A lot of people have said that the milk that comes from the mother is best for newborn babies. This is because the milk that comes out has the right concentration of fat, water, protein and sugar that is needed in the first few month's of the infants development. It also contains antibodies which protect the infant from harmful bacteria and viruses and helps defend against disease and infection.

Milk formulas given to infants must be warm and the bottles sterilized before being used. If the milk comes straight from the breast of the mother, this is no longer needed since the milk that comes out is always sterile. This saves time and money since what is given to the baby is absolute and fresh. Studies have shown that babies have easier time digesting milk from the mother instead of those that come from milk formulas.

A mother should start breastfeeding the child for the first 6 months after the baby is born. This can continue on for about a one year or until such time that the mother thinks that other liquids can already be given. This can begin a few days after giving birth as long as there are no problems with the baby and the mother.

The first thing that the baby will be feeding on is thick yellowish milk called colostrum. This comes in small amounts that might let the mother think the infant is not getting enough nutrients but rest assured that it is all the baby needs. Newborns are sleepy most of the time and will not cry when its time to eat so the mother must wake the baby every hour or every couple of hours to give it some milk.

One must not give the baby any supplements such as water or any other liquid during this time since this could interfere with the milk that is introduced to the infant.

There are 2 ways to know the baby is getting enough milk in her system.

The first is observing the baby's weight. Should the infant lose some weight averaging between 7 to 10% during the first few days, the doctors can tell the mother that it is normal and everything is ok.

The second is by keeping track the number of diapers for the baby. Initial breastfeeding gives out milk on low volumes but are high in nutrients. During this time, the baby will have to be changed a maximum of two times a day. As the supply of milk increases, changing the baby can happen up to 6 times in a day and normalize to around 3 or 4 later on.

Breastfeeding can later on be combined with solid foods as the baby gets bigger. The first few months in the baby\s development is very crucial so it is important to consult often with the pediatrician regarding the health and the weight of the infant.

Breastfeeding has many benefits. It provides time for the mother to bond with the baby giving a sense of security, warmth and comfort. It also helps the mother lose weight that was gained prior to pregnancy. This gives time for the uterus of the mother to return back to its original size and stops the bleeding that usually happens after giving birth.

Studies have also shown that breastfeeding reduced the risk of cancer in the breast and the ovaries.