New Delhi : Breastfeeding has been known to be healthful for both mother and the baby. According to a study published in the journal Paediatrics, babies who are breastfed for at least two months are at a lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) than the ones who aren’t nursed as long. According to the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine Research, breastfeeding for at least two months cuts a baby’s risk of SIDS almost in half. The study also determined that mothers do not need a breastfeed exclusively for their baby to get the benefit, potentially good news for moms who can’t or choose not to rely solely on breastfeeding.

The researchers found, after adjusting for variables that could distort their results, that breastfeeding for at least two months was associated with a significantly decreased risk. Breastfeeding for less than two months did not offer such a benefit. The team analysed eight major international studies that examined 2,259 cases of SIDS and 6,894 control infants where death did not occur.

This large collective sample demonstrated the consistency of findings despite differing cultural behaviours across countries, and it provides convincing evidence of the reliability of the findings.

Pediatricians recommend that mothers exclusively breastfeed infants until they’re at least six months of age because it can reduce babies’ risk of SIDS as well as ear and respiratory infections, allergies, childhood obesity and diabetes. But research to date hasn’t offered a clear picture of exactly how long women need to nurse their infants to protect against SIDS, said John Thompson, lead author of the current study and a pediatrics researcher at the University of Auckland.

“The peak age of SIDS is two to four months, so breastfeeding may need to continue into this apparently more vulnerable period to incur the protective effect,” Thompson said by email.

The study wasn’t a controlled experiment designed to prove whether or how breastfeeding directly prevents SIDS. However, it’s possible that breast milk helps boost babies’ immune systems and lower the risk of infections that can lead to SIDS, doctors say.