Breastfeeding is feeding a baby breast milk directly from the breast or from a bottle after expressing the milk with a pump. Breast milk provides the best nutrition for a baby in the first 6 months of life. Other foods, such as cereal, are then gradually introduced while the baby continues to breastfeed.

All major professional medical groups that focus on children, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommend breastfeeding for at least the first year of a baby’s life. This recommendation includes feeding a baby only breast milk for the first 6 months.