Advantages of Breastfeeding
Maternal
- Decreased risk of premenopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer
- Decreased risk of osteoporosis
- Hormones to help relaxation and bonding.
- Uterus shrinks back sooner- less blood loss and “pot belly”
- Burns up more calories (300-500 per day)
- Natural child spacing/ period delayed
- Less work time missed due to sick baby
- Poop less stinky
- Easier to travel and for night feedings
- Always ready at the right temperature
- No bottles to wash
- Saves money buying formula and on health care
- Less trips to doctor’s office and ER
- Pride of accomplishment/ confidence
- Allows mother to stop and relax several times a day
Neonatal
- Better milk tolerance
- Less constipation
- Immune benefits- less sick (especially premature babies)
- Less risk SIDS (crib death) and of death from other causes
- Less “day care” sickness (viruses, colds and diarrhea)
- 100 known ingredients in breast milk that are NOT in formula (unknown-??)
Childhood
- Less asthma
- Less childhood cancers (lymphoma and Hodgkin’s)
- Higher IQ, better hand/eye coordination
- Less school missed
- Less allergies
- Less dental decay or braces needed
- Less ear infections/tubes
- Less diarrhea
- Less obesity
- Less accidents
Lifelong
- Less obesity
- Less diabetes
- Less heart disease
- Able to appreciate and support other breastfeeding mothers
Family:
- More money for the rest of the household budget
- Baby less sick
- Natural child spacing
- Teaches children good lessons about ecology, self-sufficiency, the mother’s importance to the family, what breasts are for
Work-place, environment and community:
- Less absenteeism due to sick babies or doctor visits
- Lower health insurance claims, due to babies not sick (therefore costs drop)
- Less trash produced, less pollution for landfill and disposal
- Less use of scarce resources (land, water, etc.) to raise cows to make milk to make formula
- Conserves precious public resources in WIC funds (taxes) for not buying formula
The developing world (outside the United States)
- Saves even more lives (especially from diarrhea and infectious diseases)- 3X more likely to die of respiratory illness and 25X more likely to die from diarrhea if formula fed (world wide)
- Natural child spacing indirectly saves lives
- Best use of scarce resources (especially when families are starving)
- Only safe feeding method if no safe running water and sanitation available
- Lessens dependence on foreign aid for formula, food donations
- Only safe method in refugee or war situations