The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life for healthy term infants, as breast milk is the best food for optimal growth and development. To produce enough breast milk, make sure that you eat a balanced, nutritious diet.

Recent studies have demonstrated that breastfeeding exclusively for at least 6 months reduces the risk of later respiratory allergic symptoms and eczema. These studies suggest that breastfeeding exclusively has a protective effect, at least in high-risk infants and particularly if it is combined with maternal avoidance of cow's milk, egg, fish, peanuts and tree nuts during lactation.

For various reasons, personal, social or medical, some mothers may not exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. Their babies should receive supplements consisting of quality formula alternatives. Complementary feeding can be initiated as early as 4 to 6 months. However, breastfeeding can be continued for 2 years or more.

For most infants, feeding from the breast is a natural response. Others need a little help from Mom. Here's some basic information to help you both get started:

• Colostrum: your first milk
• How to know when your baby is hungry
• Latching on (or positioning baby on your breast)
• Feeding intervals
• How to know if your baby is getting enough milk

Once your baby is born, and for three to four days afterward, your breasts produce colostrum. It’s thicker than typical breast milk, but packed with nutrients your newborn needs. The flow of colostrum is slow, making it easier for your newborn to practice sucking, swallowing, and breathing at the same time. By day five, your baby probably will have mastered the rhythm of feeding, and your milk supply will increase to match his increasing appetite.

Crying can be a telltale sign of hunger, but there are others. When your baby makes sucking movements or puts his fingers to his mouth – even if he’s sleeping – he may be telling you he's ready to eat. It’s best to feed him when he’s fully awake. You can help wake him by playing with him, changing his diaper, or talking to him before he eats.

Your newborn may latch on as soon as you hold him to your breast. If not, don't be disappointed. To latch on correctly, position your baby’s mouth over the pockets of milk located 1 to 1-1/2 inches behind the nipple. This way, he will get the most milk and you will be less likely to have sore nipples.

• Position baby’s face and body so he’s facing you, with his head at the level of your breast
• Gently lift and support your breast with your fingers below and your thumb on top of the breast, well away from the areola (the dark area around your nipple)
• Gently stroke baby’s lower lip with your nipple until he opens his mouth very wide
• Quickly pull baby onto your breast so his nose, cheeks, and chin are all slightly touching your breast. If his nostrils are blocked, pull his bottom upward and closer to you, so his head will move back slightly

If you can imagine being able to draw a straight line from his ear to his shoulder to his hip, your baby will be latched on correctly. Since your baby sucks more efficiently on the first breast he uses, alternate the side he starts nursing on from feeding to feeding.

If your baby doesn’t open his mouth wide enough, gently stroke his bottom lip with your nipple in a downward motion. Repeat this stroking until he opens his mouth wide. Then quickly pull him onto your breast so his nose, cheeks, and chin all are touching the breast. He then should begin to suck.

To keep a steady milk supply in each breast, it is important to switch breasts during feedings. Begin feeding on the breast that was not used last. After five or 10 minutes, try burping your baby, and then offer the second breast for as long as he wants. If he does not seem interested in the second breast, offer that breast first at his next feeding.

When you need to remove your baby from your breast, it is important to first break the suction. Gently slip one of your fingers into the corner of his mouth before removing him from your breast.

During the daytime, if three hours have passed since her last feeding, or if your breasts are full, you may want to wake her to feed. Talking, rubbing, patting, unwrapping, or undressing her will help. It may take five to 10 minutes to wake her completely, but it usually will result in a better feeding.

If she shows signs of hunger – even if she just ate an hour ago – it is OK to feed her again. Sometimes infants "cluster feed" before taking a nap. It does not mean your milk supply is low. Instead, this is normal breastfeeding behavior.

On the other hand, if one or both breasts become engorged between feedings, using a breast pump or hand expressing will help to relieve them.

In the beginning, you will know your newborn is getting enough milk if he stops passing meconium (thick black or dark-green stools) after about four days, and begins to pass yellow, seedy, runny stools three or more times a day.

During the first month he will wet six to eight diapers and have two bowel movements a day. Once your milk supply is established, he should gain about 2/3 ounce a day during his first 3 months. Between 3 and 6 months, weight gain tapers off to about 1/2 ounce a day.

For you, it is easy. Full breasts before. Soft breasts after. Here are some signs that your baby is feeding healthy, too.

If your baby is eating healthy he or she will:

• Sleep for a couple of hours after feeding
• Breastfeed every 2 to 3 hours, at least eight times in a 24-hour period
• Breastfeed for 10 or more minutes and no longer than an hour (but let your baby, not the clock, decide how long feeding lasts)
• Produce an audible rhythm of suck/pause/suck during feedings
• Feeds from both breasts
• Appears settled and no longer hungry after feedings