Breastfeeding has numerous benefits for both baby and mother.

Benefits for baby:

  • Fewer infections, including stomach viruses, respiratory and ear infections
  • Decreased risk of SIDS
  • Milder infections when they do occur
  • Less chance of becoming obese or having weight problems in the future
  • Less chance of overfeeding as an infant
  • Immune system teaching and development
  • Development of taste
  • Higher intelligence
  • Bonding with the mother
  • Developmental stimulation
  • Optimal nutrition; breastmilk even changes with the age of the baby
  • Better for the teeth and mouth and development of facial muscles
  • Promotes normal intestinal flora/microbiome
  • Less chance of diabetes, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease
  • May have less chance of childhood cancer

Benefits for mom:

  • Promotes uterine health and return of the uterus to normal size, helps stop bleeding
  • Speeds a return to normal hormonal and metabolic balance
  • Improves mental health
  • Faster weight loss and return to pre-pregnancy weight
  • Protects against breast and ovarian cancer
  • Natural birth control
  • Promotes a natural, healthy 2 year span between children
  • Bonding with baby
  • Convenient, no bottles to wash, no formula to prepare, no bottles to pack
  • Very economical; formula costs about $80 per month, and fewer illnesses mean fewer doctor visits

Victora CG, Bahl R, Barros AJD, et al. Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. The Lancet. 2016;387(10017):475-490. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)01024-7

Ip S, Chung M, Raman G, Chew P, Magula N, DeVine D, Trikalinos T, Lau J. Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 153 (Prepared by Tufts-New England Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center, under Contract No. 290-02-0022). AHRQ Publication No. 07-E007. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. April 2007. https://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/brfout/brfout.pdf

Stuebe A. The Risks of Not Breastfeeding for Mothers and Infants. Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2009;2(4):222-231.