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 and Oral Thrush in Babies

What is Mastitis?

Does Breastfeeding Act as a Contraceptive?

Breastfeeding During Pregnancy

Pregnancy Myths

HIV in Pregnancy and During Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and Vitamin D

Breastfeeding and Hormones

Breastfeeding Pumps

Breastfeeding and Diet

Breastfeeding and Medications

See more featured articles »

What are the Health Benefits of Breastfeeding?

Mastitis Complications

Smoking and Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding, Preparing for Arrival

Breastfeeding and Reflux

Breastfeeding and Allergies

Breastfeeding Tips

Sleeping Close to Baby

Breast Changes After Birth

Storing Breast Milk

Breastfeeding and Jaundice

Breastfeeding and Cleft Palate, Cleft Lip

When Should I Not Breastfeed My Baby?

Overactive Let-Down (OALD) Reflex

How do I Manage Breastfeeding and Work?

The Protective Role of Breastfeeding in Breast Cancer

Breastfeeding Twins or Multiples

When Should I Not Breastfeed My Baby?

Breastfeeding Inducing Lactation

What is a Galactocele?

Breastfeeding Mother's Diet and Colic

Breastfeeding Questions

Sleeping Close to Baby

What is Breast Compression?

Breastfeeding and COVID-19

Breast Anatomy

Correct Breastfeeding

The Constituents of Breast Milk

Breastfeeding after Breast Surgery

Breastfeeding Around Family

What is Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding: Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol

Overactive Let-Down (OALD) Reflex

Latest Breastfeeding News and Research

Early nutrition should be central to measuring human development

Nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life should be a core measurement of development progress, argues former Ethiopian deputy prime minister Demeke Mekonnen following a week of debate on development issues at the United Nations General Assembly.

5 Oct 2026

Updated AAP guidance warns raw dairy poses severe health risks

Unpasteurized milk, cheese and other "raw" dairy products are unsafe to drink or eat, especially for young children and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, according to updated guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

5 Oct 2026

Postpartum GLP-1 prescriptions rise sharply among U.S. women

More U.S. women are being prescribed GLP-1 medications after giving birth, particularly those diagnosed with diabetes, according to new research from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics.

1 Oct 2026

Real-world data reveals higher reported GLP-1 side effects in female patients

The second of a Series of papers presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) and published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women's Health discusses the wide-ranging issues relating to use of GLP-1 RA drug use in women.

1 Oct 2026

GLP-1 receptor agonist exposure shows no link to major adverse pregnancy outcomes

New research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) and published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women's Health shows that, following a review and meta-analysis of available studies, use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) drugs for diabetes and weight management in women living with diabetes is not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in most cases.

1 Oct 2026

What helped families stay with WIC? Remote access may be key

The study highlights that remote WIC services increased retention, while boosting cash-value benefits had a negligible effect on overall program participation.

29 Sep 2026

Kangaroo care helps smaller babies. Now researchers are studying babies born at normal weight

Researchers examine whether extending SSC beyond the first hour can improve early weight changes, breastfeeding and other maternal and newborn outcomes in normal-birthweight infants.

27 Sep 2026

First foods bring an early functional shift in the infant gut microbiome

Researchers analyzing paired gut microbiome samples from 125 Irish infants found that complementary feeding was associated with early changes in microbial composition and metabolic potential, including an increased capacity for complex carbohydrate metabolism. Breastfeeding duration was more closely associated with microbial community development than the timing of solid-food introduction, while formula-fed infants showed more extensive functional pathway changes after solids were introduced.

24 Sep 2026

A child's gut microbiome may offer early clues to type 1 diabetes risk

Researchers tracking 887 children at high genetic risk of type 1 diabetes identified three distinct patterns of gut microbiome maturation during early childhood. One pattern was associated with substantially higher risk of islet autoantibody seroconversion or type 1 diabetes, while host genetic background altered the risk associated with another pattern.

23 Sep 2026

Why scientists still cannot say how much plastic infants are actually consuming

A systematic review of 22 primary studies and four reviews found plastic-derived contaminants across infant foods and feeding equipment, but major differences in sampling, analytical methods, and quality control made exposure estimates difficult to compare. The authors found substantial evidence gaps for nanoplastics and oligomers and concluded that better-standardized exposure assessment is needed before infant health risks can be reliably evaluated.

22 Sep 2026

Updated clinical guideline offers strategies to reduce vaccination distress

A comprehensive guideline update with 16 recommendations to reduce vaccination distress, with suggestions ranging from applying topical pain relief to distractions, has been published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

21 Sep 2026

Can maternal diet prevent infant food allergy? A large trial puts eggs and peanuts to the test

A large Australian randomized trial of 2,137 pregnant women tested whether substantially increasing egg and peanut consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding could prevent food allergy in infants with a strong family history of allergic disease. Higher maternal intake did not significantly reduce IgE-mediated egg or peanut allergy at 1 year, although the lower-than-expected allergy rate limited statistical power and the results could not exclude a clinically important benefit.

17 Sep 2026

The obesity-microbiome story is more complicated than ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria

This review finds that obesity is linked to reciprocal interactions between diet, the gut microbiome, microbial metabolites, and host metabolic pathways that influence appetite, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and energy balance across the lifespan. It highlights diet as a particularly tractable way to influence this system, while emphasizing that microbiome changes associated with GLP-1 therapies remain difficult to separate from weight loss and that functional multi-omics approaches may help enable more personalized interventions.

3 Sep 2026

Could the type of fiber children eat matter for their developing gut microbiome?

A recent study found that different dietary fibers can shape the composition and activity of the gut microbiome during early childhood, with xyloglucan, arabinoxylan, and pectin increasing short-chain fatty acid production in laboratory fermentation experiments. Some fibers also supported gut barrier measures and altered inflammatory responses, while observational data linked higher pectin intake with greater microbial diversity in young children.

31 Aug 2026

Breastmilk from cannabis users showed differences, but cannabis may not be the whole story

A narrative review found that maternal cannabis use may be associated with differences in breastmilk fat, protein, lactose, and the immune factor secretory immunoglobulin A, but evidence comes primarily from only two human studies and remains limited and inconsistent. The authors stress that maternal diet, food security, socioeconomic circumstances, and other forms of adversity could confound these associations and should be incorporated into future research.

31 Aug 2026

Breast milk fats may reflect more than the fats a mother eats

A cross-sectional study of 109 breastfeeding women in the Netherlands found that maternal intakes of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs and trans fats were associated with corresponding fatty acid proportions in human milk. The researchers also identified links involving dietary fiber, diet quality and several micronutrients, although whether these relationships reflect direct biological effects or broader dietary patterns remains uncertain.

26 Aug 2026

Psychological factors determine maternal readiness to care for newborns

The first days after childbirth are a time of profound change – not only physically, but emotionally as well. Although the rooming-in model, in which mothers and newborns stay together around the clock, is standard practice in maternity wards, not every woman feels ready to care for her baby independently from the very first hours after delivery.

20 Aug 2026

Intravenous iron use among Australian women climbs dramatically over the past decade

The number of Australian women receiving intravenous iron treatments has surged dramatically over the past decade, with new research revealing that one in 20 women of reproductive age received intravenous iron in 2024.

18 Aug 2026

Two early-life findings stood out in children who later screened positive for autism risk

Children born very preterm were more likely than term-born children to screen positive for autism risk at age 5 using the Social Communication Questionnaire. Among very preterm children, cerebellar abnormalities at term-equivalent age and moderate-to-severe histologic chorioamnionitis were independently associated with higher autism screening risk, alongside male sex and higher social risk.

13 Aug 2026

Stroller running linked to lower overuse injury rates for new parents

Anyone who has run while pushing a stroller knows stroller running can feel cumbersome and hard on the body. But does it increase the risk of injury? According to a new study from researchers at Penn State Berks, the answer appears to be no.

12 Aug 2026