As if you moms needed another reason to breastfeed, here's yet another benefit of giving babies the boob over a bottle at first--a possible lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome--the most common cause of death for infants, about 8.1 percent of all infant deaths, in 2006 according to the American Lung Association.
Breastfeeding has been linked to babies having better immune systems, less gas, linked to a lower rate of diabetes and a host of other diseases as well as possible higher IQs.
In this study from one of my alma maters, The University of Virginia, the researchers combined data from 18 studies asking mothers about SIDS and feeding methods. Those babies breastfed appeared to have a 60 percent lower chance of SIDS than those babies not breastfed. The study was published in the journal Pediatrics on June 13, 2011.
The researchers did note they needed more data to link the two conclusively. Read the abstract on the study here.
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