Breastfeeding: From preventing childhood diseases to increasing IQ and other long-term health benefits you should know

Breastfeeding plays a vital role in promoting optimal health and growth in infants, which has far-reaching implications for childhood development and disease prevention. The impact of breastfeeding extends beyond infancy, influencing long-term health outcomes in childhood and beyond.

Long-term health benefits of breastfeeding revealed

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Richa Bathla, lactation consultant and women’s health physiotherapist at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Faridabad, explains how breastfeeding contributes to childhood development and disease prevention –

• Breastfeeding gives children the healthiest start in life. It serves as a baby’s first vaccine and reduces healthcare costs leading to healthier families and a smarter workforce. It stimulates brain development and also protects women’s health.
• Breastfeeding is the first intervention in childhood development that helps prepare children for a better future in a cost-effective way for families and societies.
• Breastfeeding protects against life-threatening chronic diseases and supports healthy development.
• Breastfeeding contains long-chain fatty acids and other nutrients essential for healthy brain development.
• Breastfeeding is associated with higher performance on intelligence tests in children and adolescents, resulting in improved academic performance, income, and better workforce performance.
• Breastfeeding – Social and Emotional Development in Children: It has been found that children who are exclusively breastfed for 6 months are less likely to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD – a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairment).
• Additionally, late initiation of breastfeeding increases the risk of developing ASD, as the first feeding or colostrum, which is rich in antibodies and immune cells, is missed.
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of otitis media and malocclusion.
• Breastfeeding facilitates bacterial and hormonal contact between mother and infant, which helps prevent inflammation of the Eustachian tube in the middle ear.
• Breastfeeding enhances cranio-facial development.
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of obesity, asthma, type 2 diabetes, and SIDS in children and teens.
• Breastfeeding increases intelligence quotient (IQ).
• Children who are breastfed are more likely to do well in school at age 5 than children who are not breastfed.
• Children who are breastfed are less likely to have behavioral problems at age 5 than children who are not breastfed.
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of behavioral problems in childhood
• Breastfeeding lowers serum cholesterol levels in adult life.
• Babies who are breastfed for extended periods of time have faster brain development, and those who are exclusively breastfed for six months or a year have higher IQ levels at school age.
• Psychological effects- Breastfeeding helps in cognitive development later in life, improves memory, improves language skills, etc.
• Recent research shows that women who do not breastfeed have a 20% to 200% higher risk of long-term disease than women who breastfeed.
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Link between early infant feeding and developmental outcomes at one, two and three years of age Children who are breastfed for longer will have improved developmental outcomes.
• Children who are breastfed for longer periods of time have higher numeracy and literacy scores.
• Additionally, children who are breastfed for a longer period of time have improved mental health during childhood and adolescence.
• Breastfeeding for six months or longer is associated with higher math, reading and spelling scores in children at age 10.
• It may promote growth and development by facilitating mother-child bonding, interaction, and cognitive development.
• Long-term breastfeeding has significant benefits on a child’s growth, cognitive IQ, educational achievement, and mental health in adolescence.

From infancy to adolescence:

Richa Bathla said, “Breastfeeding has benefits in protecting infants from infections and forming a long-term strong bond between mother and infant and preventing chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Studies have shown that after adjusting for socioeconomic, psychological and maternal risks in early life, longer duration of breastfeeding was positively associated with the developmental, cognitive, educational and psychological health and well-being of children and adolescents.”