What is breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding, also called nursing, can be an easy and inexpensive way for a mother to feed her child.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy Statement on Breastfeeding, women who don’t have health problems should exclusively breastfeed their infants for at least the first six months of life.  The AAP suggests that women try to breastfeed for the first 12 months of life because of the benefits to both the mother and baby.