Continued breastfeeding for healthy growth and development of children
Breastfeeding has many health benefits for both the mother and infant. Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life. Breastfeeding protects against diarrhoea and common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, and may also have longer-term health benefits for the mother and child, such as reducing the risk of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence. Breastfeeding has also been associated with higher intelligence quotient (IQ) in children.
Breastfeeding continues to make an important nutritional contribution well beyond the first year of life as a significant energy source and by providing key nutrients to the growing infant. Studies in developing countries demonstrate that continued, frequent breastfeeding is associated with greater linear growth and further protects child health by delaying maternal fertility postpartum and reducing the child’s risk of morbidity and mortality. Continued breastfeeding may also prevent dehydration in those recovering from infections.
WHO recommendations
Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health.
Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods, while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or beyond.
WHO documents
GRC-approved guidelines
Status: not currently available
Other guidance documents
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Global strategy for infant and young child feeding
Publication date: 2003 -
Guiding principles for the complementary feeding of the breastfed child
Publication date: 2003
Evidence
Other related systematic reviews
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Optimal breastfeeding practices and infant and child mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Sankar MJ, Sinha B, Chowdhury R, Bhandari N, Taneja S, Martines J, Bahl R.
Acta Paediatrica. 2015; 104: 3–13. -
Breastfeeding and maternal health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Chowdhury R, Sinha B, Sankar MJ, Taneja S, Bhandari N, Rollins N, et al.
Acta Paediatrica. 2015; 104: 96–113. -
Long-term consequences of breastfeeding on cholesterol, obesity, systolic blood pressure and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Horta BL, Loret de Mola C, Victora CG.
Acta Paediatrica. 2015; 104: 30–37. -
Breastfeeding and intelligence: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Horta BL, Loret de Mola C, Victora CG.
Acta Paediatrica. 2015; 104: 14-9. -
The association between breastfeeding and childhood obesity: a meta-analysis
Yan J, Liu L, Zhu Y, Huang G, Wang PP.
BMC Public Health. 2014; 14:1267. -
Systematic review and meta-analyses of risk factors for childhood overweight identifiable during infancy
Weng SF, Redsell SA, Swift JA, Yang M, Glazebrook CP.
Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2012; 97(12):1019-26.
