10 Breastfeeding Benefits for Mom and Baby

10 Breastfeeding Benefits for Mom and Baby

Reduced ear infections? Check. Lower risk for asthma? Yup. Bump in IQ? Sure. Breastfeeding your baby brings all these benefits—plus a whole lot more.

1. A healthier baby

"The incidences of pneumonia, colds and viruses are reduced among breastfed babies," says infant-nutrition expert Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and OB-GYN at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, N.Y., and the author of Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession (Elsevier-Mosby). Gastrointestinal infections like diarrhea—which can be devastating, especially in developing countries—are also less common.

2. Long-term protection, too

Breastfeed your baby and you reduce his risk of developing chronic conditions, such as type I diabetes, celiac disease and Crohn's disease.

3. Stronger bones

According to Lawrence, women who breastfeed have a lower risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis. "When a woman is pregnant and lactating, her body absorbs calcium much more efficiently," she explains. "So while some bones, particularly those in the spine and hips, may be a bit less dense at weaning, six months later, they are more dense than before pregnancy."

4. Lower SIDS risk

Breastfeeding lowers your baby's risk of sudden infant death syndrome by about half.

5. Fewer problems with weight

It's more likely that neither of you will become obese if you breastfeed him.

6. A calorie incinerator

You may have heard that nursing burns up to 500 calories a day. And that's almost right. "Breast milk contains 20 calories per ounce," Lawrence explains. "If you feed your baby 20 ounces a day, that's 400 calories you've swept out of your body."

7. It's good for the earth

Dairy cows, which are raised in part to make infant formula, are a significant contributor to global warming: Their belching, manure and flatulence (really!) spew enormous amounts of methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

8. Better healing postdelivery

The oxytocin released when your baby nurses helps your uterus contract, reducing postdelivery blood loss. Plus, breastfeeding will help your uterus return to its normal size more quickly—at about six weeks postpartum, compared with 10 weeks if you don't breastfeed.

9. Less risk of cancer

Breastfeeding can decrease your baby's risk of some childhood cancers. And you'll have a lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer, an often deadly disease that's on the rise.

10. An unmatched feeling of power

"It's empowering as a new mother to see your baby grow and thrive on your breast milk alone," Lawrence says.

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