Better Breastfeeding for You and Your Baby

By: Amanda Cochran
Topics: Infants ,; Toddlers

(Credit: CBS)

Breastfeeding can be an intimidating process for first-time or veteran mothers.

But there are loads of benefits for your baby and you. According to Carla Roney, editor in chief of TheBump.com, breast feeding can support the immune system of your baby, may help guard against childhood obesity and childhood cancers, helps moms lose weight and may protect moms against breast cancer.

So how can you overcome any fears and the public stigma attached to the practice?

Start here: In our web show, "Eye on Parenting," CNET's Molly Wood talks with breastfeeding experts about how to make the experience smoother for both mother and child.

Have you had difficulty with breastfeeding? Did you get some great advice from family or friends about breastfeeding that you couldn't live without?

Also, share your thoughts with us about the expert opinions in our show below. (The fashions seen in the show are from Manhattan's Yummy Mummy store):

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by Mikethetrucker August 14, 2010 10:51 PM EDT: This is news? It has long been known that mother's breast milk contains more than 400 nutrients that "science" cannot duplicate. Furthermore, the mother passes on vital antibodies to the infant to help fight disease and sickness.

Now if we could just planned parenthood and the democrats to stop killing babies.; Reply to this comment

by goffredo29 August 14, 2010 6:04 AM EDT

Mastitis is never mentioned. Breastmilk is best for your baby. That's all your pediatrician can tell you. Pediatricians don't do breasts. So, if you get mastitis, as about 30% of mothers do, you're out of luck. But, don't expect you OBGYN to help you figure out what to do about transitioning the child to the bottle if you do get it. And, good luck to your partner who is now responsible for ALL the feedings even though they've been kept out of the loop up to this point. Oh, and if your baby fails to thrive once it's on the bottle and you end up having to have it admitted to the hospital? Look for the Children's Services people to be paying you a visit. And, maybe they'll even take your baby away when they do. Qui potest capere capiat.

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by ushabug August 16, 2010 2:02 PM EDT: Mastitis does not require weaning. Do you really think 30% of mothers can't nurse? Mastitis is painful, but treatable - and the worst thing you can do is wean. This is an irresponsible post.


by goffredo29 August 19, 2010 12:10 PM EDT: The Latin phrase at the end means "let those that understand understand." Obviously that doesn't include you. Your defensiveness just shows that you know that the scenario described happens all the time, but you don't want anybody to believe that it does. You can't make something like that up. The irresponsibility lies in not telling mothers contemplating breastfeeding and their partners that these things can and do happen.


by lucciano1 August 14, 2010 1:23 AM EDT: "...breastfeeding is a natural event that shouldn't be a social debate." Yeah, shouldn't be, until you find that mothers can not "show" their nipples, not even accidentally, because this can be called pornography! So while they breastfeed their babies mothers are treated with laws similar to the charia of muslims. What a bunch of hypocrites... Remember Facebook, about a year ago, when they wanted to avoid mommies to upload photographs showing them while breastfeeding their babies... The double moral at its best!; Reply to this comment

by burgernutr August 13, 2010 5:59 PM EDT

I would like to correct some minor misinformation.

The American Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends feeding your baby ONLY breastmilk to six months of age and CONTINUING to breastfeed for AT LEAST a year and as LONG AS DESIRED THEREAFTER. The recommendation is not just six months. The problem for many mothers is that the workplace environment can sometimes make it challenging to pump while at work or visit the baby for feeds in an onsite day care center. Fortunately, we now have legislation that protects women's ability to pump while at work. This should help more women.

Also, gig76 is misinformed about bonding. Babies do NOT bond to the OBJECT that feeds them. The studies of monkeys clearly showed that the did not bond to the bottle; they bonded to the soft squishy toy. Babies and mothers bond while breastfeeding because they are touching each other skin to skin, they are looking at each other (once babies start to open their eyes while feeding), and they vocalize to each other. I have known mothers who do NOT bond well with their baby even if they are breastfeeding because the mother doesn't interact while breastfeeding and interacts minimally the moment breastfeeding is completed. Just as I have worked with many women who have had problems that required the use of the bottle who, because they interact with their baby with skin and eye contact and vocalization, bond very nicely.

Feeding does not create bonding; it is the interaction that occurs while feeding that creates the bonding. So, family members do not have to feed to bond and family members may not necessarily bond while feeding. I cannot overly stress how important it is for anyone feeding a baby to interact while they are feeding the baby. There are many other ways to bond that don't require feeding such as infant massage, bathing, rocking, singing etc....

Breastfeeding should not be a social debate, or even a debate at all. The fact that there is a huge gap in breast milk consumption by babies in our society is similar to the huge gap in eating real healthy food among the entire population. Both lead to obesity. Neither can be dealt by attacking the individual that encounters problems; both need to be dealt with by making the ability to feed infants well and eat healthy much easier for the population as a whole.

All mothers deserve adequate assistance to be able to feed their baby as optimally as possible. This means that women who have problems deserve EMPATHETIC help to overcome challenges and compensate when there is a problem than cannot be overcome. So, I really love the fact that seeking help was emphasized in this segment.

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by ibsteve2u August 13, 2010 6:28 PM EDT: Hmmm...I intended to make a juvenile remark, but the serious nature of your comment completely threw me off my game.

Sigh...now the world will never know just how far I can stretch the definition of "pertinent"...


by jmn197951 August 12, 2010 4:45 PM EDT: I have three children and have breastfed all of them a minnimum of 1 year. I am currently still breastfeeding my 13 month old and am trying to wean him. It has been a wonderful journey and experience and knowing this is my last baby makes it a little difficult. I know I have given all my kids the best start in life and wish more moms would choose breastfeeding as well. There should be no stigma attached. It was how our babies were meant to be fed. Everyone should google the benefits of breastmilk. You will be amazed! It takes commitment and effort but it is well worth it. If you look at breastmilk banks online they charge like $20 an ounce! It truely is liquid gold. My pediatrician recommends that I breastfeed until my child is 2 years. I don't know if I will do that, but I know that is what my baby would like. It is such a wonderful thing you could ever do for your child.; Reply to this comment


by gig76 August 12, 2010 3:00 PM EDT: Breastfeeding is a great way to bond with baby. Also, to get baby used to drinking from a bottle of sippy cup, just express milk and let dad or sibbling feed baby, usually about a month to six weeks after birth or when pediatrician says it's okay to do so. It helps them to also bond and get to know the newest family member. Also, a great time to check out those cute toes, fingers and make eye contact while feeding baby. All interaction helps baby to thrive and grow into healthy development stages. Just love them they are so sweet and this time in life passes so quickly. And a great time to smell your precious baby, yes smell. Just enjoy being a parent and know that breastfeeding is a natural event that shouldn't be a social debate. It's natural just as sun rise and sun set.; Reply to this comment