The American Association of Pediatrics strongly recommends breast-feeding. Breast milk has been shown to protect against infectious diseases, to guard against obesity, diabetes and asthma, and to lower the risk of SIDS.
Additionally, breast-feeding significantly lowers the mother's risk of both cervical and breast cancers and eases postpartum recovery.
The AAP acknowledges that some of the main obstacles to breast-feeding include "a lack of guidance and encouragement from health-care professionals, prenatal education about breast-feeding" and "disruptive hospital policies and practices."
The association urges practitioners to recognize that "exclusive breast-feeding is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first six months of life and provides continuing protection against diarrhea and respiratory-tract infection."
Breast-feeding, says the association, should be continued "for at least the first year of life and beyond, for as long as mutually desired by mother and child."
--Melissa Ridge Carter