Breastfeeding a baby from day one could help children to regulate their appetites and prevent obesity later in life.

New research from the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention suggests that feeding a baby from a bottle may result in the child consuming more calories both then and when it is older.

Infants who were exclusively breastfed for the first six months only finished their milk 27 per cent of the time, while 68 per cent of bottle-fed babies completed their cup or bottle.

The superior appetite regulation was attributed to hormones in the mother's milk and the higher fat content at the end of a feed, which may indicate to the baby that it is time to stop.

Dr Ruowei Li pointed out: "You don't have to push until the bottle is empty."

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen has also been lauding the merits of breastfeeding this week and encouraged all mums to try it on her personal blog.

Posted by Eileen Kirk

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