Breast milk is often praised as the best choice for newborns. To the mother, breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of both breast and ovarian cancers, decrease postpartum depression, and prolong the onset of menstruation.

Sometimes, a mother may be advised to do supplemental feeding. This is when both breastmilk and formula are given to the child at the same time. This is usually advised in cases where a baby was born prematurely or with a very low birth weight requiring extra calories. It may also be advised in a situation where a mother isn’t producing enough milk and the baby is always hungry or when a baby is finding it difficult to latch onto the breast.