Breastfeeding

Alternative names:

lactation; nursing

Definition:

Feeding human breast-milk to provide for the nutritional needs of infants. See also formula feeding, appropriate diet for age, iron in diet, and lactose intolerance.

Functions:

Breastfeeding acts as a nutritional source for infants less than one year of age.

Choosing how and what to feed your baby is a personal decision that deserves careful and thorough consideration of the facts, your opinions, and options. Feeding your baby breast-milk or bottled formula are both healthy and responsible decisions, each with advantages and disadvantages. How and what to feed your baby is a decision that should "fit" you, your baby, and your family.