Preemies fed mostly breast milk had larger brains by their due dates than those who consumed small amounts or none
A study of 77 preterm infants demonstrated that feeding them breast milk during their first month of life appears to promote more robust brain growth compared to babies that are given little or no breast milk. “The brains of babies born before their due dates usually are not fully developed,” said senior investigator Cynthia Rogers, MD, an assistant professor of child psychiatry who treats patients at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “But breast milk has been shown to be helpful in other areas of development, so we looked to see what effect it might have on the brain. With MRI scans, we found that babies fed more breast milk had larger brain volumes. This is important because several other studies have shown a correlation between brain volume and cognitive development.” To read more on this study, click here.
