Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding alone can provide all the food and water your baby needs for the first six months of their lives. Babies do not need any food or drink except breast milk, not even water, until they are six months old. This is called exclusive breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of a baby’s life because it gives them the best chance of achieving optimal growth, development and health.

If your baby is having at least 6 wet single-use nappies or at least 8 washable nappies each day (sunrise to sunrise), their stool is unformed and plentiful and they are growing according to the WHO Growth Standards, you can be confident they are getting enough breast milk.

If you think your baby needs to have more breast milk each day, you can offer breastfeeds more often during the day and overnight and ask a breastfeeding counsellor or health care worker to check your baby’s attachment. Most babies need to breastfeed 8–12 times in 24 hours in the first six months.

No, you should not give water to a baby under six months of age, even on hot days. Babies under six months do not need water because breast milk has all the water a baby needs. Breast milk is more than 80% water. If you think your baby is thirsty, you can offer an extra breastfeed. Many mothers find that their babies want to breastfeed more often on hot days.

Giving water to a baby under six months can cause diarrhoea and lead to malnutrition. Giving water may also cause the baby to drink less breastmilk or to stop breastfeeding early.

Most medications can be taken while you are breastfeeding without affecting your baby. If you or your health care provider are worried that taking your medication might affect your breastfed baby, check with a specialized pharmaceutical advisory service, such as e-lactancia.org, infantrisk.com or lactmed.

If you breastfeed your baby whenever they indicate that they are hungry during the day and at night and allow them to breastfeed until they finish suckling and let go of the breast, or fall asleep, your breast milk will provide all the nourishment your baby needs until they are 6 months of age.

Eating a healthy diet is just as important for breastfeeding mothers as it is for everyone else. Breastfeeding mothers should follow the Five Keys for a Healthy Diet. Even when a mother’s diet is not very healthy, her breast milk still contains all the nourishment her baby needs for the first six months of life.

WHO recommends that you start offering your baby family foods in addition to breast milk from six months (180 days) of age.

From six months, you can start offering your baby the same healthy foods the rest of your family eats. Babies need to eat animal-source foods (including meat, fish and eggs) and vegetables and fruits every day. Pulses (like lentils, chickpeas and beans), nuts and seeds should be eaten frequently, especially if meat or vegetables are limited.

Food should always be stored correctly and prepared safely to prevent food-borne illnesses. Help your baby learn to feed themselves by choosing soft foods they can hold and put into their own mouths.

WHO recommends you keep breastfeeding your child up to two years and beyond and for as long as you both want to continue. Breastfeeding never stops protecting children from infectious disease.