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There's more evidence bolstering the health effects of both breastfeeding and the COVID booster shot: Vaccinated, breastfeeding moms appear to pass COVID-fighting antibodies to their infants.

That's important, since babies under the age of 6 months aren't eligible for the COVID vaccine.

"We think that breast milk may play an important role in protecting the infants during the first...

Certain drugs used to treat multiple sclerosis appear to be safe for babies if taken by breastfeeding moms, a new study finds.

Breastfed babies whose moms received monoclonal antibody treatments for MS did not develop any more developmental delays than babies not exposed to the drugs through breast milk. The findings will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's upcoming annual...

There's a host of studies supporting the numerous ways breastfeeding helps baby's development -- and the health of mothers, too. 

However, too many women are hesitant to start breastfeeding or stick with it if they do, according to Nadine Rosenblum, a perinatal lactation program coordinator at Johns Hopkins Hospital...

What a baby eats, or how the baby eats, may have an impact on future weight and health, research has shown.

A new study backs that up. It found that 9-year-olds who had been breast-fed for six months or more had a lower percentage of body fat than their peers who were ne...

Many a new mom knows that when her newborn cries, her milk releases.

Now, animal research reveals a newly discovered brain circuit that may explain why that happens.

This new study showed that when a mouse pup starts crying, sound information travels to an area of its mother's brain called the posterior intralaminar nucleus of the thalamus (PIL).

This then sends signals to o...

Breast milk supplies many benefits for babies and their moms, and a new study highlights another one: Mother's milk provides proteins that are important for a newborn's gut health.

"Here we show that the concentration of certain proteins in human breast milk predicts the abundance of specific gut microorganisms in infants, which are known to be important [and] necessary for health,"s...

Experts have long recommended breastfeeding for its many benefits for infants, but a new study puts a hard number on breast milk's lifesaving effects.

Breastfeeding is associated with a 33% reduction in infant deaths in the first year, according to the study of nearly 10 million U.S. babies.

The research looked at babies born in 48 states and Washington, D.C. between 2016 and 2018...

A micronutrient in human breast milk may provide significant benefit to developing newborn brains, according to new research that sheds light on the link between nutrition and brain health.

Scientists looked at this sugar molecule in rodents and in human neurons. They said the micronutrient, called myo-inositol, may lead to improved infant formulas.

"The current research does indica...

Jeremy Davis made sure his wife, Chloe, got lots of support when she was breastfeeding each of their three sons.

"When she'd been up nursing all night, I'd take over with the baby in the mornings so she could get extra sleep,"the Wilton, Conn., man recalled. Davis also learned to give special breastfeeding massages to help with milk flow and took on middle-of-the-night diaper duty.

...

Could breastfeeding lay the groundwork for good grades in high school?

That's what the findings of a new British study suggest, although the differences were small between those who were breastfed and those who weren't when it came to standardized test scores and grades.

"Breastfeeding promotes the development of the brain, which may account for better school performance," said lead...

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, when shelter-in-place orders were ongoing, new moms tended to breastfeed their babies about two weeks longer than usual, new research shows.

"Stay-at-home policies enabled parents to continue breastfeeding at home instead of returning to the workplace,"said study co-author Dr. Rita Hamad, an...

Vegan moms can breastfeed their children and not worry that their breast milk is missing essential nutrients, a new study finds.

Researchers from Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands tested the milk of vegan mothers, finding it contains sufficient levels of vitamin B2 and carnitine.

"The maternal diet greatly influences the nutritional composition of human milk, ...

Sometimes new moms receive opioid prescriptions for pain, particularly after a cesarean delivery. They needn't worry, researchers say.

Their newborns are at no greater risk of harm than those whose moms don't get those prescriptions, according to a large new study in Canada.

The findings, published March 15 in the BMJ, should reassure parents and their doctors, the researc...

Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria from a contaminated breast pump caused an infection that killed an infant last year, U.S. federal health officials said Thursday.

The new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns parents of newborns about the need to sterilize equipment, whether it's used for bottle feeding or as part of breastfeeding.

"There are ...

Infants too young to be vaccinated for COVID-19 get some protection from their mothers' breast milk, researchers say.

The new study follows up on findings published in 2021 that showed the breast milk of vaccinated people contained antibodies against the COVID-19 virus.

For the study...

While 8 of 10 mothers breastfeed their newborns for a short time, the number plummets despite recommendations from experts, in part because milk production falls off.

Researchers investigating why that happens found that in women who are obese, inflammation may be the culprit.

Prior research has shown that when a person is obese, chronic inflammation starts in the fat and spreads to...

Breastfeeding can deliver long-term heart benefits to both mother and child, a new statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) says.

The immune systems of newborns and infants can be strengthened by breast milk, which has long been a...

Preterm infants who are breastfed do better in school and are less likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), says a new study.

Preemies have a higher risk of doing poorly in math, reading and other academic skills, previous studies have shown. They're also at greater risk for ADHD.

But starting them off with lots of breast milk appears to blunt this risk an...

Breastfeeding moms can rest easier: New research finds no evidence their milk transmits the virus that causes COVID-19 to their babies.

"Breast milk is an invaluable source of nutrition to infants," said lead author Dr. Paul Krogstad of the University of California, Los Angeles.

"In our study, we found no evidence that breast milk from mothers infected with COVID-19 contained infec...

Chloe Jo Davis is a vocal advocate for breastfeeding.

The Wilton, Conn.-based writer breastfed her three sons for years to make sure they reaped all of the benefits associated with the practice.

"Breastfeeding helps build up kids' immune system and keeps colds, virus, ear infection and stomach bugs at bay, and this is more important today than ever before with the spread of COVID-19...

A growing number of pregnant women are using marijuana or other cannabis products, and a new study suggests that relief of symptoms such as morning sickness may be a primary reason.

In recent years, studies have documented a rise in cannabis use during pregnanc...

Giving your baby fruit juice too early in life could lead to greater intake of sugary drinks later in childhood and much higher odds for obesity and tooth decay, a new study of more than 4,000 American mothers has found.

According to a team led by Edwina Yeung, of the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, introducing fruit juice to infants before they were a year ...

Moms who had COVID-19 when they gave birth may help stimulate their infant's burgeoning immunity against the virus by breastfeeding, a small study hints.

It's well known that breast milk contains certain maternal antibodies that can help protect infants from infections as their own immune systems develop.

Studies indicate that's true of SARS-CoV-2, as well: Breast milk from moms who...

Might breastfeeding affect a new mother's future brain health?

That's the intriguing question posed by a new study that flips the narrative from the often-touted benefits for baby to what impact breastfeeding might hold for Mom years later.

Researchers from UCLA Health found that women over age 50 who had breastfed their babies performed better on tests of brain function than those ...

You've probably heard that getting better sleep can be good for your waistline. The same appears to be true for your baby.

Newborns who get more sleep and wake up less during the night are less likely to become overweight in infancy, according to a just-published study.

"While an association between insufficient sleep and weight gain is well-established in adults and older children,...

Besides the long-established benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mom, a new study reports one more: Nursing could help chase the blues away.

It is linked to a lower risk for postpartum depression -- the so-called "baby blues" -- and nursing for a longer time may further ease depression symptoms, according to the findings.

"Women suffering from postpartum depression, which occurs ...

Breast milk can give preemies' hearts a big boost, a groundbreaking study suggests.

"This study "¦ adds to the already known benefits of breast milk for infants born prematurely," said study leader Dr. Afif El-Khuffash, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin.

He said the findings off...

Breastfeeding provides a baby with many positive benefits, but it doesn't always happen easily.

When a new mom feels overwhelmed by the challenge, a lactation consultant can help, according to two breastfeeding experts from Penn State Health.

"We're here to make sure new moms can get to where they want to be with their infant -- breastfeeding with ease and confidence," said Nancy Mc...

Since COVID-19 and three vaccines to help prevent it arrived in the United States, questions have swirled about their impact on pregnant women, new moms and infants.

How would the virus affect them and their health risks? Should women get the vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered an emphatic answer to those questions on ...