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# Breastfeeding may help prevent SIDS
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/breastfeeding_may_help_prevent_sids_0613110545/
- Published: 2011-06-13T18:43:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T13:17:50.000Z
- Description: A meta-analysis of 18 case-control studies, drawn from 288 papers identified in the literature, found breastfeeding associated with lower SIDS risk, with a stronger association for exclusive breastfeeding. The authors say breastfeeding belongs in SIDS risk-reduction advice.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, Breastfeeding, Sids, #vivvo-import

by Aimee Keenan-Greene  
  
Breastfeeding helps protect against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and the effect is stronger when breastfeeding is exclusive.  
  
That is the conclusion of a new study in the online journal *Pediatrics* today.  
  
The recommendation from the "[Breastfeeding and Reduced Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Meta-analysis"](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/06/08/peds.2010-3000.abstract?sid=bbdd00b2-b2c2-4535-8ef2-172e823f5a18&ref=foodconsumer.org) study says breastfeeding should be part of the SIDS risk-reduction message, to both reduce the risk of SIDS and promote breastfeeding for its many other infant and maternal health benefits.   
  
The [American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) ](http://www.aap.org/breastfeeding/PolicyOnBreastfeeding.html?ref=foodconsumer.org)says breastfeeding decreases the chances your baby will get a variety of infectious diseases, ear infections, and diarrhea. Breastfeeding mothers return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster and have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer. They also experience less postpartum bleeding because the hormones that help with breastfeeding also make the uterus contract.  
  
Research showed infants who received any amount of breast milk for any duration, the univariable SOR was 0.40 (95% confidence interval \[CI\]: 0.35–0.44), and the multivariable SOR was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.44–0.69). For any breastfeeding at 2 months of age or older, the univariable SOR was 0.38 (95% CI: 0.27–0.54). The univariable SOR for exclusivebreastfeeding of any duration was 0.27 (95% CI: 0.24–0.31).  
  
Scientists identified 288 studies with data on breastfeeding and SIDS through a Medline search (1966–2009), review articles, and meta-analyses. Twenty-four original case-control studies were identified that provided data on the relationship between breastfeeding and SIDS risk. Two teams of 2 reviewers evaluated study quality according to preset criteria; 6 studies were excluded, 18 studies were used for analysis. (Univariable and multivariable odds ratios were extracted. A summary odds ratio (SOR) was calculated for the odds ratios by using the fixed-effect and random-effect inverse-variance methods of meta-analysis. The Breslow-Day test for heterogeneity was performed.)  
  
In another recent journal *Pediatrics* article, ["The Effect of Maternity Leave Length and Time of Return to Work on ](http://www.blogger.com/goog%5F477542370?ref=foodconsumer.org)[Breastfeeding", ](http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/6/e1414.abstract?sid=bbdd00b2-b2c2-4535-8ef2-172e823f5a18&ref=foodconsumer.org)data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort shows if new mothers delay their time of return to work, then duration of breastfeedingamong US mothers may lengthen, according to researchers.

Scientists say 69.4 percent of women initiated breastfeeding with positive variation by both total and paid maternity leave length, and time of return to work. Neither total nor paid maternity leave length had any impact on breastfeeding initiation or duration. Compared with those returning to work within 1 to 6 weeks, women who had not yet returned to work had a greater odds of initiating breastfeeding (odds ratio \[OR\]: 1.46 \[1.08–1.97\]; risk ratios \[RR\]: 1.13 \[1.03–1.22\]), continuing any breastfeeding beyond 6 months (OR: 1.41 \[0.87–2.27\]; RR: 1.25 \[0.91–1.61\]), and predominant breastfeeding beyond 3 months (OR: 2.01 \[1.06–3.80\]; RR: 1.70 \[1.05–2.53\]). Women who returned to work at or after 13 weeks postpartum had higher odds of predominantly breastfeeding beyond 3 months (OR: 2.54 \[1.51–4.27\]; RR: 1.99 \[1.38–2.69\]). 

The[ AAP ](http://www.health.ri.gov/breastfeeding/?ref=foodconsumer.org)says breastmilk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants and promotes breastfeeding infants exclusively for the first six months of life, then continuing until at least twelve months of age to augment food.