Breastfeeding and post-perinatal infant deaths in the United States, A national prospective cohort analysis

Risk factors for self‐reported insufficient milk during the first 6 months of life: A systematic review

“…The World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first 6 months, the introduction of complementary foods at this age, and breastfeeding (BF) continuation for at least the first 2 years of life continues to be supported by scientific evidence (Bartick et al, 2017; Chowdhury et al, 2015; Li et al, 2022; Pérez‐Escamilla et al, 2019; Victora et al, 2016). The fact that only 48% of children under 6 months old living in low‐income and middle‐income countries are exclusively breastfed and less than 70% of infants in low‐ and middle‐income countries are breastfed during their second year of life, with some regions having less than half of infants continuing BF beyond 1 year of age (UNICEF, 2022) is of public health concern.…”

“…It has been estimated that over 800,000 annual deaths can be prevented among children under 5 years old by following this EBF recommendation (Rollins et al, 2016; Victora et al, 2016; Walters et al, 2016). This benefit also applies to high‐income countries; for example, a recent study using national data found BF initiation associated with a lower risk of post‐perinatal infant deaths across racial groups within the US population (Li et al, 2022). In addition, BF is friendly to the environment as most CMFs are made from cow's milk, use enormous amounts of water in their manufacturing, and leave large quantities of nonbiodegradable waste behind (Joffe et al, 2019; Smith, 2019).…”

Burden of Childhood Malnutrition: A Roadmap of Global and European Policies Promoting Healthy Nutrition for Infants and Young Children

“…The short- and long-term benefits of breastfeeding have been well established during the past decades. Human milk and its nutritional components have been associated with various health outcomes, such as healthy gut microbiome, good gastrointestinal function, neurobehavioral development and healthy immune system [ 23 , 24 ]. Furthermore, breastfeeding initiation has been linked with reduced infant mortality, according to the results from a recent longitudinal study in the United States [ 23 ].…”

“…Human milk and its nutritional components have been associated with various health outcomes, such as healthy gut microbiome, good gastrointestinal function, neurobehavioral development and healthy immune system [ 23 , 24 ]. Furthermore, breastfeeding initiation has been linked with reduced infant mortality, according to the results from a recent longitudinal study in the United States [ 23 ]. It is estimated that over 820,000 infant deaths could be prevented through optimal breastfeeding practices [ 24 ].…”

What will it take to increase breastfeeding?

“…The first 1000 days of life, comprising pregnancy, and the first 2 years postpartum, have indeed been identified as a critical time to have a positive lifelong impact on human development (Hawkes et al, 2019). Breastfeeding is an essential element of optimal nutrition during the first 2 years of life because it saves lives, improves the short‐ and long‐term health of infants, and enhances their cognitive development across countries, regardless of their level of economic development (Bartick et al, 2017; Horta et al, n.d.; Li et al, 2022; Victora et al, 2016). Evidence about the constellation of benefits of breastfeeding for women and children and the biological mechanisms explaining them continues to accumulate (Bode et al, 2020; Parul et al, 2021).…”