In December of 1997, the American Academy of Pediatrics strengthened its formal statement on breastfeeding. In the new statement the Academy describes human milk as uniquely superior for infant feeding. It further describes human milk as a species-specific food from which all substitute feeding options are markedly different. It states that breastfeeding has many advantages for the mother and the infant.

The advantages fall into many growth and developmental areas including health, nutrition, immunological, psychological, social, economic and environmental benefits. The statement recommends that mothers be encouraged to breastfeed for at least the first year of life and continuing as long as the mother and child enjoy and benefit from the experience.

As health professionals, we know that those recommendations are not always easy to meet. There are many reasons that our clients' attempts at breastfeeding fail or end early. The most common reason being lack of parental knowledge and support.

To eliminate these barriers, it is vital that each new parent has the opportunity to learn of the importance and benefits of breastfeeding. They also need a basic understanding of breastfeeding processes such as, how and when to feed their baby, signs of infant hunger and satisfaction, and when to seek the help of a professional. Most importantly, they need to receive this information in a format that is easily understood.

Growing With Baby is dedicated to the development of educational materials that will help health professionals meet the needs of the breastfeeding families they serve. Our materials are simple and easy to understand and contain accurate and up-to-date information. Please see our products page for more information.