Benefits of Breastfeeding

Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend keeping breast milk in a child's diet to some level up until age TWO? Colorado laws protect a mother's milk expression at work until age two because of this recommendation. Why are breast milk and breastfeeding so vital that it's protected by law?

Breastfeeding is the best way to give your baby a healthy start in life. The benefits of breastfeeding are immediate as well as last a lifetime. Every mother's breast milk is customized by her body to meet the exact needs of her baby. It's gourmet food with every meal! Feeding your baby your breast milk saves time, money and can even potentially save their life.

Benefits for Baby

A mother's breast milk is alive! Breast milk contains live cells, hormones, and antibodies. These properties cannot be found in manufactured formulas. These amazing attributes are unique and change day by day to meet the needs of your baby.

Research shows that breastfed babies have lower risks of (1,2)

• Asthma
• Leukemia (during childhood)
• Obesity (during childhood)
• Ear infections
• Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Lower respiratory infections
• Necrotizing (NEK-roh-TEYE-zing) enterocolitis (en-TUR-oh-coh-LYT-iss), a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in premature babies, or babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Type 2 diabetes

Benefits for Mom

When a mother breastfeeds immediately after birth, hormones are released to help her heal, reduce post-delivery bleeding, and assists the uterus in returning to its normal size. By breastfeeding a mother also lowers her risk for these conditions: (3,4) 

• Postpartum hemorrhage
• Postpartum depression
• Type 2 diabetes
• Certain types of breast cancer
• Ovarian cancer

Breastmilk is better than science? YES!  

• Formula is more complex to digest than breast milk. Formula is made from cow's milk, and since humans are not cows, it often takes time for a baby's stomach to adjust to digesting it. This is especially true if your baby was born before 37 weeks.
• Breastmilk is customized to meet their needs. As mentioned above, breast milk changes as your baby gets older and to meet its needs during conditions like illness. During latch feeding, a mother's body can sense her baby's needs and changes the breastmilk to meet those needs. Isn't that amazing??
• Breastfeeding saves time. At first, formula feeding may seem more straightforward, but once you are comfortable with breastfeeding, it can make life easier and save a lot of time. Once a mom and baby settle into a good routine, nothing else is needed. You don't need to worry about getting up in the middle of the night to mix formula. There's no waiting for the bottle to warm, nor are there bottles to wash. A mother's breast is always primed and ready to meet her baby's hunger immediately.
• Breastfeeding saves money! It's estimated that formula and feeding supplies can cost well over $1,500 a year. Statistically, breastfed babies also don't get sick as often, saving the parents medical expenses.
• Breastfeeding helps facilitate a stronger mother/baby bond. Even though a mother can hold her baby while feeding a bottle of formula, her baby will feel even more secure and comforted when nursing from her breast. The mother will also feel a closer connection because her baby's suckling increases her oxytocin hormone levels. Oxytocin is known as the "love hormone," so breastfeeding can help a mother feel calmer and comforted. This also helps decrease the development of postpartum depression in some women.

Formula can be a life-saving alternative when necessary.

• Some babies may need additional supplementation after birth due to certain conditions while waiting until the mother's supply increases. Donor breast milk is recommended in this situation and should be used first, if possible, but formula is a safe alternative for a short period.
• Some babies are born unable to tolerate their mother's milk, as well as most formulas. This is a rare condition, and those babies will need a hypoallergenic, dairy-free, or lactose-free formula.
• There is now a wide variety of specialty formulas to meet babies' particular needs. When choosing a formula, a mother should always follow the advice of her baby's pediatrician.
• Sometimes a mother will have a health condition that is contraindicated or inhibits her ability to breastfeed. Formula is a safe alternative if donor breast milk is not available.