Breastfeeding helps to regulate your cholesterol, insulin, and weight.

On the heels of a study released in Februrary showing that breastfeeding reduces your risk of heart attack, a new study was just released showing that breastfeeding plays a role in controlling metabolic risk factors.

Reuters recently reported on a new article in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology showing that women who breastfeed gain less weight, have better cholesterol levels, and have better regulated insulin levels than women who did not breastfeed or did not have children. 

Dr. Gunderson and her colleagues examined 3-year changes in metabolic risk factors among lactating women from preconception to an average of 13 months after weaning, among nonlactating women from preconception to postdelivery, and among nongravid women.

...Women who didn't lactate and those who lactated for less than 3 months were associated with HDL-C decrements of 5 and 7 mg/dL, respectively. "This equates to an increase in coronary heart disease risk of 14% to 21%," Dr. Gunderson pointed out.

For more new research on the benefits of breastfeeding, including a summary of the amazing research on breastfeeding from 2006, click here.

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Comments

[RCM]

This is great news to hear. Heart disease runs in my family and I am at great risk because I suffered pre-eclampsia during my pregnancy.

[Tanya Lieberman]

(sent by email)

The list of the benefits of breastfeeding just keeps getting longer! It's interesting to see the results of the study presented as increased risk of not breastfeeding. I like the trend of normalizing breastfeeding as the standard (like the WHO growth charts).

-Beth