Breastfeeding

This hub provides a comprehensive overview of expert-reviewed articles that cover all aspects of breastfeeding science and practice, offering a detailed examination of breastfeeding, human lactation, and maternal-infant health. Examine the biology of breast milk, how it affects the baby's microbiome, helpful tips for effective breastfeeding, and the psychological, immunological, and nutritional advantages for both mother and child. These resources address common questions, issues, and unique situations, such as maternal nutrition, medication safety, infectious diseases, and anatomical considerations. They also examine the role of breastfeeding in preventing disease and promoting the long-term health of women. This hub is a reliable resource for professionals, caregivers, and families alike, whether they are seeking the most recent clinical insights, evidence-based recommendations, or answers to practical questions.

Breast Milk and the Microbiome

There are many advantages associated with breastfeeding, some of which are related to the microbiome composition of human breast milk.

Breastfeeding During Pregnancy

What is Breast Compression?

Does Breastfeeding Act as a Contraceptive?

Breastfeeding Around Family

Breastfeeding and Cleft Palate, Cleft Lip

How do I Manage Breastfeeding and Work?

Breastfeeding Mother's Diet and Colic

Breast Changes After Birth

Sleeping Close to Baby

Breastfeeding and Oral Thrush in Babies

The Protective Role of Breastfeeding in Breast Cancer

See more featured articles »

What is Breastfeeding?

When Should I Not Breastfeed My Baby?

Breastfeeding and Allergies

Breast Anatomy

Overactive Let-Down (OALD) Reflex

Breastfeeding after Breast Surgery

Breastfeeding Questions

The Constituents of Breast Milk

Pregnancy Myths

Breastfeeding Inducing Lactation

Breastfeeding and Diet

Storing Breast Milk

Smoking and Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and Vitamin D

Breastfeeding, Preparing for Arrival

Correct Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and COVID-19

Breastfeeding Tips

When Should I Not Breastfeed My Baby?

Breastfeeding and Hormones

HIV in Pregnancy and During Breastfeeding

What are the Health Benefits of Breastfeeding?

Mastitis Complications

What is a Galactocele?

Sleeping Close to Baby

Breastfeeding Pumps

What is Mastitis?

Breastfeeding Twins or Multiples

Overactive Let-Down (OALD) Reflex

Breastfeeding: Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol

Breastfeeding and Reflux

Breastfeeding and Jaundice

Breastfeeding and Medications

Latest Breastfeeding News and Research

Online AI breastfeeding advice causes dangerous delays in infant care

For sleep-deprived nursing moms, artificial intelligence may feel like a lifeline.

12 Aug 2026

Blurred boundaries between home and work can create barriers to sustained breastfeeding

Working from home is often seen as a good solution for new mothers, but a new Washington State University study reveals that the blurred boundaries between home and work can introduce barriers to sustained breastfeeding.

4 Aug 2026

Study shows how solid food shapes immune system development

In a mouse model, LMU researchers have discovered a signaling pathway through which diet influences the development of the immune system.

4 Aug 2026

First consensus guidelines outline GLP-1 medication use during pregnancy

As the use of GLP-1 and other incretin-based medications for obesity continues to grow worldwide, researchers at Marshall University have contributed to an international effort to address one of medicine's most pressing unanswered questions: How should these medications be used by women before, during and after pregnancy?

3 Aug 2026

Review challenges common breastfeeding myths in early postnatal care

An evidence review of international research suggests widespread misconceptions within the medical community about early milk production, pacifiers and breast pumps may be undermining breastfeeding success in the critical first days after birth.

2 Aug 2026

Digital marketing threatens breastfeeding rates in the Americas

Ahead of World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is calling on countries across the Americas to strengthen protections for families against the growing digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes and other products that may undermine breastfeeding.

31 Jul 2026

Prolactin activates brain pathway promoting maternal caregiving behavior

New research has found a hormone is responsible for making mothers' interactions with newborns feel rewarding rather than just necessary.

22 Jul 2026

Survey finds widespread uncertainty over pregnancy vaccine recommendations

Most Americans are unaware or unsure of which vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends during pregnancy, according to a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

22 Jul 2026

Global hunger declines for third straight year but remains fragile, report reveals

Global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, demonstrating that progress is possible. However, the improvements remain fragile, unevenly distributed and insufficient to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, according to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 (SOFI 2026) report, released on Tuesday by five United Nations specialized agencies.

22 Jul 2026

Study tests chronotype’s liver link and finds no significant association

Researchers found no significant association between chronotype and FibroScan-derived liver fat or stiffness in 119 medication-naïve adults with overweight or obesity. The exploratory findings cannot exclude smaller effects, particularly for fibrosis, and require confirmation in larger longitudinal studies.

21 Jul 2026

Study reveals geographic gaps in breastfeeding initiation across America

A nationwide analysis led by a UC Riverside (Calif.) professor provides one of the clearest pictures yet of where mothers are least likely to begin breastfeeding their babies in the United States and what circumstances associate with lower rates.

20 Jul 2026

Chrononutrition shows promise for postpartum weight management

New research has found that eating habits that align most closely with a woman's existing routine show promise for losing postpartum baby weight, especially for mothers earlier in the postpartum period.

20 Jul 2026

Maternal diets high in UPFs may influence children’s health years later

A narrative review of 84 publications links higher ultra-processed food intake during pregnancy and early childhood with poorer diet quality, maternal complications, childhood obesity, and potential immune, metabolic, and neurodevelopmental effects. The authors identify possible microbiome and biopsychosocial pathways but emphasize that the predominantly observational evidence cannot establish causality.

17 Jul 2026

Japanese study links breastfeeding to mixed risks for childhood allergies

Breastfeeding is widely recognized for its important role in supporting a child's early growth and immune system development.

16 Jul 2026

New study maps localized factors influencing US breastfeeding rates

New data on breastfeeding initiation across the U.S. reveal broad geographic patterns as well as local factors that can inform targeted public health interventions.

16 Jul 2026

Culturally tailored midwifery care improves First Nations birth outcomes

More First Nations babies are being born healthy through a culturally tailored midwifery model of care delivered at three major maternity services in Melbourne, according to a large-scale study led by La Trobe University.

9 Jul 2026

Maternal diet may subtly shape breast milk immune signals

Research indicates that maternal dietary patterns can subtly affect the immune composition of breast milk, with implications for infant immune development.

9 Jul 2026

Early skin-to-skin contact helps calm newborns but does not lower bilirubin

Early skin-to-skin contact after vaginal birth reduced newborn stress during routine vitamin K injection and improved exclusive breastfeeding rates by day 5. However, it did not significantly lower day-5 bilirubin levels, leaving its effect on neonatal jaundice uncertain.

7 Jul 2026

Early menopause remains common among women in low and middle income countries

Early menopause affects 1 in 14 women aged 30 to 49 living in low and middle income countries, finds a pooled data analysis of its prevalence in 44 nations published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.

7 Jul 2026

Breast milk sugars help shape infant gut microbiota during weaning

Research from DTU and Rigshospitalet shows that sugars in breast milk play an important role in the development of the gut microbiota, during weaning or transition from breast milk to solid food.

30 Jun 2026