Avera Medical Minute: Benefits of Breastfeeding Live 4/8/10 - KSFY News - Sioux Falls, SD News, Weather, Sports

Most new moms know that the decision on whether to breast feed their babies is an important one, but a new report from the World Health Organization says it could be a matter of life and death, as well as a very expensive one at that.

Dr. Kimberlee McKay from Avera McKennan Hospital says the numbers are staggering. WHO says exclusive breast feeding for babies during their first six months would save nearly 1,000 lives a year in the US as well saving $13 billion per year in excess costs.