Furthermore, breastfeeding, or the provision of human milk, should be considered the reference standard to which all forms of infant feeding are compared from a biological, medical, and scientific standpoint. 2 With most women choosing to breastfeed, breastfeeding has been established as the cultural norm in the United States. 1 More than 80% of women initiate breastfeeding in the United States, and both federal and state laws protect a woman’s right to breastfeed as well as the right to breastfeed in public and to continue breastfeeding or to express milk in the workplace. Since the publication of the previous policy statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics on breastfeeding and the use of human milk, research and systematic reviews have continued to reinforce the conclusion that breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. Pediatricians play a critical role in hospitals, their practices, and communities as advocates of breastfeeding and, thus, need to be trained about the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and children and in managing breastfeeding. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Joint Commission monitor breastfeeding practices in US hospitals. The AAP recommends that birth hospitals or centers implement maternity care practices shown to improve breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity. Medical contraindications to breastfeeding are rare. These recommendations are consistent with those of the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. The short- and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding make breastfeeding, or the provision of human milk, a public health imperative.

Breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition.

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