Breast-feeding saves babies

The benefits of breast-feeding are becoming more known every day. Mother’s milk is the best source of different vitamins and minerals required for the growth of a baby. As per the latest research on the benefits of mother’s milk, it has come to light that breast feeding causes a significant reduction in the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). According to the federal statistics of United States, SIDS is a disastrous condition that causes the death of 2,300 children per year.The study that lead to the conclusion

The research was carried out by Dr. Fern R. Hauck who is an associate professor at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in the department of family medicine and public health and his team. The team considered eighteen cases from different lifestyle patterns and socioeconomic groups and found that mother’s milk should be the exclusive food source for infants. Conclusions were drawn based on the common features in all the cases.

Results of the study

As per the report of the study, in general, infants from who were breast-fed were 60% more immune to SIDS. However, the percentage dropped to 45% when socioeconomic factors were considered. Other factors that lead to a 15% percent drop in the immunity level are smoking parents and child’s position of sleeping. When these results were compared against those babies who received exclusive diet of mother’s milk, the immunity percentage shot up to 73%. This study is conclusive proof of the benefits of breast-milk with regard to protecting a baby against SIDS.

Why does breast-milk protect against SIDS?

According to Dr. Hauck, there have been studies that prove that the ability of a child to awake from sleep owing to hunger is an indication of good health. SIDS has been observed to be more in babies, which do not awake for food. When a child is on breast-milk, it has been found that he or she awakes more readily when it is time for feed. Although the exact reason for the protection has not been concluded, this above-mentioned fact is proof that mother’s milk does play a role in protecting a baby against SIDS. Mother’s milk helps in developing general immunity as well.

Ramifications of the study

Conclusions of the study can be used by pediatricians as a suggestion for protection against SIDS. For best results, babies need to have exclusive mother’s milk for the initial six months and continue to receive milk for the first year.