Breast feeding may not usually be the best option for an infant if they have galactosemia, or if the mother is either under hard drugs, has active untreated TB or HIV. Countries with a high propensity for infant mortality from infectious and nutritional deficiencies usually experience more mortality risks related to non-breast feeding than risks of HIV infection.

Though some prescribed and OTC drugs are safe for the baby, some of them like the anti-metabolites, radioactive isotopes, and cancer chemotherapy agents may demand that the mother stops breast feeding abruptly. You can always check with your physician for a list of medicines that are either safe or not for you while breast feeding the baby.

Healthy people aim at increasing the number of women breast feeding their babies after birth to ? and to 5% those who carry on until the baby is half a year old. Breast feeding has increased since the 90s, though the percentage is still lower than in the 80s.

In 1995, 59.4% of American women exclusively breast-fed or in combined with formula feeding after discharging from the hospital; only 21.6% of them were nursed at 6 months, many of them supplementing with formula. Breast-feeding is highest among the more empowered women who earn a better income, the tertiary level educated women living in the Mountain and pacific regions of the US.
Breast feeding procedure is usually hampered by misinformed decisions from various sources including apathetic physicians and the media which promotes formula aggressively.

Breast feeding is ideal for bringing up infants and helps in achieving most favorable toddler and child health, growth and development, and should be strongly recommend by the pediatrician.

However convenient they are, mothers should be protected from disruptive hospital policies, untimely interruption of breast feeding, early hospital discharge, maternal employment where there are no breast feeding friendly workplace facilities just to mention but a few of the practices that discourage breast feeding.

There are certain products that can help new mothers to continue to breastfeed their baby. One such product is a breast milk pump. This pump can be manual or automatic. The pump allows mothers to pump out milk and store it ahead of time. This is useful if you are going to be out during feeding times and is especially useful for mothers who work. In addition, using a breast milk pump can help to prevent or reduce nipple soreness.

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