The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), citing a study, states that breastfeeding for at least two months decreases the risk of SIDS. This information can help lower the rate of infant mortality.
SIDS is an acronym for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. SIDS is an unexpected death of a seemingly healthy infant that is less than a year old which happens while the baby is sleeping. The syndrome is also called “crib death” because the infants often die in their cribs.
The AAP pointed out a study that was titled “Duration of Breastfeeding and Risk of SIDS: An Individual Participant Data (IPD) Meta-analysis.” It was published in a journal called Pediatrics on October 30, 2017. The purpose of the study was to look at how long a mother needs to breastfeed to protect her baby and the impact of breastfeeding exclusively.
The study looked at eight other studies (from around the world). The studies included 2,267 SIDS cases and 6,837 control infants. In short, the researchers found that breastfeeding had a protective effect against SIDS even for small amounts of time. The effect began after an infant had been breastfed for two months, and the protection against SIDS increased over time.
In other words, breastfeeding for at least two months provides a benefit that helps reduce an infant’s risk of SIDS. Breastfeeding for less than two months does not provide that protection. Continuing to breastfeed exclusively beyond two months did not provide more protection than partial breastfeeding (and partial bottle feeding).
The authors of the study are uncertain about exactly why breastfeeding protected infants from SIDS. There are some potential reasons that might be possible, but more study would be required in order to conclusively prove what the reasons are.
One potential reason is that breastfeeding might make it easier for babies to arouse from sleep. Another potential reason is that breast milk boosts infants’ immune systems and supports their brain development. The key thing to note is that breastfeeding for at least two months can cut the risk of SIDS nearly in half.
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* 10 Breastfeeding Facts from WHO