[Breastfeeding: a forgotten art]. / Amamentacao: una arte esquecida.

PIP: The practice of breastfeeding has been decreasing during the last decade. The reasons are to be found mainly in the enormously successful marketing campaigns for the promotion of infant formulas, but also in a profound change in attitudes and habits of the traditional family. Moreover, many mothers are not acquainted with the many advantages of breast feeding. Some of these advantages are: 1) economic, especially in underdeveloped countries, and psychological, for both mother and infant; 2) better health for newborns; no commercially produced formula is as nutritionally balanced as maternal milk; 3) contraceptive effects of prolonged lactation; 4) breastfeeding can at times prevent breast cancer, puerperal thromboembolism, allergies and excessive body weight for the newborn.^ieng