On Wed, 3 Sep 1997 11:12:49 EDT Lisa Francoeur
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
>A second benefit is immunity to disease. The immunities in breast milk
have
>been shown to increase in
>concentration as the baby gets older and nurses less, so older babies
still
>receive lots of immune factors
>(Goldman et al, 1983).

They receive them, but they are not absorbed as well because they are
eating other solid foods that interfere.  It's the incremental benefit
after starting solid foods that not all that great.

> A study from Bangladesh provides a dramatic demon-
>stration of the effect these
>immunities can have. In this deprived environment, it was found that
weaning
>children eighteen to thirty-six
>months old doubled their risk of death (Briend et al, 1988). This effect
was
>attributed mostly to breast milk's
>immune factors, although nutrition was probably important as well. Of
course
>in developed countries weaning is
>not a matter or life and death, but continued breastfeeding may mean
fewer
>trips to the doctor's office.

This does not state what other factors are really at work here.  There is
malnutrition, sanitation, potable water, etc.  It also does not state
when the children were started on solid food vs. being exclusively
breastfed.