A wave of optimism is sweeping the medical fraternity after the revelation that the number of asthmatic babies can be drastically reduced by up to 62 per cent through breastfeeding. Researchers discovered that breastfeeding greatly reduces the risk of asthma among infants aged 2-6 years. It was also found that the longer a baby is exclusively breast-fed, the greater the protection from asthma. This gives mothers an irresistible motivation to feed their babies exclusively on breast milk, without supplementing it with formula milk. While this asthma protection was evident in all infants up to the age of six, it was found to be particularly beneficial for toddlers older than three years. Experts recommend that for optimal health benefits, mothers should exclusively breastfeed for six months, then introduce complimentary home-made feeding while continuing to breastfeed for two more years.