How breastfeeding helps you, too.

While the importance of breastfeeding to babies' health is widely recognized, the effects on mothers' health is less well known.  So, I thought I'd point out some of the ways that breastfeeding protects moms, too.*

Physical health:

Faster weight loss.  There's a reason why your body puts on extra weight (that isn't the baby and requisite fluids) during pregnancy.  Our extra fat is there to be used as a fuel source for breastfeeding.  You can burn up to 500 calories per day just making milk (though the amounts vary by individual), and that's where those stores go.

Shrinking of the uterus after birth.  The oxytocin released when a baby nurses contracts the uterus, protecting mothers against postpartum hemorrhage.

Lowered breast cancer and ovarian cancer risk.  As discussed in more detail in this interview with breast cancer researcher Dr. Kathleen Arcaro, breastfeeding is protective against breast cancer.  A recent federal meta-analysis suggests that breast cancer risk can be reduced by up to 28%, and ovarian cancer by up to 21%.

Lowered risk of heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.  Newer research investigating the effects of breastfeeding on heart health, insulin control, cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes are finding strong associations between breastfeeding and lowered risk for these serious health problems.

Delayed return to fertility.  This is most relevant in areas of the world where access to other forms of contraception is limited, but exclusive breastfeeding (among other criteria) delays the return to fertility.  In many parts of the world this is critical in spacing of pregnancies.  Of course, you can become pregnant while breastfeeding, so be sure to get more information before using breastfeeding as a form of contraception. 

Emotional health:

Protection against postpartum depression.  Breastfeeding, through the hormones released when a baby nurses, protects against postpartum depression.  It's also true, though, that breastfeeding difficulty can be a potent trigger of depression.  The good news is that when breastfeeding is the cause of depression, depression lifts when breastfeeding problems are fixed.  That's why it's so important to get good help with breastfeeding as soon as possible.  There's far more information on this topic in this podcast interview with Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett.

Increased maternal self confidence.  Research has shown that breastfeeding increases women's feelings of self confidence as mothers.

Ease of bonding.  Of course, mothers who bottle feed bond with their babies, too, but breastfeeding provides a particularly powerful, hormonally mediated means of bonding.

*This post is part of the carnival of the Women's Health Blogfest.  Check out these other posts on the topic of women's health below:

Angela White at Blisstree's Breastfeeding 1-2-3 - Helpful Skills of Breastfeeding Counselors
Angie Tillman, RD, LDN, CDE - You Are Beautiful Today
Anthony J. Sepe - Women's Health and Migraines
Ashley Colpaart - Women's health through women
Charisse McElwaine - Spending too much time on the "throne?"
Danielle Omar - Yoga, Mindful Eating and Food Confidence
Diane Preves M.S.,R.D - Balance for Health
Joan Sather - A Woman's Healthy Choices Affect More Than Herself
Laura Wittke - Fibro Study Recruits Participants
Liz Marr, MS, RD - Reflecting on Family Food Ways and Women's Work
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT - Healthy Women, Healthy Business: How Your Health Impacts a Powerful Business
Marsha Hudnall - Breakfast Protein Helps Light Eaters Feel Full
Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD - A Nutritionista's Super Foods for Super Skin
Monika Woolsey, MS, RD - To effectively work with PCOS is to understand a woman's health issues throughout her life
Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, LD - Four Keys to Wellness, Just for Women
Renata Mangrum, MPH, RD - The busy busy woman
Robin Plotkin, RD, LD - Feeding the Appetites of the Culinary, Epicurious and Nutrition Worlds-One Bite at a Time
Sharon Solomon - Calories, longevity and do I care
Terri L Mozingo, RD, CDN & D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, CDN of One Source Nutrition, LLC - Crossing the Line: From Health to Hurt
Wendy Jo Peterson, RD - Watch Your Garden Grow

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