Breast milk has numerous benefits for babies. For this reason, the Ministry of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. In this sense, a recent study pointed out that premature children breastfed longer are smarter. Follow this article and better understand this relationship.
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Breast milk – How important is it?
Breast milk is species-specific, in other words, it contains everything a baby needs and in the right amounts. correct, unlike cow's milk, which is specific for the calf and, therefore, does not have the same effect on humans. humans. It is for this reason that infant formulas should only be used in very particular situations.
Premature babies have different nutritional needs than children who are born at the right time (between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation) and breast milk is able to adapt to this. This “golden” liquid contains the exact amount of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals that the premature baby needs.
Study finds premature babies breastfed for longer are smarter
Premature children can suffer from a certain delay in cognitive development and many of them are more likely to develop attention deficit. However, one study published in July in the journal JAMA Network Open indicated that premature children breastfed for longer have better academic performance.
The researchers found that longer breastfeeding was associated with higher IQ and higher reading and math scores. In addition, the parents of the investigated children reported fewer signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for them.
Intake of breast milk for up to 18 months of age also showed a positive association with reading, grammar and mathematics. Another important finding of the work is that these associations were greater for children born at lower gestational ages, especially for those born at less than 30 weeks of gestation. gestation.
Breastfeeding should be the only food for babies up to six months of age, as it is complete, not even water needs to be offered during this period. Only at six months should the introduction of complementary feeding be initiated. Always seek nutritional follow-up for more appropriate guidance!
