Breastfeeding Basics
Feeding a baby human milk directly from the breast or by bottle after pumping.
Last revised
Key takeaways
- Exclusive breastfeeding: about the first 6 months, per AAP
- Continued breastfeeding: alongside solid foods for 2 years or beyond, as long as parent and baby wish
- Most useful single change: Hold your baby skin to skin soon after birth and feed when you see early hunger cues such as rooting or hands to mouth.
- Commonest mistake: Putting up with pain at every feed; it usually means the latch needs adjusting.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Why it matters
Breastfeeding is linked to lower rates of infections, sudden infant death syndrome and some chronic conditions in babies, and to lower rates of breast and ovarian cancer and type 2 diabetes in parents.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Exclusive breastfeeding | about the first 6 months, per AAP |
| Continued breastfeeding | alongside solid foods for 2 years or beyond, as long as parent and baby wish |
| Newborn feeds | about 8 to 12 times every 24 hours |
| Vitamin D for breastfed babies | 400 IU a day, starting soon after birth |
| Alcohol | not drinking is safest; if you drink, wait at least 2 hours per drink before nursing |
What helps
- Hold your baby skin to skin soon after birth and feed when you see early hunger cues such as rooting or hands to mouth
- Ask for help with latch from a nurse, a lactation consultant (IBCLC) or WIC breastfeeding staff
- Count wet and dirty diapers in the first week and bring the count to your baby's first checkup
- Check with a doctor or pharmacist before taking a new medicine while breastfeeding
- Ask your employer about break time and a private space to pump, which federal law requires for most employees
What to avoid
- Putting up with pain at every feed; it usually means the latch needs adjusting
- Giving water or juice to a baby under 6 months
- Falling asleep with the baby on a sofa or armchair
In depth
Milk supply works largely on demand. When a baby feeds or milk is removed by a pump, hormones signal the breast to make more. Prolactin drives milk production, and oxytocin causes the let-down reflex that pushes milk toward the nipple. The more often and more fully milk is removed, especially in the early weeks, the more milk is made. This is why frequent feeding in the first days is so important.
The first milk, colostrum, is thick and produced in small amounts, which matches a newborn's tiny stomach. It is rich in antibodies and helps the baby pass the first stools. Over the next few days, milk volume increases noticeably, and the milk changes in composition. Feeling full, warm or heavy is a sign of this transition.
Breastfeeding is a learned skill for both parent and baby, and early difficulties are very common. Pain, latch problems, worries about supply and slow weight gain often respond well to skilled help. Feeding can also be exclusive breastfeeding, combined with formula, or entirely pumped milk; every amount of human milk offers benefits.
Signs and symptoms
- Early hunger cues such as stirring, rooting, licking lips or hands to mouth
- Rhythmic sucking and swallowing during feeds
- A baby who seems relaxed and content after most feeds
- An increasing number of wet and dirty diapers over the first week
- Sore, cracked nipples or pain during feeds, which suggest a latch problem
- A hard, red, painful area of the breast, sometimes with fever
Causes and risk factors
- A shallow latch, which causes pain and less efficient milk removal
- Infrequent feeds, long gaps or early use of formula without pumping
- Tongue-tie or other oral issues in the baby
- Medical conditions such as thyroid problems, PCOS or previous breast surgery
- Some medicines and hormonal birth control methods that may affect supply
- Separation from the baby after birth and returning to work without a pumping plan
How it is checked
In the hospital and at early checkups, nurses and the baby's doctor watch a feed, check the latch and weigh the baby. Newborns typically lose some weight in the first days and regain it by about two weeks. The baby's weight, wet and dirty diapers and jaundice level are the main ways to judge whether feeding is going well.
An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can assess positioning, latch, milk transfer and the baby's mouth, and may weigh the baby before and after a feed to estimate how much was taken. Breast pain with fever is evaluated by your own provider, who may check for mastitis or an abscess.
Related topics
- Breast Cancer: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Cancer Awareness)
- Safe Sleep for Infants: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Injury Prevention)
- Childhood Nutrition: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Children's Health)
- RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus): Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Infectious Diseases)
Where to go next
- Breastfeeding Basics: A Beginner-Friendly Start
- Breastfeeding Basics: Common Questions Answered
- Pregnancy and Postpartum: The Complete Guide
- What the Guidance Really Says About Postpartum Checkups
- The Evidence on Prenatal Care Schedule, Without the Hype
When to get help
Call your baby's doctor if the baby has few wet diapers, is very sleepy and hard to wake for feeds, or looks more yellow, and call your own provider for a hot, red, painful area on the breast with fever. Call 911 if the baby is limp, turning blue or struggling to breathe.
Where this comes from
- American Academy of Pediatrics — Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk
- CDC — About Breastfeeding
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.