Breast milk is the perfect food for infants. It is high in the omega-3 fatty acids that help fuel infants' brain development.

Breastfeeding also supports the health of babies' gut microbiome, the population of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, and protects the gut from potentially deadly viruses. Antibodies in breast milk have been found to protect babies from necrotizing enterocolitis, a dangerous gastrointestinal condition in which gut tissue becomes inflamed and starts to die.

Children who were breastfed for at least six months were less likely to have developmental delays or be diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months.

The benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond infant health. When information on more than 570,500 children was analyzed recently for a study on breastfeeding, a team led by researchers at the KI Research Institute in Israel found that the 52 percent of the infants who were breastfed for at least six months had a lower risk of language and social or motor developmental delays than babies who were breastfed for less than six months.

The researchers also compared data from 37,700 sibling pairs included in the study. Children who were breastfed for at least six months were less likely to have developmental delays or be diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions than their sibling who was either breastfed for less than six months or not breastfed at all.

The findings support current breastfeeding recommendations, and the researchers hope “These findings might guide parents, caregivers and public health initiatives in promoting early child development.”

One way to make sure that babies are breastfed longer for optimal development is to offer mothers — and fathers — longer parental leaves.

Balancing the breastfeeding process with other obligations related to work and family life can be challenging for many women, even those who want to breastfeed.

Some moms stop breastfeeding or supplement with formula because the baby food industry encourages them to. Companies spend about $55 billion per year to promote infant formula. Their messaging can affect women's confidence in their ability to breastfeed successfully.

One way to make sure that babies are breastfed longer for optimal development is to offer mothers — and fathers — longer parental leaves, the researchers say.

In addition, healthcare organizations need to promote breastfeeding, educate moms-to-be and answer their breastfeeding questions. “It is important to advocate for breastfeeding-supportive parental leave and employment policies and reduce the inappropriate marketing of infant foods,” said the researchers.

The current study was published in JAMA Network Open.