Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom and Baby

I’m sure you’ve heard various benefits of breastfeeding over the months or years, but here I’m going to lay out all of the evidence-based benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby.

By breastfeeding your new baby, you’re providing them with colostrum and the nutrients in breastmilk that are made perfectly for your baby!

Maybe you’re trying to see if breastfeeding is for you, or you just need reassurance that it’s the right choice for you, so let’s go through all of the benefits for you and your baby!

Breastfeeding Education is Key

Did you know that 60% of mothers do not breastfeed as long as they want to?

There is evidence that lack of knowledge among lactating individuals has a negative impact on breastfeeding, as many parents have difficulty understanding and assessing lactation issues, such as sore nipples, latch, low milk production, etc.

Research also shows prenatal breastfeeding education increased breastfeeding initiation and the length of time mothers breastfed! [37]. “Mothers who are knowledgeable about breastfeeding and hold a positive approach towards breastfeeding have the tendency to initiate breastfeeding and continue for a lengthened period” [37].

This is why I made The Balanced Breastfeeding Course with 280 minutes of education and video demonstration with 160+ easy-to-follow PDF Pages plus photo demonstrations! This course fills the gap in our maternity care system, addressing everything you need to know to have a successful breastfeeding relationship.

What is in Breast Milk?

Let’s start with the components of breast milk so we can better understand what it even is!

Breast milk is liquid gold for babies. It contains basic essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and water, to keep your baby hydrated.

But it also contains many beneficial nutrients that cannot be replicated.

Water

About 87 percent of breast milk is water, which helps newborns maintain their body temperature and stay hydrated. Even in hot climates, breast milk contains all the water a baby needs!

Millions of Live Cells

These live cells include immunity-boosting white blood cells and stem cells, which may help organs develop and heal.

Proteins

There are 1000+ proteins found in breast milk that help your baby grow and develop, strengthen their immune system, and protect neurons in their brains.

Whey is the primary protein in breast milk, and it becomes a soft curd when your baby digests it.

Amino acids in breast milk contribute to the overall protein quality in your breast milk [1].

Carbohydrates

Breast milk contains 200+ complex sugars, the main one being lactose (milk sugar), which is the primary carbohydrate in breast milk, and it helps the baby absorb calcium.

Lactose is metabolized into two simple sugars necessary for your baby’s rapid brain growth.

Complex sugars in breast milk also act as prebiotics, feeding ‘good bacteria in your baby’s gut. They also prevent infections and lower their risk of brain inflammation.

40+ Enzymes

Enzymes improve your baby’s digestion and immune system and help them absorb iron.

Hormones

Human growth hormones help support healthy development for your baby.

Breast milk also supplies your baby with more hormones. Some fluctuate naturally to help regulate your baby’s appetite and sleep patterns and aid the bond with you!

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals help support healthy growth and organ function and help build your baby’s teeth and bones.

Breast milk provides all of the vitamins and minerals that your baby needs! However, if you are deficient in a vitamin or mineral, like vitamin D, your breast milk might also lack this vitamin.

Check out: The Complete Guide to Vitamin D in Breastfeeding

During pregnancy, you’re recommended to supplement with 600 IU of vitamin D daily (should be satisfied with your daily prenatal vitamin). While breastfeeding, your baby should receive 400 IUs of vitamin D daily from baby vitamin D drops. Or you can take 6,400IU of vitamin D as a breastfeeding mother and satisfy both of your vitamin D needs [12].

Antibodies/Immunoglobins

Immunoglobins protect your baby against illnesses and infections by neutralizing bacteria and viruses.

1,400 microRNAs

MicroRNAs are thought to regulate gene expression, prevent or halt disease development, and support your baby’s immune system.

Lipids

Cholesterol, essential fatty acids, DHA, and other fats account for half of the calories in breast milk, and they’re necessary for the normal development of your baby’s nervous system and brain.

Fats also aid in visual development and enhance the growth of a special coating on nerves as they grow!

While this is a long list, scientists are still discovering more about breast milk!

Prebiotics

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) give newborns multiple layers of protection. HMOs are prebiotics that:

• Protect against pathogenic infections
• Promote the development of intestines
• Help establish the gut microbiota
• Stimulate the maturation of the immune system

Oligosaccharides stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria, and bad bacteria can’t metabolize them. Oligosaccharides’ effects are relevant to pathogens in the gastrointestinal system (like diarrhea), respiratory system (otitis media), and urinary system (UTIs). Furthermore, these reduce the risk of your baby developing allergies and asthma and contribute to brain development.

The Benefits of Breastfeeding for Your Baby

• A stronger immune system
• Less diarrhea, constipation, gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux, and preterm necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
• Fewer colds and respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and whooping cough
• Better vision and less retinopathy of prematurity
• Fewer ear infections, especially those that damage hearing
• Fewer cases of bacterial meningitis
• Lower rates of infant mortality
• Lower rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Less illness overall and less hospitalization
• Parents have up to six times less absenteeism from work
• Baby diarrhea and sickness [17]
• Protects against the development of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Children

Children who were breastfed have:

• Fewer instances of allergies, eczema, and asthma [10]. This study found that exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months or longer was associated with a 30% lower risk of asthma compared to exclusive breastfeeding for less than 6 months. And any breastfeeding for at least 3 months was associated with a 21% lower risk of asthma compared to any breastfeeding under 3 months.
• Fewer childhood cancers, including leukemia and lymphomas [15]
• Lower risk of type I and II diabetes [16]
• Eyesight problems [18]
• Obesity [19]
• Gastroenteritis, colds, flu, thrush, and ear, throat, and lung infections [20]
• Fosters a shared mother-infant regulation of food intake which acknowledges the child’s role in regulating food intake [21]
• Results in less mealtime conflict
• Better digestion of fats [22]
• Regulation of appetite [23]
• Promotion of immune system development [24]
• Increased cortical thickness of the parietal lobe and higher IQ scores in children [25, 30]
• Fewer behavioral problems in school-age children [26]
• Improved mental health in children and adolescents [27]
• Lower risk of developing ADD or ADHD [29]
• Lower risk of being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder [29]
• Researchers also found that infants breastfed longer than 15 months demonstrated increased structural brain development in regions involved in vision, language, and motor control by toddler age. These scientists also found improved gross and fine motor, receptive, and expressive language, and visual reception scores [31].

The Benefits of Breastfeeding for Teens & Adults

Teens and adults who were breastfed as babies are:

• Less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
• Less likely to develop heart disease in adulthood
• Lower risk of multiple sclerosis
• Lower rates of pre- and postmenopausal breast cancers
• More advanced brain development is seen at 1 year, 8-10 years, and 18 years of life compared to formula-fed infants [32, 33, 34]
• One study from 2015 tested breastfed babies 30 years later and found improved performance in intelligence tests (IQ), educational attainment, and income [28]

The Benefits of Breastfeeding for Moms:

The Benefits of Breastfeeding: Saves Money

Breastfeeding isn’t free; it costs money when you factor in a pump, storage bags, nipple balm, clothing, and possibly a lactation consultant. But it still should end up being much cheaper than buying formula to replace breastfeeding fully.

The Benefits of Breastfeeding: Saves Time

Breastfeeding also will end up saving you time.

You won’t need to calculate how much your baby needs to drink daily. You’ll spend less time cleaning and sterilizing bottles, mixing bottles during the day or night, or figuring out how to warm a bottle on the go!

The Benefits of Breastfeeding: Decreases the Risk of Diabetes

During pregnancy, some women experience high blood sugar or gestational diabetes, even if they have never had high blood sugar before. This is because during pregnancy your body is making more hormones and your body’s cells are using insulin less effectively now which is a condition called insulin resistance.

All pregnant women have some level of insulin resistance during pregnancy. If you do get gestational diabetes this increases your risk of having type 2 diabetes later in life. But the good news is that breastfeeding can lower your risk significantly!

In one study, breastfeeding for longer than two months lowered the risk by almost half. And breastfeeding beyond five months lowered it even more [5].

Some babies born from mothers with diabetes or who experienced gestational diabetes might have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), but this doesn’t mean they need formula supplementation or cannot breastfeed. Their low blood sugar is best treated with breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact with their mother [9].

The Benefits of Breastfeeding: Helps Naturally Space Out Pregnancies

Exclusively breastfeeding (no bottles or formula) leads to you not menstruating, therefore, not becoming pregnant.

This is a natural birth control known as the  Lactation Amenorrhea Method, and it’s 98% effective [13].

But once you use a bottle of breastmilk or formula for your baby, this method will become less reliable.

Helps Your Uterus Contract After Birth

During pregnancy, your uterus grows from the size of a pear to filling almost the entire abdomen space!

After delivery, your uterus goes through a process called involution, which helps it return to its previous size. This process is necessary to prevent postpartum hemorrhage, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in childbirth [38]. Noteworthly, the risks of a postpartum hemorrhage are higher for cesarean births.

Check out: The Dangerous Truths About Our Climbing Cesarean Rates and The Truth About Elective Cesarean Birth Safety

Oxytocin is released while breastfeeding and encourages uterine contractions, shrinking the uterus to its previous size and reducing bleeding. Oxytocin also aids in bonding with your new baby.

Decreases Your Risk for Postpartum Depression

Women who breastfeed seem less likely to develop postpartum depression than women who weaned early or didn’t breastfeed [14]. A systematic review (a study of multiple studies) confirmed a strong association between exclusive breastfeeding and a decreased risk of postpartum depression in mothers [39].

Tell your health care provider as soon as possible if you feel you have postpartum depression, anxiety, baby blues, etc.

Reduces Your Risk of Diseases

We mentioned that women who breastfeed have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Mamas who breastfeed also have a lower chance of:

• Breast cancer [2]
• Ovarian cancer [3]
• Uterine cancer [11]
• Heart disease [4, 35]
• Type 2 diabetes [5,9]

Breastfeeding Can Be Challenging… But it Can Be Easier!

Did you know that 40% of mothers fear an insufficient milk supply which is the primary cause of mothers switching to formula? 

In one study of the women who used formula, 73% cited ‘perceived insufficient milk’ as the primary reason for supplementation or complete discontinuation of breastfeeding. 

And 60% of women don’t breastfeed for as long as they want to.

Our society lacks evidence-based and encouraging lactation support for mothers. By taking an online breastfeeding class by an experienced maternal and child health lactation professional, you can learn everything you need to know about breastfeeding, including returning to work, conquering baby sleep, and pumping 101, to make breastfeeding not only something you can successfully do, but something you are confident and empowered doing!

Learn more about my online breastfeeding class, The Balanced Breastfeeding Course, here!

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Sources:

[1] Amino Acids in Breastmilk

[2] Breastfeeding and Breast Cancer Risk

[3] Ovarian Cancer Risk and Breastfeeding

[4] Heart Disease and Breastfeeding

[5] Breastfeeding and Type 2 Diabetes

[6] Key Features of Breastmilk and Infant Formula

[7] Office on Women’s Health: Breastfeeding

[8] CDC: Breastfeeding

[9] Breastfeeding and Diabetes

[10] Risk of childhood asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

[11] Breastfeeding and Endometrial Cancer Risk: An Analysis From the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium

[12] Maternal Versus Infant Vitamin D Supplementation During Lactation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

[13] Postpartum contraception: the lactational amenorrhea method

[14] The relationship between postpartum depression and breastfeeding

[15] Does prolonged breastfeeding reduce the risk for childhood leukemia and lymphomas?

More Sources:

[16] Breastfeeding duration in infancy and adult risks of type 2 diabetes in a high‐income country

[17] Protective effect of breast feeding against infection

[18] Infant nutrition and stereoacuity at age 4-6 y

[19] Long-term consequences of breastfeeding on cholesterol, obesity, systolic blood pressure and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

[20] Protective effect of exclusive breastfeeding against infections during infancy: a prospective study

[21] Restricting access to foods and children’s eating

[22] Bioactive proteins in breast milk

[23] Effect of Human Milk Appetite Hormones, Macronutrients, and Infant Characteristics on Gastric Emptying and Breastfeeding Patterns of Term Fully Breastfed Infants

[24] The immunological components of human milk and their effect on immune development in infants

[25] Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect

[26] Breast feeding and child behaviour in the Millennium Cohort Study

[27] The long-term effects of breastfeeding on child and adolescent mental health: a pregnancy cohort study followed for 14 years

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[28] Victora CG, Horta BL, Loret de Mola C, Quevedo L, Pinheiro RT, Gigante DP, Gonçalves H, Barros FC. Association between breastfeeding and intelligence, educational attainment, and income at 30 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil. Lancet Glob Health. 2015 Apr;3(4):e199-205. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(15)70002-1. PMID: 25794674; PMCID: PMC4365917.

[29] Bar S, Milanaik R, Adesman A. Long-term neurodevelopmental benefits of breastfeeding. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2016 Aug;28(4):559-66. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000389. PMID: 27386975.

[30] Kafouri S, Kramer M, Leonard G, Perron M, Pike B, Richer L, Toro R, Veillette S, Pausova Z, Paus T. Breastfeeding and brain structure in adolescence. Int J Epidemiol. 2013 Feb;42(1):150-9. doi: 10.1093/ije/dys172. Epub 2012 Nov 21. PMID: 23175518.

[31] Deoni SC, Dean DC 3rd, Piryatinsky I, O’Muircheartaigh J, Waskiewicz N, Lehman K, Han M, Dirks H. Breastfeeding and early white matter development: A cross-sectional study. Neuroimage. 2013 Nov 15;82:77-86. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.05.090. Epub 2013 May 28. PMID: 23721722; PMCID: PMC3777218.

[32] Lucas A, Morley R, Cole TJ, Lister G, Leeson-Payne C. Breast milk and subsequent intelligence quotient in children born preterm. Lancet. 1992 Feb 1;339(8788):261-4. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)91329-7. PMID: 1346280.

[33] Lucas A, Morley R, Cole TJ, Gore SM. A randomised multicentre study of human milk versus formula and later development in preterm infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1994 Mar;70(2):F141-6. doi: 10.1136/fn.70.2.f141. PMID: 8154907; PMCID: PMC1061016.

[34] Horwood LJ, Fergusson DM. Breastfeeding and later cognitive and academic outcomes. Pediatrics. 1998 Jan;101(1):E9. doi: 10.1542/peds.101.1.e9. PMID: 9417173.

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[35] Tschiderer L, Seekircher L, Kunutsor SK, Peters SAE, O’Keeffe LM, Willeit P. Breastfeeding Is Associated With a Reduced Maternal Cardiovascular Risk: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Involving Data From 8 Studies and 1 192 700 Parous Women. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022 Jan 18;11(2):e022746. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.022746. Epub 2022 Jan 11. PMID: 35014854.

[36] Xu L, Lochhead P, Ko Y, Claggett B, Leong RW, Ananthakrishnan AN. Systematic review with meta-analysis: breastfeeding and the risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Nov;46(9):780-789. doi: 10.1111/apt.14291. Epub 2017 Sep 11. PMID: 28892171; PMCID: PMC5688338.

[37] Kehinde J, O’Donnell C, Grealish A. The effectiveness of prenatal breastfeeding education on breastfeeding uptake postpartum: A systematic review. Midwifery. 2022 Dec 14;118:103579. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103579. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36580847.

[38] Wormer KC, Jamil RT, Bryant SB. Acute Postpartum Hemorrhage. [Updated 2022 Oct 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499988/

[39] Alimi, R., Azmoude, E., Moradi, M., & Zamani, M. (2022). The Association of Breastfeeding with a Reduced Risk of Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Breastfeeding medicine : the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(4), 290–296. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0183

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