Department of Clinical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida.
Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai, New York.
Pediatrics. 2022 Jul 1;150(1). doi: 10.1542/peds.2022-057989.
Breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. The short- and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding make breastfeeding or the provision of human milk a public health imperative. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond. These recommendations are consistent with those of the World Health Organization (WHO). Medical contraindications to breastfeeding are rare. The AAP recommends that birth hospitals or centers implement maternity care practices shown to improve breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusivity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The Joint Commission monitor breastfeeding practices in United States hospitals. Pediatricians play a critical role in hospitals, their practices, and communities as advocates of breastfeeding and, thus, need to be trained about the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and children and in managing breastfeeding. Efforts to improve breastfeeding rates must acknowledge existing disparities and the impact of racism in promoting equity in breastfeeding education, support, and services.
母乳喂养和人乳是婴儿喂养和营养的标准。母乳喂养在短期和长期的医学和神经发育方面具有优势，因此母乳喂养或提供人乳是一项公共卫生要务。儿科学会（AAP）建议在出生后约 6 个月内进行纯母乳喂养。此外，AAP 支持持续母乳喂养，以及在大约 6 个月时引入适当的补充食品，只要母婴双方都希望持续母乳喂养 2 年或更长时间。这些建议与世界卫生组织（WHO）的建议一致。母乳喂养的医学禁忌症很少见。AAP 建议分娩医院或中心实施已证明可提高母乳喂养开始、持续和排他性的产妇保健实践。疾病控制和预防中心以及联合委员会监测美国医院的母乳喂养实践。儿科医生在医院、其实践和社区中发挥着重要作用，他们是母乳喂养的倡导者，因此需要接受有关母乳喂养对母亲和儿童的益处以及管理母乳喂养的培训。提高母乳喂养率的努力必须认识到现有的差异和种族主义在促进母乳喂养教育、支持和服务方面的公平性的影响。
