Mother peacefully holding her baby while breastfeeding

CONTENTS

The Best Start for Your Baby

Breast milk meets all of your baby's nutritional needs during the first months of life. It provides the ideal balance of nutrients, strengthens the immune system, and supports healthy growth and development. Thanks to its unique natural components, breast milk is more than just nutrition—it provides your baby's first natural line of defense against illness. For this reason, beginning breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth and continuing to breastfeed regularly are the most important steps you can take for your newborn's health.

Why Is Breast Milk So Important?

Breast milk is a living fluid that naturally changes over time to meet your baby's evolving nutritional and developmental needs.

Breast milk:

Supports healthy growth and development
Helps build a strong immune system
Promotes healthy digestive system development
Encourages the growth of beneficial gut bacteria
Provides natural protection against infections
Supports healthy neurological development

Colostrum: Your Baby's First Immunization

The thick, yellowish milk produced during the first few days after birth is called colostrum.

Although the amount may seem small, colostrum is perfectly matched to your newborn's tiny stomach capacity. It is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, antibodies, and other immune-protective factors.

Because of this:

Colostrum should never be discarded.
Breastfeeding should begin within the first half an hour after birth.
Frequent breastfeeding during the first days stimulates milk production and may also help newborn jaundice resolve more quickly.

Why Exclusive Breastfeeding for the First Six Months?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. After six months, complementary foods should be introduced while breastfeeding continues through age 2 and beyond.

During this period, families may sometimes begin formula supplementation unnecessarily because they believe:

Their milk supply is low,
The baby cries frequently,
The baby was born by cesarean section,
Breastfeeding is challenging during the first few days.

In many cases, these concerns can be successfully addressed with proper breastfeeding support and guidance. Therefore, early assistance from healthcare professionals and lactation specialists can help mothers establish successful breastfeeding and avoid unnecessary formula supplementation.

For this reason, providing mothers with breastfeeding support during the first days after birth is extremely important.

Long-Term Health Benefits for Both Mother and Baby

The benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond infancy.

Research has shown that breastfeeding is associated with:

Lower rates of certain childhood infections
Improved neurodevelopmental outcomes, especially in premature infants
A reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer in mothers who breastfeed

Breast milk also contains bioactive components that play an essential role in the healthy development of the infant's immune system.

Tips for Increasing Your Milk Supply

The most effective way to increase breast milk supply is to breastfeed your baby frequently and with proper latch and positioning

During the first days after birth:

Breastfeed 8–12 times every 24 hours.
Allow your baby to nurse approximately 10–15 minutes on each breast,
Keeping the mother and baby in the same room makes breastfeeding easier..
Feed your baby on demand rather than on a strict schedule.

Your Newborn's Stomach Is Smaller Than You Think

A newborn's stomach is very small during the first days of life.

Approximate stomach capacity:

Day 1: 5–7 mL
Day 3: 22–27 mL
End of Week 1: 45–60 mL
One Month: 80–150 mL

Because of this, producing small amounts of milk during the first days is completely normal. Trying to feed more than your baby's stomach can hold may lead to spitting up or digestive discomfort..

How Can You Tell If Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk?

Signs that your baby is feeding well include:

Hearing swallowing sounds during breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding 8–12 times per day.
Having regular wet and dirty diapers beginning in the first few days of life.
Stools turning yellow within the first few days after birth.
Being content and relaxed after breastfeeding, often followed by sleep.
Steady weight gain

Signs That Breast Milk Intake May Be Inadequate

Although many mothers worry that they are not producing enough breast milk, this is not always the case.

Signs of true insufficient milk intake include:

Failure to gain weight as expected.
Not returning to birth weight by two weeks of age.
Fewer than six wet diapers per day.
Dark-colored urine.
Delayed transition of stools to yellow or persistent passage of meconium.

If you notice any of these signs, contact your baby's pediatrician promptly.

Breastfeeding Tips for Mothers

Supporting breastfeeding also means taking care of your own health and well-being

Recommendations include:

Make sure you are getting enough calories and nutrients each day .
Avoid unnecessary formula supplementation if your baby is gaining weight appropriately.
Working mothers may express breast milk approximately every 3 hours while at work.
Expressed breast milk can be stored safely under appropriate storage conditions.

General breast milk storage recommendations:

Room temperature: Up to 3 hours
Refrigerator: Up to 3 days
Freezer: Up to 3 months

Storage recommendations may vary depending on national guidelines and storage conditions. Follow your healthcare provider's or your hospital's recommendations whenever available.

A Healthy Future Begins with Breastfeeding

Breast milk is more than your baby's first food—it is an investment in lifelong health. Supporting proper breastfeeding practices from birth and providing mothers and babies with informed guidance throughout this natural process can make an important contribution to lifelong health and well-being.

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Health Library

The Miracle of Breast Milk

Health Library

The Miracle of Breast Milk