Most healthcare professionals recommend exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months or much longer.

Breast milk contains everything baby needs for the first 6 months of life, in all the right proportions. Its composition even changes according to the baby’s changing needs, especially during the first month of life.

During the first days after birth, your breasts produce a thick and yellowish fluid called colostrum. It’s high in protein, low in sugar, and loaded with beneficial compounds. It’s truly a wonder food and not replaceable by formula.

जिन बच्चों को बचपन में पर्याप्त रूप से मां का दूध पीने को नहीं मिलता, उनमें बचपन में शुरू होने वाले डायबिटीज की बीमारी अधिक होती है। उनमें अपेक्षाकृत बुद्धि विकास कम होता है। अगर बच्चा समय पूर्व जन्मा (प्रीमेच्योर) हो, तो उसे बड़ी आंत का घातक रोग, नेक्रोटाइजिंग एंटोरोकोलाइटिस हो सकता है। अगर गाय का दूध पीतल के बर्तन में उबाल कर दिया गया हो, तो उसे लीवर का रोग इंडियन चाइल्डहुड सिरोसिस हो सकता है। इसलिए छह-आठ महीने तक बच्चे के लिए मां का दूध श्रेष्ठ ही नहीं, जीवन रक्षक भी होता है

It may reduce your baby’s risk for many illnesses and diseases, including:

• Middle ear infections. Breastfeeding, particularly exclusively and as long as possible, may protect against middle ear, throat, and sinus infections well beyond infancyTrusted Source.
• Respiratory tract infections. Breastfeeding can protect against multiple respiratory and gastrointestinal acute illnesses.
• Colds and infections. Babies exclusively breastfed for 6 months may have a lower risk of getting serious colds and ear or throat infections.
• Gut infections. Breastfeeding is linked with a reduction in gut infections.
• Intestinal tissue damage. Feeding preterm babies breast milk is linked with a reduction in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitisTrusted Source.
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfeeding is linked to a reduced risk of SIDS, especially when breastfeeding exclusively.
• Allergic diseases. Breastfeeding is linked to a reduced riskTrusted Source of asthma, atopic dermatitis, and eczema.
• Bowel diseases. Babies who are breastfed may be less likely to develop Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
• Diabetes. Breastfeeding is linked to a reduced riskTrusted Source of developing type 1 diabetes and non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes.
• Childhood leukemia. Breastfeeding is linked to a reduction in the risk for childhood leukemiaTrusted Source.

Mothers’ COVID-19 Vaccines Can Also Protect Breastfeeding Infants

Our study showed a huge boost in antibodies against the COVID-19 virus in breast milk starting 2 weeks after the first shot, and this response was sustained for the course of our study, which was almost 3 months long,” said first author Jeannie Kelly, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, in a press release. “The antibodies levels were still high at the end of our study, so the protection likely extends even longer.