The month of August is marked by several significant events: the Illinois State Fair, kids returning to school and, of course, World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated Aug. 1-7 every year worldwide! In honor of one of the breast, er, best weeks of the year, we spoke with SIU School of Medicine certified lactation counselor Melissa Nicol, RD, to answer the most frequently asked questions about breastfeeding. What are the benefits of breastfeeding? Breastfeeding has numerous benefits for mother and baby. Some of the benefits breast milk provides to babies include: antibodies to provide protection