Science Reveals What Can Happen to Your Baby If You Breastfeed Exclusively

Breastfeeding has long been hailed as the gold standard for infant nutrition, but what does the science really say about its impact on your baby’s development? Let’s take a closer look at the research-backed benefits and considerations, steering clear of stereotypes and focusing on the facts.

Exclusive breastfeeding means providing only breast milk—no formula, water, or solids.

Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend exclusive breastfeeding to ensure your baby’s optimal growth, development, and overall health.

• A large-scale study with over 570,000 children found that longer or exclusive breastfeeding is associated with fewer developmental delays. Children who were exclusively breastfed for six months or longer demonstrated stronger problem-solving skills at age 3 compared to those who were never breastfed.
• In addition to boosting cognitive development, research consistently shows that breastfed babies outperform bottle-fed ones on mental ability tests.
• Exclusive breastfeeding also seems to promote key language milestones. Babies who were exclusively breastfed showed better monobabbling and more responsive reactions to the word “no.”

• But that’s not all. Research suggests that exclusive breastfeeding may also benefit your baby’s social and emotional development. Babies breastfed exclusively for at least four months scored higher on social interaction tests at both 6 and 12 months compared to their non-breastfed peers.
• Beyond development, exclusive breastfeeding offers numerous physical health benefits. Breast milk is packed with the perfect nutrition, supports your baby’s growth, and provides protection against certain illnesses and diseases.

While the benefits are clear, it’s important to acknowledge that exclusive breastfeeding isn’t always an option for every family.

Factors like maternal health, work commitments, and personal preferences significantly influence feeding choices. What matters most is that you make feeding decisions that align with your unique situation and values.

Public opinion on breastfeeding varies, and it’s crucial to respect the diversity of experiences and perspectives:

• Of course, fed is best. No one is dismissing that. Studies like this are just finding associations that might make one better than the other, but of course, not conclusive. Also, just because one might be better than the other, it doesn’t make the other wrong.
  It’s mainly saying if you have BOTH options, and you are deciding which one to follow, these are some things you could consider. This is not for people who don’t have both options. Also, always note that it’s an association, not necessarily causation, and there are always exceptions. It’s just a trend. © Enamoure / Reddit
• I’m not saying there’s not some effect there, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t exclusively breastfeed. There are far more important things for your child for their development, like having lots of good playtime with them. Plus, kids who don’t develop language skills as quickly will usually catch up. © eat_a_pine_cone / Reddit
• People arguing over which one is better than the other are missing the point. The answer is the best way to feed your child is going to be specific to the parent and child in question. © AdmiralChucK / Reddit

At the end of the day, the key takeaway is this: Support parents in making the best decisions for their families. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

And here’s something you might not have expected: when it comes to birth control, your contraceptive pill might be doing more than just preventing pregnancy. It could actually be influencing who you’re attracted to—and even shaping the long-term dynamics of your relationships. Check it out: Birth Control Pills Might Change Who Women Are Attracted To, Study Finds