Exclusive Breast-Feeding Best for Baby (27 Feb 2012)
Paediatricians reaffirm nursing's benefits for mother and child.

Back to the future on breastfeeding? (15 Apr 2012)
In a new paper, an Adelaide doctor argues that the official Australian recommendation to introduce solids from six months of age is no longer supported by the evidence, and suggests that the best time to introduce solids is four months. However, the National Health and Medical Research Council disagrees.
See also this article.

Breastfeeding linked to healthy infant gut (29 Apr 2012)
Differences in bacterial colonisation of formula-fed and breast-fed babies leads to changes in the infant’s expression of genes involved in the immune system, and in defence against pathogens.

Pulling The Plug On Pacifiers Questioned By Researchers (30 Apr 2012)
Binkies, corks, soothers. Whatever you call pacifiers, conventional wisdom holds that giving them to newborns can interfere with breastfeeding. New research, however, challenges that assertion.

Extreme breastfeeding: Should children be nursed for years? (11 May 2012)
Breastfeeding children for years rather than months is in the news. But is there anything wrong with it?

Health benefits of breastfeeding are real - here's the scientific proof (30 May 2012)
Research shows that the content of breast milk changes as the child ages, naturally addressing the increased need for more fat and energy. It adapts to the toddlers developing system, providing the right nutrition at the right time.

Most new moms don't meet their own breastfeeding goals (4 Jun 2012)
Two thirds of new mothers who intended to breastfeed exclusively for several months or more didn't meet their own goal.

Extended breastfeeding may provide infant brains with a constant source of essential fats (11 Jun 2012)
A study by anthropologists suggests that extended breastfeeding may provide infants with a constant source of DHA during the critical period of brain development.

Breast milk kills HIV and blocks its oral transmission in humanised mice (14 Jun 2012)
Although a significant number of HIV infections in infants are attributed to breastfeeding, most breastfed babies are not infected with HIV, despite prolonged and repeated exposure. HIV researchers have been left with a conundrum: does breast milk transmit the virus or protect against it? New research explores this paradox in a humanised mouse model, demonstrating that breast milk has a strong virus killing effect and protects against oral transmission of HIV.

Children's allergy protection derived from breast milk varies (19 Jun 2012)
The protection against allergies that children derive from breast milk varies depending on the mother's own allergies and whether she takes probiotic supplements.

Breastfeeding moms' exercise OK for infant growth (19 Jun 2012)
Breastfeeding moms may be able to regularly exercise without hindering their babies' growth.

Duration and exclusiveness of breastfeeding and childhood asthma-related symptoms (Epub 20 Jul 2011, PubMed 20 Jun 2012)
Shorter duration and non-exclusivity of breastfeeding were associated with increased risks of asthma-related symptoms in preschool children.

Mom illegally kicked out of library for breastfeeding in public (23 Jun 2012)
A mother was recently ejected from the Minneapolis Central Public Library for discreetly breastfeeding her baby on a bench in an atrium area of the library. Although Minnesota law allows mothers to nurse their babies in public and private areas, library staff were, ironically, unaware of this.

Breastfeeding protects against current asthma up to 6 years of age (Epub 30 Jan 2012, PubMed 1 Aug 2012)
Breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, protects against current asthma up to 6 years, and the degree of protection beyond 3 years was more pronounced in atopic children.

Snoring linked to reduced breastfeeding and later unruly behaviour (13 Aug 2012)
None of the children that were breastfed for a year or longer became habitual snorers, while one-quarter of those who were breastfed for less than a month or never were snoring at ages 2 and 3.

Breastfeeding may protect infants from HIV transmission (15 Aug 2012)
Certain bioactive components found in human milk are associated with a reduced risk of HIV transmission from an HIV infected mother to her breast-fed infant.

Breast milk promotes a different gut flora growth than infant formula (27 Aug 2012)
Unlike infant formula, breast milk fosters colonies of microbiotic flora in a newborn's intestinal tract that aid nutrient absorption and immune system development.

Preemies' brains reap long-term benefits from Kangaroo Mother Care (19 Sept 2012)
Kangaroo Mother Care - a technique in which a breastfed premature infant remains in skin-to-skin contact with the parent's chest rather than being placed in an incubator - has lasting positive impact on brain development. Very premature infants who benefited from this technique had better brain functioning in adolescence.

Mothers now trading much-needed breast milk via Facebook groups (21 Oct 2012)
Though the practice is receiving considerable scorn from the medical establishment, many mothers are safely using breast milk from other women without issue, which is far better than having to resort to feeding their babies powdered infant formulas.

The early introduction of milk formula may promote food allergy in infants with a family history of allergy (Oct 2012)
A study looking at dietary patterns and food allergy in infants during the first year of life found that a family history of allergy and early formula feeding were associated with a higher risk of food allergy.

Breastfeeding summit highlights ongoing disparities in breastfeeding (22 Oct 2012)
Breastfeeding is a cost-effective, easily accessible, low-tech solution to reducing infant mortality rates and improving long-term health outcomes for both infants and mothers. There is also a 14-fold difference in survival rates in the first 6 months between children who have been breastfed exclusively and non-breastfed children, but authorities are still struggling to increase breastfeeding in developing countries.

Breastfeeding up, but few persist (20 Nov 2012)
A poll of more than 10,000 women shows 81 in every 100 start breastfeeding, up from 76 in 2005. But, after one week, less than half of all new mothers are still exclusively breastfeeding. And only one in every 100 manages the full recommended six months.