Fifteen-minute consultation: Breastfeeding in the first 2 weeks of life-a hospital perspective.

The beneficial health and economic impacts of breastfeeding are considerable. However the majority of babies in the UK are not exclusively breastfeeding by 6 weeks of age. The first few weeks of life are therefore a critical period to facilitate breastfeeding. Health professionals must have a thorough knowledge of normal breastfeeding patterns in order to minimise unnecessary interference, and an understanding of how to protect the breastfeeding relationship when medical problems occur.