Top 10 Benefits of Breastfeeding for You and Your Baby

But if you’ve ever needed any specific reasons to breastfeed, or if anyone around you has wondered, “Why breastfeed?”, I’m hoping this list will help you make this excellent choice for your baby – and for yourself.

It’s good for you

In particular, several medical studies have suggested that breastfeeding can lower your risk of developing breast cancer, possibly because you have fewer menstrual cycles while nursing (but remember – although that’s a bonus, breastfeeding is NOT a reliable form of birth control!!).

This is even better news if you have a history of breast cancer in your family, since one particular study showed breastfeeding puts you at about the same risk level as a woman whose family does not have a history of breast cancer – and those are great odds!

It’s free…

Breastfeeding is the ultimate freebie – your body makes as much of it as your baby needs, whenever he needs it, for as long as he wants.

With so many other expenses that come with a new baby – diapers, wipes, clothing that they outgrow in the blink of an eye – it can be very reassuring that one of your baby’s most frequent activities, eating, comes at no cost at all for the breastfeeding mother!

…and easy for the busy mom

This is especially wonderful when you’re on the go; unlike bottles, you don’t have to worry about mixing up bottles beforehand and then carrying them around, or if your baby’s finicky about temperature, having to find a place to warm your bottles – your breastmilk is ready to go right away, and it’s always the right temperature for your tot.

Breastmilk is perfectly tailored to your baby’s nutritional needs

Plus, it’s easiest for her to digest, so she’s also less likely to have issues with allergies, constipation and reflux (although, again, sometimes babies develop this anyways – my fully breastfed daughter did have issues with gastro esophageal reflux disease, or GERD, when she was an infant).

Immunities = a healthier baby

Simply put, your baby will get sick less often – which means you’ll have to take her to the doctor less, and if you’re a working mama, you won’t have to take off work as much to take care of her. Win-win!

And even better, medical studies have also shown that breastfed babies have a lower chance of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and, later in life, being diagnosed with childhood leukemia, types 1 and 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease. You see – the benefits of breastmilk will last for your baby long after weaning from breastfeeding!

Slim that belly!

This starts as soon as you begin breastfeeding (which, hopefully, is right after your baby’s born) -

One note: Just like with exercise programs, not every woman has the same results. You’ll hear a lot of moms talking about how their pregnancy weight just melted off by breastfeeding, and you might be one of the women who – because of your body type, metabolism, age or other factors – might only drop a few pounds while you’re nursing, and that’s okay too.

Bonding with your baby

There she is, snuggled into your arms, gazing into your eyes and studying your face – or eyes peacefully closed, perhaps kneading on your breast like a kitten; even for the most cynical mama, you’ve got to admit that when you see this, it’s a beautiful sight.

This can be especially important if you had a difficult pregnancy or delivery, and perhaps – for whatever reason – haven’t felt particularly close to your baby yet; breastfeeding and the close connection it provides, both physically and emotionally, can help with this.

Even on days when you’re tired, frustrated or (most likely) both, putting baby to breast can be one of the most soothing things in the world – your baby looking up at you, suckling away, with the comforting feeling that her mom is giving her two of the things she wants most: a full belly, and a feeling of love from you.

As your nursling becomes a toddler , it might also become the only part of the day when she’ll sit still and cuddle with you!

It’s relaxing

If you set yourself up right before you sit down to breastfeed, you might even get a chance to have a little snack, catch up on some reading or (gasp!) catch a favorite TV show.

(Although I would really recommend that at least once a day, take some time to just enjoy the beautiful sight of your baby getting everything he needs from you right at that moment – nutrition, a full belly and your attention.)

And it’s not just emotionally relaxing for you – breastfeeding releases the hormone prolactin, which actually decreases anxiety and helps you feel calmer. Don’t believe me? If you start a nursing session frustrated, I can almost guarantee you’ll come out of it feeling like things aren’t so bad.

Knowing you’re still giving the best to your baby

Then, suddenly, he’s thrust into the world and all of its BPA-riddled, hormone-packed, pesticide-laced unhealthiness that’s enough to make any mama want to pack up her family and move to a remote countryside where she can grow all of her own food.

A more reasonable (and likely) solution? Breastfeed your baby.

If you simply continue the healthy habits you established while you were pregnant, through your breastmilk, you’ll provide your baby with optimal nourishment that’s as natural and pure as he’s ever going to get.

Add that to all of the immunity benefits listed above, and you’ve given your baby one heck of a great start to life.

And as an added bonus? You’re keeping yourself healthy and well-fed too, which allows you to take better care of your baby and the rest of your family. There’s really no downside to this part!

Need some ideas on how to eat well for breastfeeding? Here are my suggestions for a breastfeeding diet.

It’s a great way to calm and soothe your baby

Whether it’s because she’s sick, tired or just plain fussy, lots of mamas rely on nursing as a quick, natural and easy way to help their baby calm them down.

In fact, I’ve heard of many moms nursing their babies as they get their immunization shots – those who have tried this method swear that their babies are much less upset from the brief pain of the shot, and calm down much faster. Additional benefits of breastfeeding!

(And hey, those extra antibodies can’t hurt as your baby’s body processes the immunization.)

One note: If you have your baby on a breastfeeding schedule, this might not be the best option as it falls into the “snacking” category of nursing – but if used sparingly, such as in the doctor’s visit example above, it can be a great tool in your breastfeeding routine!

This benefits of breastfeeding list could go on and on, but these are just some of the top benefits of breastfeeding; I encourage you to give it a try for you and your little one – it’s a decision I can almost guarantee you won’t regret!

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