9 Benefits of Breastfeeding for Both Mom and Baby

Breastfeeding is a personal choice that only YOU can make. We understand that it can be challenging, but the benefits of breastfeeding are seemingly endless. Yes, endless! We assure you that it is the right choice for you and your little one.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call breast milk nature’s perfect food for your baby, it will help meet every nutritional need of your newborn baby. It can do wonders that formula milk can never do.

But the benefits of breastfeeding don’t stop with your baby, it can keep you from developing some life-threatening diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding for up to 2 years of age or even longer! Why do you think that is? For its many health benefits of course!

Let’s take a deep dive to find out how breastfeeding helps.

1.Ideal nutrition for babies

Breastmilk contains everything your baby needs for the first six months of their life. It contains all the nutrients your baby would ever need and in the right proportions too. Its composition and construction even change according to your baby’s changing nutritional needs as they grow. Now that sounds like a big deal, doesn’t it? We don’t believe something of this caliber can be replaced by formula milk.

2.It contains important antibiotics

In fact, breastmilk is loaded with them! The very first milk a mother produces, called Colostrum, is heavily concentrated with nutrients and antibodies that will help your baby fight off numerous viruses and bacteria. In fact, a mother’s milk will contain antibodies as long as she chooses to breastfeed.

Formula milk on the other hand doesn’t provide antibodies to your baby. Countless studies have proven that babies who are not breastfed are more prone to illness and infections than babies who are breastfed.

3.Reduces disease risk

Especially during your baby’s first 6 months. In their most tender and sensitive period, breastmilk protects them from many common childhood illnesses like cold, asthma, respiratory tract infections, ear infections, gut infections, allergic diseases and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

These are just the illnesses we have listed for you, on the internet you are sure to find a long, exhaustive list. J

4.It promotes the baby’s healthy weight

Breastfeeding baby let’s your little one call the shots; they’ll stop when they’re full and have satisfied their hunger. This helps them develop healthy eating patterns and prevents childhood obesity.

While formula fed babies will be encouraged to continue till their bottle is empty… not good.

The many health benefits of breastfeeding for a mother include —

5. Helps mummy lose weight

Every mother gains weight during pregnancy and breastfeeding makes losing that extra weight a little easier. The reason behind this is very elementary, breastfeeding burns calories.

But we must give you some truth pills too: Not every mother loses weight by breastfeeding. On the contrary, some might even gain weight by breastfeeding, and researchers themselves are not sure why this happens.

6.Helps the uterus contract

Breastfeeding helps your uterus, or womb, to contract and return to its original size after childbirth. This also helps prevent blood loss right after childbirth. This is made possible by a hormone called oxytocin that is secreted during breastfeeding.

7.Lower risk of depression

Possibly the biggest advantage of breastfeeding for mothers. We bet you have heard about baby blues, but have you heard about its lesser known and more dangerous cousin, Postpartum depression (PPD)?

PPD is a type of depression, and the most common psychological condition, that occurs after childbirth.

PPD can cause extreme sadness and despair and is not something you can deal with alone. Here’s a blog we have written on PPD. If you notice any symptoms of PPD, please contact your doctor right away.

8.Breastfeeding reduces your disease risk

Breastfeeding is directly linked with a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer. It also reduces your risk of some other diseases and conditions like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart diseases.

9.Breastfeeding may prevent menstruation

Longer period without periods! Breastfeeding temporarily pauses your ovulation and menstruation.

Most breastfeeding mothers will menstruate again after 4 to 6 months after childbirth, but for some mothers, their periods won’t return for as long as 9 to 18 months! Some mothers don’t experience periods at all for the entire duration of breastfeeding.

With one less thing to worry about, you can spend more time with your precious little one!

Breastfeeding also builds a special bond.

The physical and emotional closeness and comfort both the mother and the baby get from breastfeeding has to be the best thing about breastfeeding.

We also have something else that can help you with parenting: Teddyy Diapers for newborns, a diaper that cares for you and your baby like no other!