Breastfeeding May Protect Against SIDS

[Guest guest]

Breastfeeding May Protect Against SIDS

Longer Breastfeeding Duration Reduces Risk Slightly

 

http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/3606.1646

 

By Jennifer Warner

 

May 22, 2002 -- Breastfeeding your baby may have another, unexpected

health benefit. A new study shows that babies who were breastfed by

their mothers for more than eight weeks were less likely to die from

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

 

 

The Scandinavian study appears in the June issue of the Archives of

Disease in Childhood. Researchers analyzed feeding information from the

parents of 244 babies that had died of SIDS between 1992 and 1995 and

compared it with similar information gathered from the parents of 869

healthy babies.

 

 

During the study period, the prevalence of breastfeeding in the

comparison group had grown from 56% to almost 74%, while breastfeeding

rates had dropped among the SIDS groups from nearly 56% to just over 47%.

 

 

After eliminating other factors know to affect SIDS risk, such as

sleeping position, income, maternal smoking, and the baby's age,

researchers found babies who were breastfed for less than eight weeks

were between three and five times more likely to die from SIDS than

babies who were breastfed for four or more months.

 

 

But the study authors point out that the protective effect of

breastfeeding is minor in comparison to the well-proven reduction in

SIDS risk provided by putting babies to sleep on their backs.

 

 

Researchers aren't exactly sure how breastfeeding lowers SIDS risk, but

they say the fact that breastfed infants had fewer infections may play a

role. Another possibility is that breastfeeding fosters a stronger bond

between mother and infant that may also reduce the likelihood of SIDS.

 

 

http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/3606.1646

© 2002 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

About sleeping on the back. Mine have never liked that position, they LOVE

sleeping on their stomachs. So I'm a bad mother and place Hunny Bunny on his

tummy (who's awake by the way and reaching for Big Bad, while my back is

turned!). but then, I SLEEP with Hunny Bunny too, I don't think I'd feel

comfortable doing that if he were in another room or bed.

 

Must Dash before HB chew's Big Bad to bits.( BB is the wolf I got when I

d to the NWF. and he's MINE, NOT Honey bunnys! ;-)

 

Cheers

K