Getting ready for the birth of your baby is an exciting and busy time. One of the most important decisions you will make is how to feed your baby. What matters most is having the information, options and support you need to choose what truly works for you and your family.
Breastfeeding: a natural gift
Breastfeeding provides a lot of perks for babies and nursing parents. That’s why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for a newborn’s first six months, and continued breastfeeding after solid foods are introduced as long as you and your baby desire, for two years or beyond.
But every family’s situation is different. Not everyone can breastfeed or continue breastfeeding for as long they’d like to, for various reasons. Access to opportunities for breastfeeding success varies, for example, and some families choose to breastfeed for a shorter time or combine breastfeeding with baby formula. What matters most is finding an approach that works for your family and supports your baby's health.
It's not an all-or-nothing choice
Giving your child at least some breast milk delivers real benefits. And even though exclusive breastfeeding is best in the beginning, this is not an all-or-nothing choice. In general, the longer you breastfeed, the greater the benefits will be for you and your baby.
Why is breastfeeding so good for my baby?
Here are some of the reasons breastfeeding is good for babies:
Human milk is a superfood for babies
Human milk is uniquely designed for babies, providing all the nutrients, calories, and fluids needed for their health. It supports your baby’s brain development and growth and is easiest for your little one to digest. Breastfeeding delivers antibodies and other protective factors that help boost your baby’s immunity to everything from the common cold to more serious conditions.
In fact, research shows that human milk can help protect babies from health problems that include:
Studies also show that breastfeeding reduces your child’s risks for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) as well as other causes of infant death. It even is linked to higher IQ scores and learning outcomes.
Breastfeeding boosts parent-child bondingFeeding your baby will always provide snuggle time. But the physical, skin-to-skin contact of nursing helps create a special bond between you and your baby. Your baby will be comforted by the scent of your skin, the sound of your heartbeat and even the flavor of your milk. Breast milk has a naturally sweet taste, but also changes flavors depending on what you eat. No two meals are the same for your baby.
This can have the added bonus of making them more likely to enjoy new foods you offer once they start eating solids.
Why is breastfeeding good for me?
Here are some of the ways breastfeeding benefits parents:
Breastfeeding benefits the nursing parent's health
If you’re the parent producing milk, your own health will benefit. It can help you recover from childbirth more quickly and easily. Hormones released during breastfeeding help the uterus to its regular size more quickly and can reduce postpartum bleeding.
Likely because of hormonal changes, breastfeeding can help protect you against diabetes, high blood pressure, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. It may also help keep bones strong, which helps protect against bone fractures in older age. It also triggers the release of oxytocin, a hormone that has been linked with feelings of empathy, affection, calmness and positive communication—all of which can help you be the warm, attentive parent you want to be.
Breastfeeding can save money & prep time
Unlike formula, breast milk requires no purchase or preparation. Breastfeeding is also good for the environment, since there are no bottles to wash or formula cans to throw away.
It’s wonderful, too, to be able to pick up the baby and go out—whether around town or on longer trips—without having to pack and carry a bag full of feeding equipment.
And while you may want to invest in a breast pump to make feeding more convenient, the cost of buying or renting a pump will likely be less than a year’s supply of formula. Plus, many insurance plans help cover the cost of breast pumps.
Breastfeeding supports contraception
Some breastfeeding parents find that their menstrual periods do not return right away, especially during the first six months after birth. This can help keep iron in your body and may offer some natural contraceptive benefits.
If you are giving your child only breast milk during this time, the baby is not yet six months, AND your period has not returned chances are good that you will not ovulate. (No ovulation, no pregnancy!) In fact, if you meet all three of these conditions, the level of contraceptive protection approaches 98%. However, talk with your health care provider if you want reliable contraception or have questions about family planning.
Overcoming challenges to breastfeeding
Finding expert support
For many nursing parents and babies, breastfeeding goes smoothly from the start. For others, it takes a little time and several attempts to get the process going effectively. Sore nipples, milk supply issues, not to mention the need to sit still for hours every day are very real issues. Talking with a midwife, lactation consultant or doctor trained in breastfeeding right after birth can help. They can show you helpful techniques and breastfeeding positions that can help relieve nipple pain.
Your pediatrician or OB-GYN can check your breasts during your postpartum visit and suggest ways to ease any discomfort you’re feeling.
Community & workplace support
There’s also the time and space it can take to breastfeed or pump your milk. It can be challenging to step away to do this, and there are some jobs that can make near impossible. This is one reason why support from partners, families, employers and communities is key. More and more employers are adopting breastfeeding-friendly policies, and laws in all 50 states protect parents’ right to breastfeed in public.
By seeking the support that you need, including hands-on help at home and work, chances are good you may find the time and space to breastfeed successfully.
Remember
Breastfeeding offers important short- and long-term health benefits for both babies and nursing parents. Human milk supports growth, brain development and immune health while helping protect against many illnesses. Breastfeeding also benefits the health of the nursing parent and can strengthen the bond between parent and child.
At the same time, every family's circumstances are unique. Whether you breastfeed for days, months or years, exclusively or in combination with formula, your pediatrician can help you make informed feeding decisions and support your family's goals without judgment.
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