geologia: Breastfeeding

Evidence: 100 • authority: 72

Breastfeeding, also known as nursing, is the process whereby breast milk is fed to an infant or toddler. Infants may suckle directly from the breast, or milk may be extracted with a breast pump and then fed to the infant. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that breastfeeding begin within the first hour of a newborn's birth and continue as the baby wants. Health organizations including the WHO recommend exclusively breastfeeding for six months; this means that no other foods or drinks—other than vitamin D supplement—are typically given. The WHO recommends then continuing breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years, and beyond. Exclusive breastfeeding rose…

Evidence: 43 • authority: 80

Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding of Children up to 2 Years of Age

Evidence: 43 • authority: 80

Long-Term Breastfeeding, Up to 2 Years and Beyond (Advice Only) (Baby, Later)

Evidence: 25 • authority: 80

Beyond Bottles and Breastfeeding: Starting Solid Foods

Evidence: 25 • authority: 80

Bonding Benefits of Breastfeeding Extend Years Beyond Infancy

Evidence: 25 • authority: 72

A boycott against the Swiss-based multinational food and drink processing corporation Nestlé was launched in the United States on 4 July 1977. The boycott expanded into Europe in the early 1980s and was prompted by concerns about Nestlé's aggressive marketing of infant formulas as substitutes for breast milk, particularly in underdeveloped countries. The boycott has been cancelled and renewed because of the business practices of Nestlé and other substitute manufacturers monitored by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). Breast milk is the best nutrition source for infants, and this has long been understood as a settled scientific consensus by public health experts and paediatr…

Evidence: 25 • authority: 72

In Western countries extended breastfeeding usually means breastfeeding beyond the age of 12 to 24 months, depending on the culture. Breast milk contains lactoferrin, which protects the infant from infection caused by a wide range of pathogens. The amount of lactoferrin in breast milk increases significantly during the months of 12 through 24 and remains elevated for as long as the infant continues to nurse. Research shows breastfed toddlers aged over 12 months have lower mortality rates. La Leche League writes that extended nursing provides comfort, security, and a way to calm down for the toddler, while the mother enjoys a feeling of closeness with her child. In most Western countries, ex…