Breastfeeding exclusively or for a prolonged period does not protect children against developing asthma and allergies, according to the results of a large randomised trial published on www.bmj.com today.

A study from the Monell Chemical Senses Center reports that nicotine in the breast milk of lactating mothers who smoke cigarettes disrupts their infants' sleep patterns.

Breast milk and breastfeeding are recognized to be the ideal choices of nutrition and feeding for infants. Breastfeeding is the normal method of feeding infants, and provides many benefits to both infants and mothers. In addition to receiving essential nutrients, breastfed infants have lower rates of ear infections, gastroenteritis, asthma, obesity and diabetes.

May Increase Chance of Serious Side Effects in Infants

Mothers who eat junk food during pregnancy and breastfeeding may be putting their children at risk of overeating and developing obesity, according to a study funded by the Wellcome Trust and carried out at the Royal Veterinary College, London.

The World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund say breast-feeding babies immediately after birth can prevent many neonatal deaths in developing countries. The U.N. agencies are promoting the life-saving benefits of early breastfeeding as the theme for this year's World Breastfeeding Week, which gets under way Wednesday.

A childhood sleep related breathing disorder (SRBD) is known to have negative consequences on cognitive development, behavior, quality of life and utilization of health care resources. However, a research abstract that will be presented Monday at SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), finds that breastfeeding may provide long-term protection against the incidence or severity of a childhood SRBD.

"Babies are born to be breastfed." That is the message that for three months, people living in Herkimer County in upstate New York saw on billboards, posters and public service announcements during breaks in such shows as "Deal or No Deal," the "Today" show, the "Dr. Phil Show" and on Comedy Channel, Court TV, Nickelodeon and Soap TV.

A new study in the May issue of the Journal of Human Lactation reports that being born in a Baby-Friendly hospital gives babies the best possible chance of breastfeeding to 6 months. This is particularly true for low-income populations and for families from backgrounds that traditionally have low breastfeeding rates.

Breastfeeding and the good fats in Omega-3 fatty acids help new moms fight depression, according to a new article published in the most recent issue of the International Breastfeeding Journal by a University of New Hampshire researcher.

A study by scientists at the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, South Africa, has shown that exclusive breastfeeding can significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child in infants aged under six months when compared to those also given solid foods or replacement feed (i.e. formula milk). The research, published today in The Lancet, has implications for people in resource poor settings, such as in rural Africa.