Carle Foundation Hospital Community Breastfeeding Clinic
Providing infants with human milk gives them the most complete nutrition possible. Breastfeeding provides the optimal mix of nutrients and antibodies necessary for babies to thrive.
Scientific studies have shown breastfed children have far fewer and less serious illnesses than those who never receive breast milk, including reduced risk of SIDS, childhood cancers and diabetes. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusively breastfeeding for about the first six months of a baby’s life, followed by breastfeeding in combination with the introduction of complementary foods until at least 12 months of age and continuation of breastfeeding for as long as mutually desired by mother and baby.