Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the gift of a lifetime – a gift that only a mother can give.

Breastfeeding benefits babies

1. Breastfeeding gives your baby all the nutrition, growth factors and disease protection needed for normal growth, as well as lifelong disease protection.
2. Breastfeeding protects against obesity.
3. Breastfeeding is comforting.
4. Babies who are breastfed have higher intelligence scores.
5. Babies who are breastfed have fewer allergies and have a decreased risk of adult onset diabetes.
6. Breast milk is easier for your baby to digest. It protects your baby from digestive problems such as diarrhea.

Mothers benefit from breastfeeding

1. Women who breastfeed have less breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and depression.
2. Women who breastfeed return to prepregnant weight more quickly.
3. Women who breastfeed have less bleeding, and their uterus returns to normal size more quickly.
4. The longer a woman breastfeeds, the more benefits she receives.

Breastfeeding saves time and money

1. Breastfeeding is free! Formula costs more than $1,700 per year, plus supplies.
2. Breast milk requires no preparation. Formula takes time to buy, mix and prepare.
3. Bottle nipples drip milk and lead to stimulation of your baby’s suck reflex and overfeeding.
4. Breast milk is easier for your baby to digest.
5. Breastfeeding requires no clean up or disposal. Formula creates more work for moms and more trash for the environment.

Breastfeeding gives your baby comfort and nutrition

• Breastfeeding gives your baby the comfort of being close to you, as well as the comfort of sucking. Breastfeeding can help you and your baby feel more relaxed.
• Breastfeeding decreases stress hormones in you and your baby.
• Breastfeeding has pain-relieving properties for your baby (Pediatrics 2002; 109-590-593).
• Breast milk contains everything your baby needs to grow and develop the healthiest body possible. Your breast milk changes as the baby grows to give baby the nutrition he/she needs. Since the nutrients come from a human source, it perfectly matches the baby’s digestive system and is digested rapidly and easily.

Breastfeeding protects your baby against disease

• Your breast milk has many proteins that fight bacteria and viruses and may reduce ear infections, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal diseases, colds and flu – while formula has no disease-fighting or protective components.
• Breastfed infants receive protection that lasts a lifetime with lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and serious diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
• Nonbreastfed infants have a greater incidence of ear infections, diarrhea, respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness, cancer, heart disease, obesity and SIDS.

Breastfeeding promotes your baby’s growth and development

• Breast milk contains enzymes and hormones that help your baby’s digestion and promote healthy growth.
• The milk of mothers whose infants were born prematurely has more protein and other nutrients specially needed to meet the growth needs of the premature baby.
• Breast milk contains important fats that help your baby’s brain grow. Breastfed babies have higher intelligence scores. These important facts also make your baby have better vision and digestion the rest of his/her life.
• Formula has no enzymes or growth-promoting factors. Formula-fed infants are more likely to be overweight.

Breastfeeding saves you time and money

• Breast milk is always fresh, free and ready to feed! Formula costs over $1,700 per year, plus supplies.
• Since breastfed babies get sick less, it means less money spent on doctor visits, medicines and hospitalizations. It also means less work time lost staying home with a sick baby.

Breastfeeding benefits your health

• Women who breastfeed have decreased rates of breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and depression.
• Breastfeeding will help you lose more weight and reduces postpartum bleeding.