The
duration of exclusive breastfeeding refers to the period during which a baby is fed only with breast milk, and no other food or liquids are given.
Full definition
In determining the optimal
duration of exclusive breastfeeding in specific contexts, it is important that functional outcomes, e.g. infant morbidity and mortality, also are taken into consideration.
For the adjusted analyses, complete information
about duration of exclusive breastfeeding, infectious diseases, and all confounders until the age of 6 months was available for 3504 (upper respiratory tract infections), 3489 (lower respiratory tract infections), and 3438 (gastrointestinal infections) infants.
Third, to examine whether the effects of the duration of breastfeeding were a result of exclusive breastfeeding, the associations
between duration of exclusive breastfeeding and upper and lower respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections were examined.
2 As formulated in the conclusions and recommendations of the expert consultation (Geneva, 28 - 30 March 2001) that completed the systematic review of the
optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding [see document A54/INF.DOC.
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine if supplementing pregnant and lactating women with DHA and extending
the duration of exclusive breastfeeding through the first year of life will improve neurological development in infants.
Longer
duration of exclusive breastfeeding is especially important in countries where clean water, healthy food and healthcare are more of an issue, but ALL babies benefit the longer that mom continues to provide her milk.
The Optimal
Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding.
Our advice is based on World Health Organization guidance which recommends exclusive breastfeeding through its report Optimal
Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding and this is backed up by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition in this country.
Duration of exclusive breastfeeding; validity of retrospective assessment at nine months age
This analysis produced conclusions that were consistent with those drawn above: increasing
duration of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with increasing levels of cognitive ability and academic achievement, and adjustment for confounding tended to reduce the size of these associations but, even after adjustment, significant (P <.05) associations remained between the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and 9 of the 12 outcomes studied.
The inclusion of the word «about» in the recommendation for
the duration of exclusive breastfeeding,
Original publication Kramer MS, Kakuma R. Optimal
duration of exclusive breastfeeding.
Bennis, A., Laamiri, F.Z., Chebguiti, A.A., Aguenaou, H., Mrabet, M., Kharbach, A. and Barkat, A. (2017) Impact of Educational Materials on
the Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding Assured by Women Who Delivered at the Souissi Maternity Hospital in Rabat.
An expert consultation was convened to review the scientific evidence on the optimal
duration of exclusive breastfeeding, formulate recommendation for practice on the optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding and develop recommendation for research need in this area.
One research summary found that after reviewing all available studies regarding the outcomes of using IBCLCs, mothers who had higher breastfeeding initiation rates, a longer
duration of exclusive breastfeeding, a longer duration of any breastfeeding, higher breastfeeding rates for all infant age groups, AND better maternal and infant health outcomes as compared to those who didn't seek out IBCLC support (5).