10 Breastfeeding Basics

Key points to consider if you're breastfeeding your baby during her first year of life.

By Nancy Gottesman

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Mother's milk is the ideal food

Nature has provided you with the perfect way to nourish your child during her first year of life: Your breast milk contains just the right blend of fat, protein, and antibodies to help your infant develop and to protect her against disease. That's why an increasing number of moms choose to nurse. In fact, 77 percent of babies are now breastfed, at least briefly, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up from just 60 percent more than a decade ago.

Next: Nursing is natural, but not always easy

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