Benefits of Breastfeeding
Many studies have examined the outcomes associated with breastfeeding. Both you and your children benefit significantly from breastfeeding, and prolonging your breastfeeding relationship is associated with even more advantages for both you and your child. These benefits span across a number of developmental domains --meaning the different areas of human growth. Learn more about how breastfeeding reduces the risk for compromised growth and development, overall health, and survival.
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Benefits to the Child
Benefits to the Mother
Health Benefits
Early initiation and continued duration of breastfeeding reduces your child's risk for a number of serious health-related complications throughout infancy and adulthood. Breastfeeding also reduces your child's risk of neonatal and infant mortality.
(Rossman et al., 2015)
Cognitive Benefits
Breastfeeding promotes healthy brain development. Interestingly, research investigating the relationship between breastfeeding and enhanced cognitive development shows the greatest gains for those children who breastfed the longest.
(Bernard et al., 2013)
Social and Emotional Benefits
Although researchers still question the overall role of breastfeeding in social and emotional improvement later on in life, some benefits of breastfeeding have been shown in both bonding and emotional processing in infancy.
(Else-Quest et al. 2003., Krol et al. 2015, & Belfort et al. 2016).
Health Benefits
Breastfeeding is associated with a number of significant postpartum health benefits for you. Not only is breastfeeding associated with a lower risk of postpartum infection and anemia, but breastfeeding is also associated with greater weight loss. Breastfeeding has also been found to reduce your risk of more long term conditions, such as breast cancer.
(Rossman et al., 2015)
Social and Emotional Benefits
Breastfeedin may also serve as a protective factor against postpartum depression. Although more research is needed to confirm the exact relationship, it seems as though negative breastfeeding experiences often precede depressive symptomatology, which then leads to breastfeeding cessation.
(Dias & Figueiredo, 2015)
“Imagine that the world created a new 'dream product' to feed and immunize everyone born on earth. Imagine also that it was available everywhere, required no storage or delivery, and helped mothers plan their families and reduce the risk of cancer. Then imagine that the world refused to use it.”
-Frank A, Oski