New research conducted by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) has found that babies who are breastfed are one-third less likely to die as a result of cot death.
The advice has been released to co-ordinate with the FSID's cot death awareness drive, Save a Baby Month, which runs from 1-31 May 2008.
The study showed that babies who were breastfed even for a short period were less likely to die than those who were never breastfed.
Any breastfeeding, even a few days, is better than none, but most authorities including the Department of Health now recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for at least six months.
If you need breastfeeding advice or support, contact your midwife, health visitor, local baby café or peer supporter, or ring the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0844 20 909 20.
