A baby<unk>  script<unk> , or nursing, is the process by which human breast milk is fed to a child. Breast milk may be from the breast, or may be expressed by hand or pumped and fed to the infant. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that<unk>  begin within the first hour of a baby's life and continue as often and as much as the baby wants. Health organizations, including the WHO, recommend<unk>  exclusively for six months. This means that no other foods or drinks, other than vitamin D, are typically given. After the introduction of foods at six months of age, recommendations include continued<unk>  until one to two years of age or more. Globally, about 38% of infants are exclusively breastfed during their first six months of life.<unk>  has a number of benefits to both mother and baby, which infant formula lacks. Increased<unk>  to near-universal levels in low and medium income countries could prevent approximately 820,000 deaths of children under the age of five annually.<unk>  decreases the risk of respiratory tract infections, ear infections, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and diarrhea for the baby, both in developing and developed countries. Other benefits have been proposed to include lower risks of asthma, food allergies, and diabetes.<unk>  may also improve cognitive development and decrease the risk of obesity in adulthood. Mothers may feel pressure to breastfeed, but in the developed world children generally grow up normally when bottle fed with formula. Benefits for the mother include less blood loss following delivery, better contraction of the uterus, and decreased postpartum depression.<unk>  delays the return of menstruation, and in very specific circumstances, fertility, a phenomenon known as lactational amenorrhea. Long-term benefits for the mother include decreased risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.<unk>  is less expensive than infant formula, but its impact on mothers' ability to earn income is not usually factored into calculations comparing the two feeding methods. Feedings may last as long as 30–45 minutes each as milk supply develops and the infant learns the Suck-Swallow-Breathe pattern. However, as milk supply increases and the infant becomes more efficient at feeding, the duration of feeds may shorten. Older children may feed less often. When direct<unk>  is not possible, expressing or pumping to empty the breasts can help mothers avoid plugged milk ducts and breast infection, maintain their milk supply, resolve engorgement, and provide milk to be fed to their infant at a later time. Medical conditions that do not allow<unk>  are rare. Mothers who take certain recreational drugs should not breastfeed, however most medications are compatible with<unk> . Current evidence indicates that it is unlikely that COVID-19 can be transmitted through breast milk. Smoking tobacco and consuming limited amounts of alcohol and/or coffee are not reasons to avoid<unk> .
Breastfeeding
Human–animal breastfeeding
Infant formula
Breast milk
Home birth
Parenteral nutrition
Dieting
Infant bathing