Nutrition

Breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby. It can help protect your baby from infections and diseases. It also improves brain growth for your baby! Breastmilk has all the nutrition that babies need and is recommended until the baby is at least age one.

Breastmilk contains small amounts of sugar, so it is important to clean your baby’s gums after each feeding to prevent tooth decay.

Not all infants are able to breastfeed exclusively for a full year. Iron-fortified infant formula may be used instead of breastmilk until infants are 12 months old. Cow’s milk should not be given to babies under one year of age. You can learn more about infant feeding here.

Mothers have the option of feeding breastmilk or using a breastmilk supplement for the first half year of life for their baby. At around 4-6 months, your infant’s doctor might recommend introducing solid foods. When introducing solid foods, limit foods high in sugar for their overall health and that of their teeth. If your baby craves something sweet, good substitutes are warm cooked carrots or sweet potatoes.