| Breastfeeding difficulties | |
|---|---|
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| Infant nurses through nipple shield, a device which can assist with certain breastfeeding difficulties. | |
| Specialty | Obstetrics, pediatrics, midwifery  |
Breastfeeding difficulties refers to problems that arise from breastfeeding, the feeding of an infant or young child with milk from a woman's breasts. Although babies have a sucking reflex that enables them to suck and swallow milk, and human breast milk is usually the best source of nourishment for human infants,[1] there are circumstances under which breastfeeding can be problematic, or even in rare instances, contraindicated.
Difficulties can arise both in connection with the act of breastfeeding and with the health of the nursing infant.
- ^ Picciano MF (February 2001). "Nutrient composition of human milk". Pediatric Clinics of North America. 48 (1): 53–67. doi:10.1016/S0031-3955(05)70285-6. PMID 11236733.