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Newton-Wellesley Hospital

2014 Washington Street

Newton, MA 02462

617-243-6000

Open 24 hours
Lab Hours and Holiday Hours Vary
 

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Ambulatory Care Center - Natick

307 W Central St

Natick, MA 01760

617-243-5345

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Ambulatory Care Center - Newton

159 Wells Ave

Newton Centre, MA 02459

617-243-5777

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Ambulatory Care Center - Walpole

111 Norfolk Street

Walpole, MA 02081maps

617-243-5345

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Ambulatory Care Center – Wellesley

978 Worcester Road (rte 9)

Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482

781-235-5200

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Maxwell Blum Emergency Pavilion

2014 Washington Street

Newton, MA 02462

617-243-6000

Open 24 hours

Lab Hours and Holiday Hours Vary

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Outpatient Surgery Center - Wellesley

25 Washington Street

Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481

617-219-1520

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Waltham Walk-In

9 Hope Ave

Waltham, MA 02453

617-243-5590

Monday through Saturday: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Sunday: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

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Our Locations

  • Newton-Wellesley Hospital
  • Ambulatory Care Center - Natick
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  • Outpatient Surgery Center - Wellesley
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Infant Nutrition
Maternity Guide  /  Postpartum Guide  /  Postpartum - Chapter 4  /  Infant Nutrition
617-243-6000

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Infant Nutrition

Breastfeeding motherWhat and how you feed your baby is especially important during the first year. The average baby doubles birth weight within five months after birth, and weight triples by the first birthday. A smaller than average baby often grows more rapidly. Breast milk or iron-fortified formula is baby’s most important food in the first year, and should be the only food for the first four to six months of life. Health professionals recognize breastfeeding as the best choice for most infants.

The World Health Organization ranks food choices for babies as:

  • breastfeeding
  • the mother’s own milk expressed and given to her child through a bottle or syringe
  • the milk of another human mother
  • iron-fortified formula

There are, however, instances when a woman physically cannot breastfeed such as hormonal and glandular deficiency or other medical reasons.

There are a few infectious diseases that can be transmitted through human milk to a baby, including HIV and untreated tuberculosis. Mothers with HIV are advised not to breastfeed. Similarly, mothers with tuberculosis should not breastfeed until appropriate treatment has been started. Mothers with hepatitis B can breastfeed their infants if the infant receives the hepatitis B vaccine in the first few days after birth. There is no evidence that hepatitis C is transmitted by breastfeeding. Mothers with chronic hepatitis C are often advised that they can nurse their infants, but they should discuss this with their physician. Other types of infections need to be evaluated by the obstetrician and pediatrician, but nearly all will be found to be safe for breastfeeding.

Talk with your physician or midwife if you are wondering if a medical condition or a medication you are taking would affect your breastfed baby.

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Newton-Wellesley Hospital

2014 Washington Street
Newton, MA 02462
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617-243-6000

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