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Breastmilk and breastfeeding benefits
Breastmilk is a complete meal for your baby, ready whenever and wherever you and your baby are.
Breastmilk for babies: what the experts say
Here are some reasons why experts say that breastmilk is the natural food for your baby.
Breastmilk: designed by nature
Breastmilk: a complete food
Breastmilk: a basis for healthy development
Breastfeeding: why it’s good for mothers
Breastfeeding is good for your baby’s health and development. Breastmilk contains all the nutrients your baby needs for the first six months of life and can protect baby from infection and disease. Breastfeeding is also a great opportunity for bonding with your baby. Breastfeeding is good for you too. It can help some women lose weight after pregnancy, and women who breastfeed have lower rates of breast cancer, osteoporosis and type-2 diabetes.
Breastfeeding: your choice
In the end, it’s an individual choice – but it should be an informed choice.
If you decide not to breastfeed, it’s good to know that formulas give your baby adequate nutrition. And if you need to supplement breastmilk with formula, it doesn’t mean that breastfeeding has to stop completely.
How long to feed your baby breastmilk
It’s recommended that you breastfeed exclusively until you introduce solid foods when your baby starts showing signs that they’re ready. This usually happens around six months. It’s around this time that babies start to need extra nutrients for growth and development.
Your baby needs only small amounts of food for the first few months of solids, and breastmilk is still baby’s main source of nutrition. Once you introduce solids, it’s best for your baby if you keep breastfeeding along with giving your baby solids until your baby is at least 12 months old.
After that, it’s really up to you and your baby how long you keep going. If you decide to breastfeed for longer, your baby will get added benefits like protection against infections in the toddler years.
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