11 Benefits of Breastfeeding for Both Mom and Baby

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-benefits-of-breastfeeding

Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for babies.

It has the right amount of nutrients, is easily digested and readily available.

However, the rate of breastfeeding is as low as 30% in some groups of women (1Trusted
Source, 2Trusted Source).

While some women are unable to breastfeed, others simply choose not to.

Yet studies show breastfeeding has major health benefits, for both the mother and her baby.

Here are 11 science-based benefits of breastfeeding.

Benefits 1–5 are for babies, but 6–11 are for mothers.

1. Breast Milk Provides Ideal Nutrition

for Babies
Most health authorities recommend exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months.

Continued breastfeeding is then recommended for at least one year, as different foods are
introduced into the baby's diet (3Trusted Source).

Breast milk contains everything the baby needs for the first six months of life, in all the right
proportions. Its composition even changes according to the baby's changing needs, especially
during the first month of life (4Trusted Source).

During the first days after birth, the breasts produce a thick and yellowish fluid called colostrum.
It's high in protein, low in sugar and loaded with beneficial compounds (5Trusted Source).

Colostrum is the ideal first milk and helps the newborn's immature digestive tract develop. After
the first few days, the breasts start producing larger amounts of milk as the baby's stomach
grows.
About the only thing that may be lacking from breast milk is vitamin D. Unless the mother has a
very high intake, her breast milk will not provide enough (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

To compensate for this deficiency, vitamin D drops are usually recommended from the age of 2–
4 weeks (8Trusted Source).

BOTTOM LINE: Breast milk contains everything your baby needs for the first six months of
life, with the possible exception of vitamin D. The first milk is thick, rich in protein and loaded
with beneficial compounds.

2. Breast Milk Contains Important

Antibodies
Breast milk is loaded with antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria.

This particularly applies to colostrum, the first milk.

Colostrum provides high amounts of immunoglobulin A (IgA), as well as several other

antibodies (9Trusted Source).

When the mother is exposed to viruses or bacteria, she starts producing antibodies.

These antibodies are then secreted into the breast milk and passed to the baby during feeding
(10Trusted Source).

IgA protects the baby from getting sick by forming a protective layer in the baby's nose, throat
and digestive system (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

For this reason, breastfeeding mothers with the flu may actually provide their babies with
antibodies that help them fight the pathogen that is causing the sickness.

Nonetheless, if you are ill, you should always practice strict hygiene. Wash your hands often and
try to avoid infecting your baby.

Formula doesn't provide antibody protection for babies. Numerous studies show that babies who
are not breastfed are more vulnerable to health issues like pneumonia, diarrhea and infection
(14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
BOTTOM LINE: Breast milk is loaded with antibodies, especially immunoglobin A, which can
help prevent or fight illness in your baby.

3. Breastfeeding May Reduce Disease

Risk
Breastfeeding has an impressive list of health benefits. This is particularly true
of exclusiveTrusted Source breastfeeding, meaning that the infant receives only breast milk.

It may reduce your baby's risk of many illnesses and diseases, including:

 Middle ear infections: 3 or more months of exclusive breastfeeding may reduce the risk
by 50%, while any breastfeeding may reduce it by 23% (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted
Source).

 Respiratory tract infections: Exclusive breastfeeding for more than 4 months reduces
the risk of hospitalization for these infections by up to 72% (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted
Source).

 Colds and infections: Babies exclusively breastfed for 6 months may have up to a 63%
lower risk of getting serious colds and ear or throat infections (17Trusted Source).

 Gut infections: Breastfeeding is linked with a 64% reduction in gut infections, seen for
up to 2 months after breastfeeding stops (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20Trusted
Source).

 Intestinal tissue damage: Feeding preterm babies breast milk is linked with around a
60% reduction in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (18Trusted Source, 21Trusted
Source).

 Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): Breastfeeding is linked to a 50% reduced risk
after 1 month, and a 36% reduced risk in the first year (18Trusted Source, 22Trusted
Source, 23Trusted Source).

 Allergic diseases: Exclusive breastfeeding for at least 3–4 months is linked with a 27–
42% reduced risk of asthma, atopic dermatitis and eczema (18Trusted Source, 24Trusted
Source).

 Celiac disease: Babies who are breastfed at the time of first gluten exposure have a 52%
lower risk of developing celiac disease (25Trusted Source).

 Inflammatory bowel disease: Babies who are breastfed may be roughly 30% less likely
to develop childhood inflammatory bowel disease (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).
  Diabetes: Breastfeeding for at least 3 months is linked to a reduced risk of type 1
diabetes (up to 30%) and type 2 diabetes (up to 40%) (3Trusted Source, 28Trusted
Source, 29Trusted Source).

 Childhood leukemia: Breastfeeding for 6 months or longer is linked with a 15–20%

reduction in the risk of childhood leukemia (19Trusted Source, 30Trusted
Source, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source).

In addition to reducing the risk of many infections, breastfeeding has also been shown to
significantly reduce their severity (33Trusted Source).

Furthermore, the protective effects of breastfeeding seem to last throughout childhood and even
adulthood.

BOTTOM LINE:Breastfeeding may reduce your baby's risk of infections and many diseases,
including allergy, celiac disease and diabetes.

4. Breast Milk Promotes a Healthy

Weight
Breastfeeding promotes healthy weight gain and helps prevent childhood obesity.

Studies show that obesity rates are 15–30% lower in breastfed babies, compared to formula-fed
babies (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source).

The duration is also important, as each month of breastfeeding reduces your child's risk of future
obesity by 4% (19Trusted Source).

This may be due to the development of different gut bacteria. Breastfed babies have higher
amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, which may affect fat storage (38Trusted Source).

Babies fed on breast milk also have more leptin in their systems than formula-fed babies. Leptin
is a key hormone for regulating appetite and fat storage (39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source).

Breastfed babies also self-regulate their milk intake. They're better at eating only until they've
satisfied their hunger, which helps them develop healthy eating patterns (41Trusted Source).

BOTTOM LINE:Breastfed babies have lower obesity rates than formula-fed babies. They also
have more leptin and more beneficial gut bacteria.
5. Breastfeeding May Make Children
Smarter
Some studies suggest there may be a difference in brain development between breastfed and
formula-fed babies (3Trusted Source).

This difference may be due to the physical intimacy, touch and eye contact associated with
breastfeeding.

Studies indicate that breastfed babies have higher intelligence scores and are less likely to
develop problems with behavior and learning as they grow older (42Trusted Source, 43Trusted
Source, 44Trusted Source).

However, the most pronounced effects are seen in preterm babies, who have a higher risk of
developmental issues.

The research clearly shows that breastfeeding has significant positive effects on their long-term
brain development (45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source, 47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source).

BOTTOM LINE:Breastfeeding may affect your baby's brain development and reduce the risk
of future behavior and learning problems.

6. Breastfeeding May Help You Lose

Weight
While some women seem to gain weight during breastfeeding, others seem to effortlessly lose
weight.

Although breastfeeding increases a mother's energy demands by about 500 calories per day, the
body's hormonal balance is very different from normal (49Trusted Source, 50Trusted
Source, 51Trusted Source).

Because of these hormonal changes, lactating women have an increased appetite and may be
more prone to storing fat for milk production (52Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source, 54Trusted
Source).
For the first 3 months after delivery, breastfeeding mothers may lose less weight than women
who don't breastfeed, and they may even gain weight (55Trusted Source).

However, after 3 months of lactation, they will likely experience an increase in fat burning
(56Trusted Source, 57Trusted Source, 58Trusted Source).

Beginning around 3–6 months after delivery, mothers who breastfeed have been shown to lose
more weight than mothers who don't breastfeed (59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source, 61Trusted
Source, 62Trusted Source, 63Trusted Source).

The important thing to remember is that diet and exercise are still the most important factors
determining how much weight you will lose, whether lactating or not (55Trusted
Source, 64Trusted Source).

BOTTOM LINE:Breastfeeding may make weight loss harder for the first 3 months after
delivery. However, it may actually help with weight loss after the first 3 months.

7. Breastfeeding Helps the Uterus

Contract
During pregnancy, your uterus grows immensely, expanding from the size of a pear to filling
almost the entire space of your abdomen.

After delivery, your uterus goes through a process called involution, which helps it return to its
previous size. Oxytocin, a hormone that increases throughout pregnancy, helps drive this
process.

Your body secretes high amounts of oxytocin during labor to help deliver the baby and reduce
bleeding (65Trusted Source, 66Trusted Source).

Oxytocin also increases during breastfeeding. It encourages uterine contractions and reduces
bleeding, helping the uterus return to its previous size.

Studies have also shown that mothers who breastfeed generally have less blood loss after
delivery and faster involution of the uterus (3Trusted Source, 67Trusted Source).

BOTTOM LINE:Breastfeeding increases oxytocin production, a hormone that causes

contractions in the uterus. It reduces blood loss after delivery and helps the uterus return to its
previous smaller size.
8. Mothers Who Breastfeed Have a
Lower Risk of Depression
Postpartum depression is a type of depression that can develop shortly after childbirth. It affects
up to 15% of mothers (68Trusted Source).

Women who breastfeed seem less likely to develop postpartum depression, compared to mothers
who wean early or do not breastfeed (69Trusted Source, 70Trusted Source).

However, those who experience postpartum depression early after delivery are also more likely
to have trouble breastfeeding and do so for a shorter duration (71Trusted Source, 72Trusted
Source).

Although the evidence is a bit mixed, it's known that breastfeeding causes hormonal changes that
encourage maternal caregiving and bonding (73Trusted Source).

One of the most pronounced changes is the increased amount of oxytocin produced during birth
and breastfeeding (74Trusted Source).

Oxytocin appears to have long-term anti-anxiety effects. It also encourages bonding by affecting
specific brain regions that promote nurturing and relaxation (75Trusted Source, 76Trusted
Source).

These effects may also partly explain why breastfeeding mothers have a lower rate of maternal
neglect, compared to those who do not breastfeed.

One study found that the rate of maternal child abuse and neglect was almost three times higher
for mothers who did not breastfeed, compared to those who did (77Trusted Source).

On that note, keep in mind that these are only statistical associations. Not breastfeeding does not
mean that you will neglect your baby in any way.

BOTTOM LINE:Breastfeeding mothers are less likely to develop postpartum depression. They
have increased amounts of oxytocin in their system, which encourages caregiving, relaxation and
bonding between mother and child.
9. Breastfeeding Reduces Your Disease
Risk
Breastfeeding seems to provide the mother with long-term protection against cancer and several
diseases.

The total time a woman spends breastfeeding is linked with a reduced risk of breast and ovarian
cancer (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 78Trusted Source).

In fact, women who breastfeed for more than 12 months during their lifetime have a 28% lower
risk of both breast and ovarian cancer. Each year of breastfeeding is associated with a 4.3%
decrease in breast cancer risk (79Trusted Source, 80Trusted Source).

Recent studies also indicate that breastfeeding may protect against metabolic syndrome, a group
of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems (14Trusted
Source, 81Trusted Source, 82Trusted Source, 83Trusted Source).

Women who breastfeed for 1–2 years over their lifetime have a 10–50% lower risk of high blood
pressure, arthritis, high blood fats, heart disease and type 2 diabetes (3Trusted Source).

BOTTOM LINE: Breastfeeding for more than one year is linked to a 28% lower risk of breast
and ovarian cancer. It has also been linked to a reduced risk of several other diseases.

10. Breastfeeding May Prevent

Menstruation
Continued breastfeeding also pauses ovulation and menstruation.

The suspension of menstrual cycles may actually be nature's way of ensuring there is some time
between pregnancies.

Some women have even used this phenomenon as birth control for the first few months after
delivery (84Trusted Source, 85Trusted Source).

However, note that this may not be a completely effective method of birth control.
You may consider this change as an extra benefit. While you're enjoying precious time with your
newborn, you won't have to worry about "that time of the month."

BOTTOM LINE:Regular breastfeeding pauses ovulation and menstruation. Some have used
this as birth control, but it may not be completely effective.

11. It Also Saves Time and Money

To top the list, breastfeeding is completely free and requires very little effort.

By choosing to breastfeed, you won't have to:

 Spend money on formula.

 Calculate how much your baby needs to drink daily.
 Spend time cleaning and sterilizing bottles.
 Mix and warm up bottles in the middle of the night (or day).
 Figure out ways to warm up bottles while on the go.

Breast milk is always at the right temperature and ready to drink.

BOTTOM LINE: By breastfeeding, you don't have to worry about buying or mixing formula,
warming up bottles or calculating your baby's daily needs.
 REFLECTION
In the past years, mothers don’t value the benefits of having their child or newborn

breastfeed. Their usual habit of feeding their babies is through formula milk which they buy from

convenience store like mercury drug store. But why breastfeeding is so important? One, because

of the ideal nutrition that the baby can get from it. The ideal first milk helps the newborn's

immature digestive tract develop, this ideal first milk is also known as Colostrum. Aside from the

nutrition that the newborn can get to it, it also saves money and time, instead of buying formula

milk that’s quite expensive, you can just go get the milk from your breast and feed it to your

newborn.

Being a nursing student, I realized that breastfeeding has a lot of benefits from the newborn

and with the newborns’ mother. Breastfeeding not just serve as a food for the baby, but also serve

as their vitamins. For the baby to grow healthy, and the mother to be healthy as well, this is one of

the ways they can be able to attain it. I am a pro-breastfeed, I was once breastfeed by my mother

and I can feel that it was worth it, I grew healthy and away from all sickness.