Breast feeding your newborn has many advantages. Breast milk is the perfect food for a human baby's digestive system. It contains the vitamins and minerals that a newborn requires. Commercial formulas try to imitate breast milk, and come close, but the exact composition cannot be duplicated.

Breast milk contains antibodies that help protect infants from a wide variety of infectious diseases, including diarrhea. Breast-feeding may also decrease the chances that the child will become overweight or obese.

Breast-feeding is also great for moms too. It burns calories and helps shrink the uterus, so nursing moms get back into shape quicker. Breast-feeding may also protect mom from breast and ovarian cancer.  Nursing mothers do need to eat more and may want to buy nursing bras and pads, a breast pump, or other equipment. But these expenses are generally less than the cost of formula and providing complete nourishment can help a new mother feel confident in her ability to care for her newborn.