The Ultimate Benefits of Breastfeeding

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Breastfeeding is widely recognized for its numerous benefits, both for infants and mothers. This natural practice supports optimal growth, development, and health in babies while offering significant advantages to mothers as well.

Ultimately, the decision to breastfeed is a personal one, influenced by cultural, social, and medical factors. Whether exclusively breastfeeding, a combination of breast milk and formula, or exclusively formula feeding, what matters most is the well-being of both mother and child. Every mother deserves to feel supported and empowered in her feeding choices.

Health Benefits for Mom:

For mothers, breastfeeding offers substantial health benefits as well. It can aid in postpartum recovery by helping the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and reducing bleeding. Long-term, breastfeeding is associated with a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers, as well as osteoporosis. Additionally, it promotes faster postpartum weight loss due to the extra calories burned during milk production. That’s a big positive for me!

Health Benefits for Babies:

Nature has crafted breast milk to be the perfect food for infants. It’s truly a remarkable liquid. I’m sure you’ve heard it referred to as, “liquid gold”. It contains essential nutrients, antibodies, and enzymes that help protect against infections and illnesses and support optimal growth and development. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of conditions such as asthma, allergies, and diabetes.

As breastfeeding continues, the composition of breast milk adjusts to meet the changing nutritional needs of your growing baby, providing a tailored blend of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

Breast milk has incredible adaptive properties that can change based on mom's or baby’s health needs. When mom or baby is sick, breast milk can adjust in ways that protect and support baby’s immune system.

Did you know?

Levels of cortisol - a hormone that promotes alertness - is three times higher in morning milk than in evening milk and at night has more melatonin - the hormone of drowsiness - to promote sleep? More sleep the better!

Remember this fact if you pump and make sure to mark the time on the milk AM/PM so you can give baby the right milk at the right time of day.

Emotional Bonding:

Breastfeeding promotes close physical and emotional bonding between mother and baby. This intimate connection can enhance the baby's sense of security and support healthy emotional development. The skin-to-skin contact and the act of nursing help build a strong emotional foundation.

Cost-Effectiveness:

Breastfeeding is economical, eliminating the need for formula, bottles, and other feeding supplies. This financial benefit can be significant, especially for families living on one income like us!

Convenient:

Once you get past the first week or two breastfeeding is a breeze! It's always available and requires no preparation. It also eliminates the need for sterilizing bottles and preparing formula. The fewer dishes I have to wash the better!

Medicinal Properties:

Breast milk can also be used medicinally in several ways: applied topically to heal minor wounds, rashes, or eye infections like conjunctivitis. I use it to aid in healing my nipples during the beginning stages of breastfeeding.

Depending on what you're willing to try, you or other members of your family can drink it to aid in healing sickness. Since breast milk changes to protect or heal baby during sickness, it can help you also.

*Please always consult a healthcare professional before using it for medicinal purposes.

Now that we know all of the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding let’s talk about the challenges that come along with it. Of course, nothing can be a complete breeze when it comes to motherhood.