Study: Breast Feeding No Better Than Bottle Feeding For Kids’ Health

[pnwmom]

31. That's not true. Older babies still benefit from antibodies, just not to the same extent

as infants, depending on how much they're still nursing.

The study in the OP doesn't change this research, because it only applies to children from 4 - 14, who are no longer breastfeeding.

From a government web site:

http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/why-breastfeeding-is-important/

Breast milk fights disease – The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from illness. This protection is unique; formula cannot match the chemical makeup of human breast milk. In fact, among formula-fed babies, ear infections and diarrhea are more common. Formula-fed babies also have higher risks of:
Necrotizing (nek-roh-TEYE-zing) enterocolitis (en-TUR-oh-coh-lyt-iss), a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in preterm infants.
Lower respiratory infections
Asthma
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Some research shows that breastfeeding can also reduce the risk of Type 1 diabetes, childhood leukemia, and atopic dermatitis (a type of skin rash) in babies. Breastfeeding has also been shown to lower the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
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