Neža Lipovec
Pediatrična klinika, Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenija in Oddelek za živilstvo, Biotehniška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani, Ljubljana, Slovenija

Kaja Kranjc
Oddelek za živilstvo, Biotehniška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani, Ljubljana, Slovenija

Evgen Benedik
Pediatrična klinika, Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenija in Oddelek za živilstvo, Biotehniška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani, Ljubljana, Slovenija

Abstract

Breast milk is the most suitable food for a newborn baby, enabling it to grow and develop appropriately. The World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) recommend that a baby be breastfed for the first time within the first hour of life, then exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then continued breastfeeding for at least 2 years, and then for as long as the breastfeeding mother and child wish. Breast milk is constantly changing during the first few months of a baby's life and meets all his/her nutritional needs. In addition to the mother's lifestyle, the composition of the milk is also influenced by the mother's diet, so the breastfeeding mother should follow a healthy and balanced diet during breastfeeding.

Key words: breastfeeding, newborn, breast milk, human milk, nutrition, macronutrients, micronutrients