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Breastfeeding is the process of a woman feeding an infant or young child with milk from her breasts, usually directly from the nipples, a process called lactation. Babies have a sucking urge that usually enables them to take in the milk, provided there is a good latch, a detached frenulum, and a milk supply. Breast milk has been shown to be best for feeding a child if the mother does not have any transmissible infections.
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Nevertheless, some mothers do not breastfeed their children, either for personal or medical reasons. Some diseases, such as HIV and HTLV-1, which are transmitted through bodily fluids, can be passed through the breast milk, and may therefore preclude breastfeeding in these cases. Some medicines may also transfer through breast milk. However, most medicines are transferred in very small amounts and are considered safe to take during breastfeeding. Therefore most women are not precluded from breastfeeding, and doctors and governments are keen to promote the practice. Nevertheless, many medications are labeled as unsafe for use while breastfeeding, and the mother who desires to breastfeed and her physician must carefully weigh the risks and benefits to her baby. |
Maternal | Pregnancy | Childbirth | Lamaze | Infant Caring | Breastfeeding | Surrogate Mother |
Many governmental strategies and international initiatives have promoted breastfeeding as the best method of feeding a child in his or her first year. So do the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and many others.
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