Breastfeeding is the best food for your new baby and provides many nutritional and health benefits. Breastfeeding benefits can be long lasting for both you and your baby, including a lower risk of some cancers for you & less chance of allergies for your baby.

Breastfeeding for any length of time is of huge benefit - you are giving your baby a precious gift.

For example, did you know that breastfeeding for even just six weeks can lower your baby’s risk of chest infections up to the age of seven?

The benefits of breastfeeding also stretch to the more practical - the milk is always ready and at the right temperature for your baby and wherever you and baby are, you will always have the next feed ready to go.

If this is your first time to breastfeed, ask for some help and support in the early days - a midwife, public health nurse or a friend who has breastfed before can all be very useful sources of information and tips to help get you started.

Don’t forget to look after yourself while you are looking after your baby - good maternal nutrition is important for the preparation and maintenance of breastfeeding. In the early days, do try to have small nutritious snacks to hand and, even better, someone to help out with mealtimes for you!

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