Breastfeeding Benefits

For those on the fence for breastfeeding, here are some well documented benefits for breastfeeding your child.

1. Healthy for Baby

• Babies who are breastfed for at least six months have fewer health problems than babies who are fed breast milk substitute. They have three times fewer ear infections, five times fewer urinary tract infections, five times fewer serious illnesses, and seven times fewer allergies
• Because human milk is so easy to digest, breastfed babies spit up leaf often, and have less diarrhea and constipation
• For every 87 formula fed babies who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) only three breastfed babies die from SIDS
• Babies who are fed only human milk for at least 26 weeks are six times less likely to develop lymphoma (a type of cancer) in childhood
• Babies breastfed for at least one year are only half as likely to develop diabetes

2. Healthy for Mom

Women who breastfeed lower their risk of breast cancer. Nursing for a lifetime total of:

• Two years lowers the risk before menopause by 40%
• Six years lowers the risk before menopause by 66%
• Seven years lowers the risk of breast cancer throughout a woman’s lifetime to almost zero
• Breastfeeding provides protection from cancer of the ovaries
• Breastfeeding provides protection from osteoporosis

3. Breastfeeding can begin a lifetime of good health for your baby

As adults, people who were breastfed have:

• Less asthma
• Less diabetes
• Fewer skin problems, including dermatitis and eczema
• Fewer allergies
• Lowered risk of heart attack and stroke due to lower cholesterol levels
• Less ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease

4. Breast milk is brain food

Studies have shown that children who were fed human milk have high IQs (by average of 7 points) than those who were given breast milk substitutes.