Mother's milk is the ideal food

Nature has provided you with the perfect way to nourish your child during her first year of life: Your breast milk contains just the right blend of fat, protein, and antibodies to help your infant develop and to protect her against disease. That's why an increasing number of moms choose to nurse. In fact, 77 percent of babies are now breastfed, at least briefly, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up from just 60 percent more than a decade ago.

Nursing is natural, but not always easy

Many new moms expect breastfeeding to be a breeze and become frustrated when they don't get the hang of it right away. You may worry that your baby's not drinking enough milk. However, you can significantly increase your milk production if you use your hands to express early milk, called colostrum, from your breasts (in addition to breastfeeding) in the first three days, according to new research from Parents advisor Jane Morton, MD, clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. While you're still in the hospital, take advantage of the nurses and lactation consultants, who will show you how to get your baby to "latch on" to your breast, not just the nipple, and will demonstrate comfortable nursing positions.