From infancy to school age – a retrospective study of breastfeeding duration and early childhood health in a cohort of 6–7-year-olds

Introduction and objective:
Breastfeeding, particularly in early infancy, plays a crucial role in child health. While its benefits are well documented, few studies have examined how maternal characteristics and sources of breastfeeding knowledge relate to long-term child health outcomes. The aim of the study is to assess associations between the duration of any breastfeeding and maternal socio-demographic factors, breastfeeding information sources, frequency of childhood infections, motor development, and chronic disease occurrence in children aged 6–7 years.
Material and methods:
The study included 560 mother-child pairs from a family medicine clinic. Eligible children were aged 6–7 years, born after an uncomplicated perinatal course. Data were collected through maternal questionnaires, interviews, and chart reviews. Children were grouped by breastfeeding duration: G1 (0–3 months), G2 (4–6 months), G3 (7–12 months), G4 (>12 months). Outcomes included infection rates, motor milestones, and chronic disease prevalence.
Results:
Longer breastfeeding (G3-G4) was associated with older maternal age, higher education, professional counselling, and a non-significant trend related to place of residence. Children in G3-G4 had fewer respiratory, otitis media, and gastrointestinal infections (p < 0.05), and lower overall infection rates. No differences were found for UTIs or skin infections. A non-significant trend toward earlier standing was noted in G3-G4 (p = 0.06). Chronic disease prevalence was highest in G1 (41.5%) and lowest in G3 (17%) and G4 (16%) (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Longer duration of any breastfeeding was linked to lower rates of infections and chronic conditions in early childhood. Targeted support for younger and less-educated mothers may help improve breastfeeding outcomes and child health.