it.
Early breastfeeding plays a critical role in long-term child development.
Starting around the fifth month of pregnancy, colostrum accumulates in your breasts and provides initial nourishment to your baby immediately after birth. This early milk is avlable in small quantities that perfectly match your infant's stomach size at birth.
As your baby grows, breast milk production increases dly alongside their expanding stomach capacity. Colostrum initiates this process by keeping the stomach from overfilling while your little one learns to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing effectively.
Colostrum offers babies unparalleled immunity that no other food or fluid can provide.
Babies are born with extra fluids which are utilized during the initial days until their stomachs grow large enough to accommodate more liquid intake.
The temporary weight loss your baby experiences in these first few days is simply due to water weight, not any loss of health or nutrition.
Breast milk contns everything - both nutrients and fluid - required for your infant's development during this period, even in hot climates.
Giving other foods or fluids too early can negatively impact breastfeeding success and your baby's health.
Babies who exclusively receive breast milk until six months old are less prone to illnesses compared to those fed with alternative substances. They face lesser incidences of pneumonia and respiratory diseases, as well as gastrointestinal issues, ear infections, and allergies.
By the age of 6 months, your baby's digestive system is equipped to handle solid foods effectively.
At around six months, your baby starts to sit up indepently, a necessary milestone for swallowing food correctly.
Babies can also start moving their tongue towards accepting solids when at this age.
As babies grow, breast milk is superior in providing fats essential for brn, eye, and digestive system development. These systems experience rapid growth during the first year or two of life.
Continued breastfeeding beyond the first year supports optimal brn function, vision, and digestion efficiency.
Breastfeeding can ext into a child's second year and longer if desired by both you and your baby, offering numerous benefits including emotional comfort and disease resistance as they interact with peers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recomms exclusive breastfeeding for six months, followed by continued nursing based on mutual preference until age three or beyond. The longer the duration, the greater the benefits accruing to both parent and child alike.
Breastfeeding during pregnancy is possible alongside nursing an older sibling. This practice is called tandem nursing.
Download Exclusive Breastfeeding PDF
Explore additional advantages of solely breastfeeding your baby for the initial six months here.
** Images have been replaced with text descriptions to fit within a text-based format.
Additional Resources
Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding 101
Breastfeeding Challenges and Techniques Positions
Expressing and Storing Breast Milk
Early Skin-to-Skin Interaction
Exclusive Breast Milk for the First Six Months
Feeding On Cue vs. Scheduled Feeding
Rooming-In Program
How Often to Nurse
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