The act of a mother feeding her baby by excreting milk produced from her breast. A baby has a suckling instinct which allows them to extract milk. Milk production begins due to hormones released in the body after birth, and continues for as long as the infant is still regularly breastfed. The establishment and maintenance of breastfeeding is important for the healthy growth and development of the new born baby and also offers some health benefits for the mother. Benefits of breastfeeding include:
- Infant receives essential nutrients and antibodies not available from other sources
- Increased bonding between mother and child
- Cost effective and no preparaton required
- Assists mother in losing weight gained during pregnancy
See the article Breastfeeding for more information.
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