This study demonstrated that infants who breastfeed for 6 months or longer have a lower risk of pneumonia and bronchitis at the ages of 2,3, and 4 years of age. However, infants who breastfeed for 6 months or longer don’t appear to have a significantly lower rate of ear infections and colds at ages 2,3 and 4. Infants who breastfeed for less than 6 months don’t benefit from lower rates of pneumonia or bronchitis when they are older.

So what is going on? We know that breastmilk provides antibodies and other factors to help infants fight infection, so that their illnesses are not as severe. The bioactive factors in breastmilk also help mature the infant’s immune system, such that after weaning, the child is better equipped to handle serious infections as compared to children who didn’t receive breastmilk for at least 6 months.

I am not surprised that there was no significant difference in upper respiratory infections, such as colds or ear infections at ages 2,3, and 4 among children who were breastfed less than 6 months vs longer than 6 months. The authors pooled colds and ear infections together, so we really don’t know if the infants who nursed for 6 months or longer had fewer ear infections at ages 2,3, and 4. Based on my experience, a cold is simply a common cold. I don’t see a difference in the rate of colds in my breastfeeding vs formula feeding pediatric patients. However, what I do notice is that the children who were breastfed for longer periods of time seem less likely to develop pneumonia as a complication of a cold, as compared to children who were never breastfed.

This is a strong study because of the number of participants, and because the researchers made sure to take out the variables that can be associated with respiratory infections.

When infants are seen during well-child exams or for illness visits, we ought to share these findings with families, to encourage them to continue breastfeeding for at least 6 months.