A study published in journal Pediatrics on May 25 reported that many US hospitals have abandoned the free infant formula in a bid to encourage more new mothers to breastfeed.

The move has been motivated by the fact that though the formula provides the nutrients that are needed for growth and development, the added protection against illness or infection is not offered.

Dr. Jennifer Nelson, Researcher, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the lead author of the study stated, "When hospitals distribute formula to breastfeeding mothers, it signals that formula feeding is as good as breastfeeding."

He added that since hospitals and health care systems are places we look to for guidance on health, these institutions have gradually moved away from the practice of giving away formulas to stop sending wrong signals.

The Research has established positive links between breastfeeding and lower occurrences of gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in the children. It is even claimed that breastfed children have better cognitive, language and motor development. Furthermore, breastfeeding is equally beneficial for mothers as it reduces the risk of death from breast cancer.

Previously, the mothers were sent home with a free supply of baby formula by companies as a way to establish brand loyalty and bolster sales. A decline in these giveaways has been linked to increased instances of breastfeeding resulting in healthy benefits by World Health Organization's Baby-Friendly Hospital initiative.

CDC data showed that in 2013 less than one-third of US maternity wards offered baby formula giveaways, signifying a massive decline from 76% in 2007. It was also revealed that the practice is much more common at hospitals in Midwestern and Southern states than on the coasts.

Nelson and his colleagues surveyed all US hospitals and birth centers every two years from 2007 to 2013 and concluded that hospitals which delivered maximum babies registered more dramatic decreases in free formula handouts.