Breastfeeding and feeding

The recommendations

The WHO and UNICEF recommend:¹

• starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth
• breast milk only for the first 6 months
• from 6 months, adding other foods while continuing to breastfeed up to 2 years or beyond

Fewer than half of babies under 6 months worldwide are breastfed exclusively.¹

Benefits

Breastfed children are less likely to develop diabetes later in life, and people who breastfeed have a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers.¹ Breastfeeding also makes the uterus contract, which is why bleeding can look heavier and cramps can come during feeds in the first weeks.²

When it's hard

Breastfeeding can take practice, and help is available from midwives, nurses and lactation consultants. Some people can't breastfeed or choose not to, and a clinician can help plan feeding with infant formula.

Medicines can pass into breast milk. For antidepressants, the levels in milk are generally very low.³ Ask a clinician rather than stopping a needed medicine on your own.

Myth: You can't get pregnant while breastfeeding.

It's a common belief, and breastfeeding does delay ovulation for many people. But ovulation usually returns by about 6 months, and it happens about 2 weeks before the first period, so pregnancy is possible before a period ever comes back.⁴ Breastfeeding works as birth control only under strict conditions, and only in the first 6 months after birth.⁵

Birth control while breastfeeding

All birth control methods are safe while breastfeeding. A few aren't recommended in the first weeks because of a very small chance they could affect milk supply.⁴ The next lesson covers birth control after a baby.