Breastfeeding your baby has several advantages over any substitute ever developed. Your milk contains just the right balance of nutrients, and it contains them in a form most easily used by your baby's body systems.

Breast milk is rich in the nutrients that best promote brain growth and nervous system development. Research has found that breastfed babies perform better on intelligence tests as they grow older, and they may develop better eye function as a result of breastfeeding.

Only human milk has disease-fighting factors that help prevent mild to severe infections. Babies who are fully or almost-fully breastfed have significantly fewer gastrointestinal, respiratory, ear, and urinary infections. Antibodies in human milk directly protect against infection. Breastfed babies are less likely to develop allergic-related skin conditions and asthma.

Your milk is the most easily digested food your baby can receive. Your baby uses less energy for digestion, yet breaks your milk down more completely into its basic ingredients. These nutrients, as well as infection-fighting factors and other ingredients in your milk, are more available to fuel your baby's body functions and to promote your baby's growth and development.