Prolonging breastfeeding reduces the risk of asthma

The lactation in the smallest, it is not only reduced to a basic food during its first years of life. It is also one of the preventive measures of various health problems such as infections, diabetes or overweight. Therefore, several studies focus on detecting other possible benefits of breastfeeding the baby during its first days of life and prolonging this practice.

An example is the study of University of Manitoba where a relationship has been found between the prolongation of the lactation in children and the prevention of long-term respiratory diseases, such as asthma, as well as wheezing and wheezing in newborns. Some conclusions presented at the XIII International Breastfeeding Symposium held in France at the end of last March.


Exclusive breastfeeding

For this study several children from among 0 and 5 years to determine the influence of breastfeeding on their development of the respiratory system. The data prior to this study indicate that between 20% and 50% of newborns have at least one episode of wheezing before their first birthday. But in the case that bet on breastfeeding, the average of 1.40 to 0.33 per baby per year.

While you can not deny the importance of genetic factor of heart problems such as asthma, the study data reveal that babies who leave the breast early or combine it with another type of diet, such as formula milk, experience twice as many episodes of gasping and greater difficulties at the time to take a breath


Evidence from this study showed that maintaining breastfeeding in the first year, and exclusively up to 6 months, as solid foods are introduced into the diet of small children continues to favor the development of their lungs. Those babies fed exclusively with breast milk have up to 33% less of episodes of gasping or wheezing in its first year of life.

Breastfeeding is even presented as a prevention mechanism in the case of children with asthmatic mothers. In these situations the wheezing is reduced even in a 62% in babies who have been exclusively breastfed during their first six months.

Benefits of breastfeeding

Along with the results of this study, breastfeeding the smallest has other benefits besides those indicated. Among them, the following:


- Provides the necessary nutrients in the proper proportion and temperature.

- It is digested and assimilated with great ease by the digestive system of the baby

- Provides antibodies from the mother and lengthens the period of natural immunity.

- Prevents allergies.

- Reduces the risk of developing obesity.

- It favors the correct development of the jaw, teeth and speech.

Damián Montero

Video: Preventing Asthma Exacerbations in Children


Interesting Articles

Correct and know how to wait

Correct and know how to wait

Man needs to be corrected. There are things that one does without realizing and others, realizing. An uncorrected person is a person not valued. If we want someone to fail completely as a person, all...

The danger of excess duties for children

The danger of excess duties for children

Each evening upon arriving home after several hours of class, and those corresponding to extracurricular activities, our children face homework. With hardly any time between activities and bath time...