Introduction: Brestfeeding is a preferred natural source of nutrition for babies and it is no
doubt widely considered as an ideal diet for a newborn. It is a skill that needs to be learned.
The composition and the quantity of milk is adapted to the newborn as soon as the umbilical
cord has been cut and the baby becomes dependent on the food it receives through the mouth.
Viral respiratory infections are one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality
in humans, as well as an important cause of hospital-acquired infections. Once an infection
has been treated, there is no lasting immunity against re-infection. Purpose: To provide
insight into the effects of brestfeeding when preventing and managing respiratory infections
in the brestfed child. Methods: We used a descriptive method. We conducted a review of
the domestic and foreign literature on the impact of breastfeeding in the setting of respiratory
infection in the infant. The literature review and collection of articles was performed in core
databases, such as Medline, Cinahl and Cobiss databases, and some articles were also found
through references of already selected articles. Results: Studies have shown that the longer
the duration of breastfeeding, the lower the chance of severe respiratory disease. Discussion
and conclusion: Our literature review found that exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first
six months is highly recommended, as it greatly strengthens the child's immune system and
thus reduces the occurrence of respiratory illnesses, as well as the chance of hospitalisation
for acute upper or lower respiratory tract infections.
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