Our Milk is More Than Just Food

Umm Layth is an American mother of two, currently living in New Jersey, USA. She is a WHO/UNICEF Certified Breastfeeding Counselor, an AFPA Certified Pre/Post Natal Exercise Specialist, and a staff writer for the Saudi Life Motherhood column. This article originally appeared on Saudi Life in April of 2012. 


Many choose breastfeeding because it’s a baby’s most perfect food. But our milk is more than just food.  Even well after our children have finished their “mommy meals” and their hunger is satisfied, our milk continues to provide for them in numerous ways.

Our milk is an on-call body guard

It’s a true mercy from Allah that the moment our children are born our milk is there to help protect them from infection, disease, and illness.

The first bit of milk we get, colostrum, coats and seals our child’s intestines so germs and bacteria don’t make him sick. It also helps to clear his body of excess waste that he accumulated in the womb. If he’s born jaundiced, colostrum will help clear that too!

MashaAllah, as time goes by our milk will provide ongoing infection protection for our children at every single feed. Each time our child is exposed to germs (from the air, from the floor, from a sick relative or fellow playmate) she’ll transfer those germs to us when she breastfeeds. Immediately, our body will produce antibodies to fight that germ and then pass them back to her through our milk, helping to keep her strong and healthy.

Our milk helps protect our bodies too. From the first day our babies are born, breastfeeding lessens mom’s risk of hemorrhaging and helps balance out our hormones, reducing the risk of post-partum depression. The more we breastfeed, the more our bodies benefit. Breastfeeding has been shown to help protect women against various cancers (breast and cervical to name two), naturally help space children, and even speed up post-baby weight loss!

Our milk is a safe haven

Breastfeeding babes know that there’s no comfort object quite like mommy’s milk. Whether it’s used to soothe trauma from a bad fall, crankiness from a recent illness, or anxiety over life’s many changes, our breastmilk is always there to help our little ones feel okay again.

The real beauty of breastfeeding our children through stressful times is that it provides us moms with comfort too! How relaxing it is for us to watch our children’s upset cries fade to content smiles with just a few suckles at the breast. How comforting to look down after a feed and see our children calmly (and deeply) sleeping without a worry in the world.

And unlike other comfort objects (such as toys, dolls or dummies) our breastmilk can never get lost in a mess, forgotten about in a rush, or worn down after years of wear and tear. As long as we choose to breastfeed, our milk will be there to help provide a safe space for our children when they need it.

Our milk is an ever-lasting connection

It’s no coincidence that babies can smell their mother’s unique milk scent and are more attracted to it over other smells.

Divine design made our breastmilk smell similar to that of our amniotic fluid which housed baby during his time in our womb. When baby is born, his familiarity with our smell helps him to search for our breasts when he gets hungry, a newborn reflex called ‘rooting’.

With every feed that baby takes from the breast, the hormone oxytocin is released into our bloodstream, increasing the feelings of love and attachment to our children. This process sets the foundation for a uniquely strong and caring bond between mother and child.  

The bond between breastfeeding child and mother is so strong that in Islam any breastfeeding child under two years of age can forever be considered the son or daughter of the woman who breastfeeds him or her, a process known as Tahrim (creating mahram relationships through breastfeeding). 

Our milk is an inspiration

Breastfeeding didn’t begin with us.

Allah, subhana wa ta ala, mentions the mother of Musa, alayhi salam, who suckled her son before sending him down river to save his life (Qur’an, 28:7).

Prophet Ismaeel, alayhi salaam, was breastfed by his mother Hajar before she climbed Mt Marwa and Mt Safa to look for water (Sahih Bukhari).

The Prophet Muhammad himself, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, was breastfed in his childhood by a wet-nurse named Haleemah (The Sealed Nectar). Later, his daughter Fatima, radiAllahu anha, was breastfed by her mother Khadija bint Khuwayylid, radiAllahu anha (Great Women of Islam). 

I like to think that every time we breastfeed, we’re continuing the legacy these great women left behind. And every time our older children see us breastfeeding the younger ones, we’re setting the example for this legacy to be carried forward after we’re gone, inshaAllah.

Our milk is so much more than just food! It’s nourishment for the whole family; unbreakable bonding for mother and child; and when done with the intention to please Allah, it can even be an act of worship to better our souls. 

A Mother's Milk: Overcoming Sore Nipples

Umm Layth is an American mother of two, currently living in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She is a WHO/UNICEF Breastfeeding Counselor and a member of the Riyadh community breastfeeding support group, Circle of Nurturing.

Having sore nipples is never fun. It can be uncomfortable, tiresome, and if left unchecked, very painful. Unfortunately, it’s an ailment that many breastfeeding moms suffer from, even after weeks or months of pain-free nursing.

There are many reasons why a breastfeeding mother may experience soreness in the nipple area. In order to effectively remedy the problem, it’s important to identify the correct cause. You can try doing this on your own with the symptom guide below but don’t hesitate to contact your local breastfeeding counselor or La Leche League leader if you have any questions or need help.

Common Causes and Symptoms of Sore Nipples

Cause	Symptoms
Ineffective Latch	Soreness on one or both sides, pain and/or discomfort while nursing, baby doesn’t seem to be satisfied after feeds. Is baby in a good position to effectively suckle? Is baby trying to nurse in new positions?
Over Cleansing the Nipple Area	Dry or irritated skin at the nipple area before a feed, discomfort and/or pain while nursing. Are you washing your nipples before feeds?
Hormonal Changes	Increased sensitivity while nursing on one or both sides, soreness after a feed. Are you ovulating? Could you be pregnant? Does baby seem to suddenly dislike the taste of your milk?
Skin Irritation or Trauma to the Nipple Area	Soreness is usually on both sides, visible abrasions or irritation on the nipple and/or areola. Is baby teething? Are you using any new soaps, perfumes, or detergents? Has baby been playing with your nipple while nursing such as biting, pulling or scraping it with his teeth?
Thrush	Soreness and pain that last throughout the feed, soreness and pain does not get better with improved latching, nipples itch and/or burn. Are there cracks or abrasions on the nipple area? Is your pain sudden after a period of pain-free nursing? Could you have a vaginal yeast infection? Is your baby showing symptoms of thrush (such as white patches in the mouth that can’t be scraped off, a diaper rash that doesn’t get better, excessive gassiness or fussing at the breast)?

If the cause is an ineffective latch, go back to the basics of latching and do what you can to get it right. Having a correct latch will not only make the nursing experience more comfortable for you, but it will allow your baby to get more milk out of the breast and be more satisfied, inshaAllah.

For a good latch, make sure the following things are happening:

1. Baby’s body is facing you with his face facing the breast.

2. Baby’s mouth opens wide to take the nipple and most of the areola into his mouth. When he latches, his chin should be touching the breast, both his lips should be flanged out like a fish, his cheeks should be rounded, and his nose should be close to the breast. As he feeds, you should be able to hear him swallowing and see his chin lowering and pausing as he takes in milk before he swallows.

Visit Dr. Jack Newman’s website for videos of good latching and drinking (Warning: videos contain partial nudity of breastfeeding mothers).

For dry and/or irritated skin, stop the use of any new soaps, lotions or detergents, especially those that you may have been applying to your breasts and/or nipple areas. Also, don’t worry about cleansing your nipples before a feed. Your body naturally secretes oil onto your nipple and areola area to keep the skin soft and supple for nursing. When you wash the nipples before feeding, you wash away that oil and dry out the skin unnecessarily.

For other irritations or trauma, check out these tips from Kellymom.com on healing nipple cracks and abrasions.

If after trying these remedies, you still experience dry skin, try expressing a few drops of breastmilk and applying it onto the nipple and areola areas before feeds. Your breastmilk contains natural antibiotic properties that can provide relief, moisture, and healing to any damaged areas.

For hormonal changes, there isn’t much that you can do to remedy the situation other than ride it out. For many moms, increased sensitivity and soreness from ovulation or new pregnancies often subsides on its own. In the meantime, there are a couple of ways that you can make yourself and baby more comfortable.

1. Try nursing from the side that isn’t sore first.

2. After a feed, seek relief from the soreness by dabbing a bit of 100% lanolin cream to the nipple area after a feed. The lanolin will provide both soothing and healing for the skin of the nipple and areola. A little bit of lanolin goes a long way. 

For detailed questions about nursing during pregnancy, check out the Kellymom FAQ.

For thrush, the steps to remedy the situation will depend on how severe the infection is and whether it’s something only the mom suffers from, or both the mom and the baby. To identify which stage of thrush you may have, and for treatment options, see the Candida Protocol Sheet by Dr. Jack Newman. 

A Mother's Milk: Overcoming the "Not Enough Milk" Hurdle

Umm Layth is an American mother of one, currently living in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She is a WHO/UNICEF Breastfeeding Counselor. Note: This post has been reviewed by a group of practicing and certified Breastfeeding Counselors before being published to help ensure the accuracy and usefulness of the information. 

Hurdle #1: "Not Enough Milk"
It's true that a woman may not be able to produce enough breastmilk to effectively breastfeed her child. But the likelihood of this happening is rare. For the vast majority of moms the right education, a strong commitment to breastfeeding, and a little faith can keep our bodies producing plenty of milk not just for one child, but for two, three, and even four or more.

Since the vast majority of us are able to produce enough milk, the reality of our supply concerns isn't so much about "am I making enough?" as it is about "is my baby getting enough?"

Here's a few common reasons moms give for believing that their babies may not be getting enough breastmilk:
1. He/she cries a lot
2. He/she wants to eat all the time
3. My breasts don't feel full
4. I tried pumping, but nothing (or very little) came out
5. Some days, he/she just doesn't want to feed

Although experiences like these can be frustrating and exhausting for any mother, they are not accurate indications of whether or not a child is getting enough breastmilk. Here's why:

1. Babies cry for lots of reasons. Hunger, boredom, illness, upset from a recent change, and being tired are just a few.
2. It's not uncommon for newborns to want to eat all the time. Some newborns feed as often as every hour for the first week or more. Older infants want to feed often usually due to an oncoming growth spurt.
3. As your body regulates its milk supply to suit the nutritional needs of your child, your breasts won't feel as full as they did when your milk first came in.
4. A baby's ability to extract milk from our breasts is FAR more effective than a pump. Pumps are cold, hard, and emotionless. They do nothing to stimulate to our milk flow, so more effort needs to be exerted to get milk out than when baby is on the breast. Even expressing by hand can do a better job!
5. Babies refuse breastfeeding for lots of reasons, usually because they're ill, distracted, or a recent change upset him or her.

Signs That Your Baby May Not be Getting Enough Milk
When it comes down to it, there are only two, surefire signs that a baby may not be getting enough milk.

Sign #1: Poor Weight Gain
As moms know, every child is unique and every child grows differently. So when I say "poor" weight gain, it doesn't mean compare your child's weight to the plump Gerber baby look-a-like next door. It means compare your child's current weight to his own weight in the past. If he's gained less than 500g per month or weighs less after two weeks than he did when he was born, then he may not be getting enough milk.

Sign #2: Small Amounts of Concentrated Urine
When a baby is getting enough breastmilk, he will produce 6-8 wet diapers a day where the urine is pale and odorless. On the other hand, when he's not getting enough milk, the wet diapers will be few, the urine will be yellow, and it will smell badly.

Getting Mom and Baby Back on Track
When a baby shows surefire signs of not getting enough milk, it almost always comes back to one of the following root problems:

1. Ineffective Drainage of Milk
When a baby is not latched properly to his mother's breast while feeding, he will not be able to get enough breastmilk to meet his needs. This can lead to baby wanting to suckle frequently, mother getting sore or damaged nipples, baby showing frustration (through crying or refusal) at the breast, and mother getting blocked ducts. Ensuring that you and baby have a correct latch is vital to baby's growth and nutrition as well as to your health and comfort. Check out Dr. Jack Newman's latching videos to make sure the latch is correct and baby is feeding effectively. (Warning: videos contain partial nudity)

Until you and your baby have mastered the latch, it's important to offer baby expressed milk so that his nutritional needs can still be met and you can maintain your supply.

2. Restrictive Feeding Habits
Limiting our children's feeds by either overall frequency or individual length can cause serious problems, among which are baby not getting enough milk. The easiest way to remedy this is to feed him on demand.

On-demand feeding simply means allowing your baby to breastfeed when he/she wants, for as long as he/she wants. This will help ensure that baby is getting his fill at each feed. There is no need to force babies into switching breasts. Instead, allow your baby to determine how long he wants to stay on one breast. You'll know he's finished when he detaches himself in contentment.

3. Suckling Problems
Baby suckling problems can be complex and have a wide range of causes, including illness or mouth injuries (sores or scratches), breathing difficulties (blocked nose or airways), and physical complications (tongue tie). It's important that the cause be identified and treated early on, so breastfeeding can stay on track.

I recommend first seeing an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). He or she will be able to address and help remedy the first two root problems if needed, as well as identify any concerns with baby's suckling abilities. If, after that, you are still concerned about baby's physical ability to suckle, feel free to take him to see a medical doctor. When you do, make sure that your commitment to breastfeeding is known up front so that any procedures or medications that could interfere with the breastfeeding process can be avoided. Find a lactation consultant near you.

In the meantime, express your milk and cup-feed it to baby. Cup feeding your expressed milk is an easy way to avoid giving unnecessary supplements to baby, which can further complicate breastfeeding. Read more about cup-feeding here. Hand expression is easy, effective, and can be done anywhere you have privacy. Medela offers easy-to-understand instructions on how to express milk by hand.

Ways to Maintain and/or Increase Your Milk Supply
If you still have concerns about a low milk supply, try the following:

1. Breastfeed at Night
The hormone that keeps your body making milk for future feeds is secreted more at night, so feeding at night helps ensure that your body produces enough milk for the next day. Co-sleeping with your baby is the easiest way to do this. To co-sleep is to have baby sleeping next to you, in the same bed as you sleep. With baby right next to you, the feeding process won't disturb his or your routine as much as it would if you had to wake up, walk to the next room, and wake him from his crib.

2. Feed on Demand
Breastmilk production is a supply and demand system. The more you feed, the more milk your body will make. Regularly feeding on demand helps maintain a healthy supply.

3. Fenugreek
The herb fenugreek is the only herbal remedy proven to increase milk supply. It's available as supplements or tea. Visit Kelly Mom to read more about the benefits of Fenugreek and how to use it.

A Mother's Milk: Protecting Breastfeeding with The International Code and the Baby Friendly Initiative

I remember laying in the recovery room shortly after giving birth to my son. My newborn lay sleeping in his hospital bassinet parked next to my bed. I was pleased by the brief update the nurse gave me just minutes before. She told me that while my son was at the nursery, she filled the drawers of his bassinet with everything that I would need to care for him over the next couple of days during my stay on the ward. The best part of the news: it was all free.

Excited, I quietly began opening each drawer of the bassinet to peek at all the free goodies. The first drawer held baby blankets, head caps, diapers, and a diaper bag. YAY! The second drawer had bottles of baby body wash, shampoo, and soft towels to bathe him with. YAY, YAY! When I got to the third drawer, I almost couldn't get it open. When I finally did, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment as I realized the drawer was packed full to the rim with tins of formula.

Didn't she read my birth plan?! It very clearly stated that I planned to exclusively breastfed my babe and at no point did I want breastmilk substitutes being offered to us. How could she have missed it? It was highlighted in RED!

The next time the nurse came in to refill the drawers, I told her not to bother adding more formula bottles because I was a breastfeeding mom. I even asked her to remove the ones that were already there. She politely refused and said the contents were standard for all hospital bassinets. Confused as to why formula bottles would be standard, I just said "okay" and spent the rest of my stay pretending that the third drawer didn't exist.

What I know now, is that hospital practices like these, and others, are done because formula companies spend BIG BUCKS to have health care workers help them market their products. According to the International Baby Food Action Network, the sale of artificial baby milk is a $13 BILLION a year industry. And what better way to market a product for new moms and babies than through their own doctor's hands? The saddest part of all this is that these practices actually contribute to greater risk of infant disease and death around the world and are in blatant violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

What is The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes?
The code is a global health effort to protect breastfeeding that was adopted in 1981 by The World Health Assembly and UNICEF. It does not ban infant formula or baby foods, or punish those who bottle feed. It simply regulates the marketing practices of breastmilk substitutes so that mothers are provided with true, accurate information on the dangers of breastmilk substitutes to their and their children's health.

What Does the Code Include?
The code applies to all breastmilk substitutes given before six months of age, including:

• infant formula
• follow-up milks
• other milk products
• baby juices and teas
• cereals and vegetable mixes
• feeding bottles and teats (pacifiers and other false nipples)

Summary of the Main Points of the Code
1. NO advertising of breastmilk substitutes and other products to the public
2. NO free samples of breastmilk substitutes to mothers.
3. NO promotion of breastmilk substitutes in health services.
4. NO breastmilk substitutes company personnel are allowed to advise mothers on infant feeding.
5. NO gifts of personal samples of breastmilk substitutes are to be given to health workers.
6. NO pictures of infants, or other images idealizing artificial feeding on labels or products.
7. Information on artificial feeding provided to health workers must be scientific and factual.
8. Information on artificial feeding, including on product labels, should explain the benefits of breastfeeding as well as the dangers of artificial feeding.
9. Unsuitable products, such as sweetened condensed milk, should not be promoted for babies.

How Can I Tell if My Hospital is "Baby-Friendly"?
There is no doubt that breastfeeding gives babies the best start. Unfortunately many hospitals and clinics today do not support breastfeeding or moms wanting to breastfeed. In 1992, the World Health Organization launched the Baby Friendly Initiative to reverse this trend. The initiative contains 10 steps that health facilities must take in order to be considered supportive and protective of breastfeeding practices.

Step 1: Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
Step 2: Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
Step 3: Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
Step 4: Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour after birth.
Step 5: Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
Step 6: Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk, unless medically necessary.
Step 7: Practice rooming-in. Allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
Step 8: Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
Step 9: Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
Step 10: Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them upon discharge from the hospital or clinic.

A Mother's Milk: Why Do We Have Breastfeeding Issues?

Umm Sayf Sarah Zitterman is an American mother of three, with her fourth on the way inshaAllah, currently living in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia. She is a La Leche League Leader and an IBCLC Certified Lactation Consultant. 


Alhamdulillah. All Praise is to Allah. I praise Him and I seek His guidance. And I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but the One True God, and that Mohammed, peace be upon him, is His final prophet and Messenger.

It has been clearly established that breastfeeding is an obligation of the Muslim mother. It is a right that her child has on her, and one that she may not forsake without an Islamically accepted excuse, such as a true medical problem that prevents her from doing so. In addition to that, we are, as mothers bombarded with information about the benefits of breastfeeding. There is no doubt that “breast is best”. But, despite all of this, we find many mothers, Muslim and otherwise, who stop breastfeeding before the two years prescribed by Allah are fulfilled because of problems they encounter and lack of support to overcome those problems.  Additionally, we find other mothers who do not attempt breastfeeding at all; from fear of encountering problems, assumptions that it will be too hard, and lack of support for the mother during this sometimes trying time.

It is true, breastfeeding is a completely natural act. It is the only way that the human species has survived, and was the only way human babies were fed – except an exceptional few – until the early 19th century. Despite this fact, we find that mothers and babies often experience difficulties breastfeeding, especially in the first few weeks but sometimes beyond that period as well. So, why is it that despite the fact that breastfeeding is itself completely natural, some women encounter many problems and bumps along the road to a happy successful breastfeeding relationship?

In times past, women were surrounded by other women and their babies. They may have seen their own mother nurse younger siblings, or perhaps their older sisters nursing their babies. Neighbors, aunts, grandmothers, all would have breastfed their children, and most women would have seen the breastfeeding relationship between mother and child develop at some point in their lives. And, when the time came for a woman to start her own family, she would likely have had many women in her life to turn to for advice if she did herself encounter problems breastfeeding her child. The nuclear family and extended family usually lived in close proximity to one another, and made knowledge about breastfeeding part of the cultural tradition that would have been passed from one woman to another much like the cooking of favorite cultural dishes was, and like favorite family recipes still are passed today from grandmother to mother and from mother to daughter.

In today's world, we find two major differences from this historical paradigm. One is that there are so many women who are NOT breastfeeding, or who simply quit when they encounter hurdles. Sometimes we find our mother's generation did not even attempt to breastfeed because of the formula companies' advertising, which, though now better regulated in much of the world, often led women of the past generation to believe that formula created in a lab was actually SUPERIOR to human milk. Astaghfirullah! So, even if extended family is close by, their advice may not help the new mother continue past these hurdles and into a successful breastfeeding relationship, and may sometimes even be detrimental! Another issue is that even if women in the new mother's family have breastfeeding experience, often extended families are spread out across not only the region but sometimes the entire world, making this knowledge unaccessible for the new mother.

So where can she turn? Who can she ask and get sound advice from if she does encounter breastfeeding hurdles? Now the Lactation professional (IBCLC), as well as the lay breastfeeding volunteer (La Leche League Leader, Peer Counselor, or other), have stepped up to fill that void. The new mother can attend support group meetings, call volunteer lactation support persons by phone, contact them by e-mail or in online forums, and even hire professional lactation consultants to help them. Additionally, many women across the world can access sound advice from internet sites and blogs like this one.

Insha'Allah in the weeks to come, we will address some of the most common breastfeeding issues that women encounter, and how we can overcome them. May Allah bring good to you and to us from this endeavor, and may He continue to bless the Muslim mothers everywhere in this ummah.  AMEEN.

A Mother's Milk: Benefits of Breastfeeding

I never truly appreciated the natural functions of my body until I became pregnant. Alhamdulilah, my appreciation grew tenfold when I started breastfeeding. In my opinion, Allah, the Most High, has made our breast milk a beautiful and powerful gift. It's combined properties are unlike any other, and it's benefit is so great that many try to imitate but as of yet, all have failed to duplicate. As a believer of "breast is best," I've listed a few of the benefits of breastfeeding below:

Benefits for Baby
1. Optimal Nutrition, the Natural Way
No one can deny that breast milk has the most to offer nutritionally than any other food source out there, at least for the first stages of life. Naturally packed with omega-3s, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, breast milk contains all the nutrition that an infant needs to help them grow and thrive. Breast milk is also known to naturally adjust as the child's hunger and growth needs change, providing just the right nutrition for that child at every stage. --La Leche League, What Makes Human Milk Special?

2. Helps Protect Against Illness and Disease
Often times, breastfed babies are sick less than formula babies. This is because breast milk contains live cells, antibodies and many antibacterial properties that are known to strengthen a child's immune system to help them naturally fight off infection. "Human milk has been found to contain 90 different oligosaccharides forming over 900 different chemical structures, each of which can block infection by preventing a particular strain of 
bacteria from sticking to the gut wall." -- La Leche League, The Science of Mother's Milk

Benefits for Mommy
1. Naturally Helps Regulate Hormonal Changes
Breastfeeding releases oxytocin which not only gets the body started in releasing milk to the baby, but also stimulates uterine contractions, helping mommy's body return back to pre-pregnancy size. These contractions also prevent postpartum hemorrhages, something that non-breastfeeding moms are at the highest risk for in the first few days after labor. --La Leche League, A Well-Kept Secret: Breastfeeding's Benefits to Mothers 

2. Enhances Bonding and Nurturing
"There is much more to breastfeeding than the provision of optimal nutrition and protection from disease through mother's milk. Breastfeeding provides a unique interaction between mother and child, an automatic, skin-to-skin closeness and nurturing that bottle-feeding mothers have to work to replicate. The child's suckling at the breast produces a special hormonal milieu for the mother. Prolactin, the milk-making hormone, appears to produce a special calmness in mothers." --La Leche League, A Well-Kept Secret: Breastfeeding's Benefits to Mothers 

3. Helps Us Stay In Shape
Making milk is no small task for the body. The process of production alone burns 200-500 calories per day on average. This helps breastfeeding moms not only lose weight, but keep it off, too! --La Leche League, A Well-Kept Secret: Breastfeeding's Benefits to Mothers 

4. Lowers Risk of Anemia and Helps Space Babies
Exclusive breastfeeding, without substituting formula, pacifiers, or other foods during feeding times, helps delay the menstrual cycle, preserving iron in the mother's body and acting as a natural contraceptive for the first six months after baby is born. --La Leche League, A Well-Kept Secret: Breastfeeding's Benefits to Mothers 

Benefits for Society
1. Saves Money
Why spend on bottles, nipples, formula, and warmers? Breast milk is ready for baby every and any time he or she needs it. It's got all the right stuff at just the right temperature for absolutely FREE.

2. Reduces Waste
Talk about being green! "For every three million bottle-fed babies, 450 million empty tins end up in landfills. Few are recycled. Human milk, on the other hand, requires no transportation, only a little more food for the mother, and can stand covered, in a clean cup, for up to six hours without becoming contaminated. This is true even in warm climates. Also, the production of breast milk creates no waste in need of disposing." -- La Leche League, Nursing the World Back to Health

3. Promotes Healthier Families
"Breastfed babies are far healthier than their bottle-fed peers. This is not because there is anything inherently dangerous in formula, only that formula can't possibly replace all the benefits of human milk. Human milk is alive with beneficial bacteria that aid an infant's digestion and help prevent diarrhea (a frequent cause of infant death in developing countries), and with immunoglobulins that protect infants from disease. It is rich with all the nutrients that the human body requires for proper development...In one study, a group of infants fed artificial milk had $68,000 in health care costs in a six-month period, while an equal number of nursing babies had only $4,000 worth. In Brazil, where medical care is not readily available, an artificially fed baby is 14 times more likely to die than an exclusively breastfed baby, and at least four times more likely to die than an infant receiving both mother's milk and artificial milk." -- La Leche League, Nursing the World Back to Health

A Mother's Milk: The Command from Allah

Umm Abdulkarim is an American mother of two, currently living in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She is an Economics, pre-Law and Philosophy student currently studying for her LSAT exam to enter Law School and is an avid breastfeeding supporter. 

By guest author Umm Abdulkarim:

Allah, subhanu wa ta'ala, says in the Qur'an: “And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years - give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination." --Sura Luqman, (31:14)

The mother, in Islam, has the highest status and it is her that determines the success of the family. As mothers, we are the foundation our family is built upon. We provide the love, passion and nurturing that every family thrives upon. Our vital role of nurturing our child starts in the womb and carries on throughout our child’s lifetime. 

Even in the earliest stages of development, our children depend upon us for their survival. During pregnancy, we take care of ourselves and make sure we are healthy to ensure that we have done our best to protect and provide for the development of our growing baby. Once our baby is born the most natural and nutritional way to sustain them is with breast milk. Verily Allah, subhanu wa ta’ala, has given us mothers this beautiful gift and made breastfeeding an obligation for those who are able.

Breastfeeding is the right of the child and for all women who are able to breastfeed, it is a must and the blessings you and your child will receive are plentiful.

For in the Glorious Qu’ran in states:

“And We inspired the mother of Musa (Moses): (telling): "Suckle him [Musa (Moses)], but when you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily, We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of (Our) Messengers."-- Sura Al-Qasas, (28: 7)

“The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire to complete the term of suckling, but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother's food and clothing on a reasonable basis. No person shall have a burden laid on him greater than he can bear. No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child, nor father on account of his child. And on the (father's) heir is incumbent the like of that (which was incumbent on the father). If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no sin on them. And if you decide on a foster suckling-mother for your children, there is no sin on you, provided you pay (the mother) what you agreed (to give her) on reasonable basis. And fear Allah and know that Allah is All-Seer of what you do.”-- Sura Al-Baqara, (2:233)

Commenting on this verse, Ibn Kathir says: "This is a direction from Allah to the mothers to suckle their infants through the complete term of suckling, which is two years." --Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, tafsir.com

There are many benefits of breastfeeding for the child, the mother, the family and society. Islam has known of these benefits, as proven by the aforementioned ayat in the Holy Qur'an. 

In his book, The Fragile Vessels, Muhammad Al-Jibaly says, "A woman may not forsake this important obligation unless she has an Islamically acceptable excuse, such as a genuine medical problem. Women who deny their children their nursing rights are liable to punishment in the Grave and the Hereafter."

Abu Umamah al-Bahili reported that Allah's Messenger (saw) said:

"While I was sleeping, two men (angels) came to me, held my upper arms, and took me to a rough mountain. They said," Climb." I said," I cannot climb it." They said, " We will make it easy for you." He continued: " So I ascended until I reached a high place in the mountain. I heard fierce cries and asked, " What are those cries?" The replied, " That is the howling of the people of the Fire." He continued: "We moved on until I saw some people who were suspended by their Achilles' tendons, their cheeks cut and gushing blood. I asked, "Who are those?" The replied, "Those are the ones who break their fast when it is not permissible." He continued: "We moved on until I saw people who were awfully swollen, and had the most foul stench and the most hideous appearance. I asked," Who are those?" He replied,"Those are the dead of the kuffar (on the battlefield)." He continued: "We moved on until I saw some people who were awfully swollen, and had the most foul stench--their stench was like that of gutters. I asked," Who are those?" The replied," Those are the male and female adulterers." He continued: "We moved on until I saw some women with snakes biting at their breasts. I asked," Who are those?" They replied, " Those are the women who deny their children their milk." He continued: "We moved on until I saw boys playing between two rivers. I asked," who are those?" The replied, " Those are the believers' offspring (who die before puberty.) --Recorded by Ibn Khuzaymah (no.1986), Ibn Hibban and others. Verified to be authentic by Sheikh Albani (Sahih ut-Targhib no.991)

Breastfeeding your baby is one of the most important ways to develop your child physically, mentally and spiritually.  May Allah grant us success in this life and in the hereafter! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions.