1. The advantages of breastfeeding By Giacomo Braglia and Giuseppe Lombardi

2. Intro Breast milk is best for your baby, and the benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond basic nutrition. In addition to containing all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs in the first six months of life. B reast milk is packed with disease-fighting substances that protect your baby from illness.

3. Breastfeeding protects your baby from a long list of illnesses Studies have shown that stomach viruses, lower respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and meningitis occur less often in breastfed babies and are less severe when they do happen. Exclusive breastfeeding seems to offer the most protection. Children who are breastfed have a 20 percent lower risk of dying between the ages of 28 days and 1 year than children who weren't breastfed.

4. The first milk your body produces for your baby produces a substance that guards against invading germs by forming a protective layer on the mucous membranes in your baby's intestines, nose, and throat. Studies have shown that breastfeeding can reduce a child's risk of developing certain childhood cancers. Breastfeeding may also help children avoid a host of diseases that strike later in life, such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammatory bowel disease.

5. Breastfeeding can protect your baby from developing allergies Scientists think that immune factors such as secretory IgA or hoxytocine (only available in breast milk) help prevent allergic reactions to food by providing a layer of protection to a baby's intestinal tract.