Just in time to confuse the issue!  Infectious Diseases in Children, Vol. 15, No.9, page 103 & 110.
headline:  Breast-feeding for four months or more prtects children from asthma.  Jody A. Charnow. Perth, Australia.
"Infants breast-fed exclusively for at least four months are at lower risk of asthma at age six years, regardless of the child's atopic status or whether the mother has asthma, according to a recent study.  The finding contrasts the results of other recent studies looking at the relationship between breast-feeding and asthma."

another quote I liked "Asthma researcher Scott Weiss, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston told INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN CHILDREN that the new study makes a key point that "the duration of breast-feeding matters."  The protective effect is not strong, "but applied over a lot of people, it can still be an important factor."  The study provides a reason for pediatricians to tell mothers that breast-feeding must be continued for at least four months for it to protect against asthma."

"Weiss also pointed out the strengths of the study that distinguish it from other studies of breast-feeding and asthma, particularily a larger sample size and the detailed information gathered on breast-feeding duration."

The four references are:
Oddy WH, Peat JK, de Klerk NH.  Maternal asthma, infant feeding, and the risk of asthma in childhood.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002;110(1):65-67.

Wright AL, Holberg CJ, Taussig LM, Martinez FD.  Factors influencing the relation of infant feeding to asthma and recurrent wheeze in childhood. Thorax. 2001;56(3):192-197.

Dell S, To T.  Breast-feeding and asthma in young children: findings from a population-based study.
Arch Pediatric Adolesc Med. 2001;155(11):1261-1265.

Haby MM, Peat JK, Marks GB, et al.  Asthma in preschool children: prevalence and risk factors. 
Thorax. 2001;56(8):589-595.

www.idinchildren.com  I don't know if this will get the article or not.  If you all want I can type i n the whole thing.  Sincerely,Pat in SNJ

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