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The Importance of Breastfeeding

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Page summary

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding for 2+ years, for lasting health benefits for both parent and baby.

Inclusive terms

Halton Region Public Health aims to use language on this website that is inclusive to everyone, while also being clear and easy to understand.

We acknowledge not all people giving birth or breastfeeding will identify as women or mothers. These webpages use gender-neutral language, however, some resources we link to may only use gendered terms.

The terms breastfeeding and breastmilk are used throughout this website to describe feeding a baby with human milk. Some individuals may use other terms, such as chestfeeding or bodyfeeding. We encourage everyone to use the language that best describes their experience and respect the choice of others.

Halton Region Public Health recognizes that language evolves, and terms that feel respectful today may change over time. We are committed to learning and growing alongside our community and continuing to deepen our understanding of different perspectives.

Current infant feeding recommendations

Breastmilk is the best food for newborn babies. Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend that babies are exclusively breastfed (receive only breastmilk) for the first six months of their lives. At around six months you can start to introduce solid foods with continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond.

Every drop of breastmilk is valuable and benefits you and your baby. The infant feeding recommendations are based on research showing that any amount of breastmilk/breastfeeding has lasting health benefits for both you and your baby. The more breastmilk your baby gets, and the longer breastfeeding continues, the greater the health benefits for you both.

Babies do not need anything other than breastmilk, no other food or water, in the first six months of life. However, living in Canada, most people do not get enough vitamin D. A supplement of 400 IU/day of Vitamin D is recommended for all breastfeeding infants. For more information see this Caring for Kids Resource (external link).

Why breastfeeding is important

Breastmilk and formula are not the same:

  • Your breastmilk is made for your baby, formula is made in a lab to be like breastmilk.
  • Formula can provide your baby with nutrition to grow and develop but does not contain the health promoting properties of breastmilk.
  • Breastmilk is a living food; it contains antioxidants, prebiotics, probiotics, antibacterial and immune-boosting properties that help protect your baby from infections and illnesses and promote optimal development.
  • Breastmilk contains the perfect balance of easily digestible fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
  • Breastmilk composition changes throughout the day, weeks and months, to meet your baby’s growing needs.
  • Breastmilk is always ready and the right temperature. Formula requires proper preparation and storage to decrease the risk of unsafe bacteria.

Any breastmilk your baby receives is beneficial. The more breastmilk your baby gets, and the longer breastfeeding continues, the greater the health benefits for both.

Research tells us that NOT breastfeeding can increase your baby's risk of:
  • respiratory infections
  • ear infections
  • diarrhea
  • hospitalization
  • sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • obesity
  • type 2 diabetes
  • childhood leukemia
Research tells us that NOT breastfeeding can increase your risk of:
  • postpartum depression
  • heart disease
  • high blood pressure
  • breast and ovarian cancer

In addition to health benefits, breastfeeding is good for families, communities and the environment:

Breastmilk is always available and the right temperature so you can breastfeed anywhere and at any time.

Breastfeeding is less expensive than formula feeding.

There’s no risk of breastmilk being recalled or unavailable due to a supply shortage.

Breastfeeding is good for the environment, as it does not need processing, packaging, or shipping.

Feeding your baby formula can have negative impacts on breastfeeding

When parents breastfeed immediately after birth, and each time their baby shows signs of hunger (at least 8 times in 24 hours), most parents will make enough breastmilk to feed their babies and will not need to provide supplementation with formula.

  • Supplementing means your baby spends less time feeding at the breast. This signals your body to make less milk and can reduce your breastmilk supply.
  • Bottle-feeding can make it more difficult for your baby to learn and maintain the deep latch they need to effectively breastfeed.
  • There are ways to protect breastfeeding if supplementation is needed.

Sign up for Halton Region’s free Online Prenatal Classes and Virtual Breastfeeding Class to learn more about breastfeeding.

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