04/20/2026
It's time the U.S. medical system looks at infant feeding from a wider lense than our own.
Breastfeeding in our vountry needs true support. Real collaboration between pediatricians and IBCLC's would make such a difference.
I know IBCLC's and mothers would really appreciate this!
I will be hosting a prenatal postpartum prep class soon. That plays a large part in breastfeeding support.
Support the mom and you support the baby snd family.
🚨🚨 NEW STUDY: Exclusively breastfeeding and longer breastfeeding associated with later onset of puberty.
This could bring a sigh of relief for some parents worried about their infant's future health. In recent decades, we've seen an increase in earlier puberty.
"Early onset of puberty, often characterized by an accelerated linear growth spurt, is a recognized risk factor for a range of metabolic and cardiovascular conditions."
Researchers knew that this is likely multifaceted, but when they adjusted for other socioeconomic factors and BMI, breastfeeding still held statistically significant differences in the timing kf puberty.
Breastfeeding is the biological norm. There are many reasons and situations where we as humans do not follow only biological norms, especially in modern life. But this information aids us in making informed decisions and navigating any potential things which pop up.
The study found:
✅️ After adjusting for socioeconomic, maternal, and infant characteristics, children exclusively breastfed for ≥3 mo reached age at peak velocity and age at maturation later than those who were not exclusively breastfed
✅️ In adjusted models, each additional 3 mo of any breastfeeding was associated with a later age at take-off
✅️ Prepubertal BMI did not significantly mediate these associations.
Concluding: Exclusive breastfeeding and longer breastfeeding duration were associated with later onset of puberty in boys and girls. Prepubertal BMI did not mediate the observed associations.
What does this mean? It simply provides another perspective into the impact of our biologically normal next step for nutrition and growth after pregnancy: breastfeeding.
This means when there's access to breast milk, it remains an important option for infants. When there isn't access to breastmilk we know that risks are not guarantees. And that we can navigate earlier onset puberty.
Does this study surprise you?
Study below.
