Dorothea,
I've also heard the rumors that the link between breastfeeding and lowered
risk of SIDS is "old" and out of date, but I disagree. Here's why:

1) Research shows that many SIDS babies had a history of an illness, ie cold,
in the couple of weeks previous to death. We know that breastfeeding helps to
prevent or minimize such viral illnesses.

2) Research shows that mothers and babies sleeping together result in more
organized respiration and circulation. Breastfeeding promotes this type of
arrangement, and thus may contribute to better metabolic organization for
baby.

3) Parents are taught to gently "shake" a baby if he is turning blue and/or
apparently not breathing. Cribs are very still, but the parental bed moves.
More breastfed babies end up in bed with their parents for ease of feeding
and sleep.   Another coincidence?

4) Formula takes longer to digest, thus formula fed babies average longer
sleep periods. Breastfed babies nurse more often, therefore awaken more
often, than their formula fed counterparts. Sleep researcher James McKenna
has suggested that maybe babies *need* to awaken more often, and will have
fewer opportunities to forget to breathe when waking more regularly to feed.
Therefore, the sleep pattern established by breastfeeding would appear to be
more beneficial.

Coincidence? Old information? I think not.  Just because we haven't
quantified the difference doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.  I would refer
everyone to Dr. Sear's excellent book on SIDS, where he weaves together all
of the research into the best summation and theory that I've seen on this
topic yet.

-Lisa Marasco, BA, IBCLC