Baby Friendly Manitoba: Information for Parents
Breastfeeding is a normal way to feed your baby.
Breast milk provides all the nutrition your baby needs. It has hundreds of antibodies, enzymes, and other factors that will protect your baby from infections and disease. Breast milk is always at the right temperature, easy to provide, always handy, changes as your baby grows, and is free. Babies who are breastfed have better mental development and emotional security. They score higher on developmental and cognitive (IQ) tests. They also have better jaw and tooth development and improved immune systems.
Breastmilk is the best food for normal growth and development. Health Canada promotes breastfeeding as the best method of feeding infants as it provides optimal nutritional, immunological and emotional benefits for the growth and development of infants. Exclusive breastfeeding (no food or liquid other than breast-milk or expressed breast-milk, vitamins, minerals and medicine) is recommended for the first six months of life for healthy term infants. Infants should be introduced to nutrient-rich, solid foods with particular attention to iron at six months with continued breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond.
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