Nursing study Educated mothers breastfeed more frequently on average

Nursing study: Moms with higher education breastfeed more often
Breastfeeding not only strengthens the bond between mother and child, the mother's milk also protects the baby from allergies and infectious diseases. Gynecologists and midwives therefore advise mothers to breastfeed their child. A study by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on breastfeeding behavior in Germany, based on data from the study on child and youth health (KiGGS), shows that about half of the babies who were exclusively breastfed in the first four months a mother with higher education. Only one in five babies in this group has a mother with less education.

Still readiness has increased in Germany
Breastfeeding offers many benefits: Breastmilk provides the child with all the important nutrients, fluids and substances needed to develop the immune system. "Breastfeeding thus contributes to the healthy growth and prevention of various diseases. For example, breastfed children who are not breastfed have a lower risk of infectious diseases, especially respiratory infections, urinary tract infections and middle ear infections, as well as asthma, allergies and obesity, "states the RKI study.

(Image: cicisbeo - fotolia)

Overall, readiness to stand still has increased in Germany. While the breastfeeding rate for the birth cohorts 1986 to 2006 was still at 78 percent, it increased in the children between zero and six years, born between 2002 to 2012, to 82 percent. Another key message from the breastfeeding study: "Children of mothers with simple education were significantly less often and shorter breastfed than children of mothers with intermediate or high education."

Girls are breastfed more often than boys
In addition, the gender of the children show differences. For example, 36.5 percent of girls are fully breastfed for at least four months, but only 31.7 percent of boys. "Since breastfeeding already develops during pregnancy, breastfeeding should start before birth and continue after birth," the news agency "dpa" quotes the RKI. Midwives, maternity hospitals and doctors should give special support to low-educated mothers.

According to the recommendation of the National Breastfeeding Commission, infants should be fully breastfed for at least four months. Despite the current discussion about glyphosate residues, breast milk remains the best nutrition in infants, the professional gynecologist explained to the news agency. "The benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the disadvantages by far," said association president Christian Albring. (Ag)