Benefits of Breastfeeding

 
      BENEFITS FOR MOTHER

-Reduces the risk of breast cancer. Women who breastfeed reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 25 percent.. The more months or years a mother breastfeeds, the lower her risk of breast cancer.

 

-Reduces the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. Estrogen levels are lower during lactation, hence the less estrogen available to stimulate the lining of the uterus and perhaps breast tissue also, the less the risk of these tissues becoming cancerous.

      -Lessens osteoporosis.Non-breastfeeding women have a four times greater chance of  developing osteoporosis than breastfeeding women and are more likely to suffer from hip fractures in the post-menopausal years.

       -Benefits child spacing. Since breastfeeding delays ovulation, the longer a mother breastfeeds the more she is able to practice natural childspacing, if she desires

        -Promotes emotional health. Studies show that breastfeeding mothers show less postpartum anxiety and depression than do formula-feeding mothers.

-Promotes postpartum weight loss.Breastfeeding mothers showed significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and more fat loss by one month postpartum when compared with formula-feeding moms. Breastfeeding mothers tend to have an earlier return to their pre-pregnant weight.

 -Costs less to breastfeed.

BENEFITS FOR BABY

Adapted from Chapter 18 of THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, 7th Revised Edition: 

"Human Milk for Human Babies " documents the benefits of breastfeeding such as the antibodies in it to protect the baby from illness. For example, a study in the Philippines showed that, "Deaths from respiratory infections and diarrhea were eight to ten times higher in babies who were artificially fed than in those who were even partially breastfed for six months "

 (THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING,7th Revised Edition, page 350). “Breastfed babies have a decreased likelihood for allergies and dental caries. They also benefit from appropriate jaw, teeth and speech development as well as overall facial development. This means that people who were artificially fed may experience more trips to doctors and dentists “

The benefits of breastfeeding is an endless list which cannot be summarized in just one blog post. This post is just intended to ensure parents get the introduction of benefits of breastfeeding. There are too many short term benefits, long term benefits both for mother and babies. So...keep on breastfeeding! :-)