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Breastfeeding patterns and total volume of human milk consumed influence the development of the infant oral microbiomeThe oral microbiome of breastfed infants is distinct from that of formula-fed infants. However, breastfeeding characteristics, such as time spent breastfeeding (min/24 h), breastfeeding frequency (number of breastfeeds per day), and human milk intake (ml/day) vary significantly between breastfeeding dyads.
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Longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding associated with reduced risk of childhood asthma up to age sixBreastfeeding is recommended for all infants irrespective of atopic heredity, although epidemiological studies provide conflicting results in this debate.
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Anti-infective proteins in breast milk and asthma-associated phenotypes during early childhoodThe impact of breast milk feeding on susceptibility to asthma in childhood is highly controversial, due in part to failure of the majority of studies in the...
News & Events
World Breastfeeding Week: Q&AIn celebration of World Breastfeeding Week (1 – 7 August), we sat down with Professor Valerie Verhasselt to ask her some of the top questions about breastfeeding and immunology.
Research
Associations of Maternal Milk Feeding With Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at 7 Years of Age in Former Preterm InfantsMaternal milk feeding may have unique long-term neurodevelopmental benefits in very preterm infants. We examine the extent to which maternal milk feeding after very preterm birth is associated with cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes at school age.
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Breastfeeding and Neonatal Age Influence Neutrophil-Driven Ontogeny of Blood Cell Populations in the First Week of Human LifeThe first few days of life are characterized by rapid external and internal changes that require substantial immune system adaptations. Despite growing evidence of the impact of this period on lifelong immune health, this period remains largely uncharted.
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A newborn's perspective on immune responses to foodIn this review, we will highlight infants' immune responses to food, emphasizing the unique aspects of early-life immunity and the critical role of breast milk as a food dedicated to infants. Infants are susceptible to inflammatory responses rather than immune tolerance at the mucosal and skin barriers, necessitating strategies to promote oral tolerance that consider this susceptibility.
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Human Milk Microbiome and Microbiome-Related Products: Potential Modulators of Infant GrowthInfant growth trajectory may influence later-life obesity. Human milk provides a wide range of nutritional and bioactive components that are vital for infant growth. Compared to formula-fed infants, breastfed infants are less likely to develop later-onset obesity, highlighting the potential role of bioactive components present in human milk.
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Infant feeding practices and childhood acute leukemia: Findings from the Childhood Cancer & Leukemia International ConsortiumIncreasing evidence suggests that breastfeeding may protect from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. However, most studies have limited their analyses to any breastfeeding, and only a few data have examined exclusive breastfeeding, or other exposures such as formula milk.
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Breastfeeding in a COVID-19 worldThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the birthing and postnatal experience of women. This review highlights how policy changes have affected pregnant and breastfeeding women, the evidence for continued breastfeeding and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines, and how the pandemic's unexpected consequences have affected these women's wellbeing.