What is breastfeeding?

Breast-feeding is feeding a baby breast milk directly from the breast or from a bottle after expressing the milk with a pump. Breast milk provides the best nutrition for a baby.

All major professional medical groups that focus on children, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommend breast-feeding for at least the first year of a baby's life. This recommendation includes feeding a baby only breast milk for the first six months. Other foods, such as cereal, are then gradually introduced while the baby continues to breast-feed.