Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is feeding a baby breast milk directly from the breast or from a bottle after expressing the milk with a pump. Breast milk provides nutrition for a baby in the first 6 months of life. Other foods, such as cereal, are then gradually introduced while the baby continues to breastfeed.
Experts recommend feeding your baby only breast milk for about 6 months. They also support breastfeeding for 2 years or longer. But your baby benefits from any amount of time that you breastfeed. Try to breastfeed for as long as it works for you and your baby.
Current as of: July 10, 2023
Health Canada, et al. (2012). Nutrition for healthy term infants: Recommendations from birth to six months. A joint statement of Health Canada, Canadian Paediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada, and Breastfeeding Committee for Canada. Available online: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/infant-nourisson/recom/index-eng.php.
Health Canada, et al. (2014). Nutrition for healthy term infants: Recommendations from six to 24 months. Health Canada. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/infant-nourisson/recom/recom-6-24-months-6-24-mois-eng.php. Accessed April 28, 2014.
