Breastfeeding halves risk of Sudden Infant Death Sydrome (SIDS)

An Australian children's health group has published new guidelines claiming that breastfeeding significantly reduces the chances of a baby dying suddenly and unexpectedly.

The SIDS and Kids organization now recommends that mothers breastfeed their babies where possible saying that studies over the last 15 years have consistently found breastfeeding reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome SIDS, the Australian Associated Press reports.

"We have now reached a point where conclusive evidence from numerous studies demonstrates breast milk can reduce sudden and unexpected death in infancy," the author of the guidelines, Adjunct Professor Jeanine Young, Jeanine Young is quoted as saying by 9News.

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According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a new study has been published in the latest edition of the Australian Breastfeeding Review which states that babies breastfed exclusively for the first six months and then until the age of one had their risk of SIDS more than halved.

However, Prof Young said it was unclear exactly why.

''We think its multifactorial. We know breastfed babies tend to rouse more easily than bottle-fed babies, and because women breastfeed frequently the child is roused – and checked on – every few hours. We also know babies that aren't breastfed get more respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, which is important because about 45 per cent of babies who die suddenly are unwell in the weeks before," The Age reports her as saying.

Sky News says that SIDS and Kids advises mothers who can't breastfeed to avoid other risk factors like smoking near babies and sleeping babies on their side or stomach.

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