Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk (Pediatrics 2012 Policy Statement)

Jul 7, 2026

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Breastfeeding and human milk serve as the normative standard for infant feeding and nutrition, carrying documented short- and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages. The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, then continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods for 1 year or longer based on mutual mother–infant desire. Contraindications are rare, and infant growth monitoring should use WHO Growth Curve Standards. Hospital support should follow the WHO/UNICEF “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding,” supported by U.S. national initiatives; pediatricians advocate health and economic benefits.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

Introduction

Epidemiology

Policy Recommendations

Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk SECTION ON BREASTFEEDING Pediatrics 2012;129;e827; originally published online February 27, 2012; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2011-3552 The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is located on the World Wide Web at: [http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827.full.html](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827.full.html) PEDIATRICS is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly publication, it has been published continuously since 1948. PEDIATRICS is owned, published, and trademarked by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 60007. Copyright © 2012 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print ISSN: 0031-4005. Online ISSN: 1098-4275. [Downloaded from pediatrics.aappublications.org](Downloaded from pediatrics.aappublications.org) by guest on April 7, 2013 FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS Organizational Principles to Guide and Deﬁne the Child Health Care System and/or Improve the Health of all Children POLICY STATEMENT Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk SECTION ON BREASTFEEDING KEY WORDS breastfeeding, complementary foods, infant nutrition, lactation, human milk, nursing ABBREVIATIONS AAP—American Academy of Pediatrics AHRQ—Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality CDC—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CI—conﬁdence interval CMV—cytomegalovirus DHA—docosahexaenoic acid NEC—necrotizing enterocolitis OR—odds ratio SIDS—sudden infant death syndrome WHO—World Health Organization This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have ﬁled conﬂict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conﬂicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication. All policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reafﬁrmed, revised, or retired at or before that time. [www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2011-3552](www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2011-3552)[ ](www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2011-3552)[doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3552](doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3552) PEDIATRICS (ISSN Numbers: Print, 0031-4005; Online, 1098-4275) . Copyright © 2012 by the American Academy of Pediatrics abstract Breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. Given the documented short-and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding, infant nutrition should be considered a public health issue and not only a lifestyle choice. The American Academy of Pediatrics reafﬁrms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant. Medical contraindications to breastfeeding are rare. Infant growth should be monitored with the World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Curve Standards to avoid mislabeling infants as underweight or failing to thrive. Hospital routines to encourage and support the initiation and sustaining of exclusive breastfeeding should be based on the American Academy of Pediatrics-endorsed WHO/UNICEF “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.” National strategies supported by the US Surgeon General’s Call to Action, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and The Joint Commission are involved to facilitate breastfeeding practices in US hospitals and communities. Pediatricians play a critical role in their practices and communities as advocates of breastfeeding and thus should be knowledgeable about the hea

FAQs

What feeding timeline does the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend for breastfeeding?

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with continuation for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant.

Are medical contraindications to breastfeeding common?

Medical contraindications are rare, so breastfeeding is broadly appropriate for infants.

How should infant growth be monitored to avoid incorrect labeling?

Infant growth should be monitored using the World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Curve Standards to prevent mislabeling infants as underweight or failing to thrive.

Jul 7, 2026

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