Breastfeeding

Why should I breastfeed?

There are lots of reasons to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is good for you and your baby!

See the U.S. Surgeon General's  Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding

Good for Baby
Good for You

Good for Baby

Baby will get sick less often because of a stronger immune system

Breastfeeding has long been known to have positive effects on your baby's health. When you get sick, your immune system begins to produce cells called antibodies which help fight off disease. After you become well again, your body stores and remembers how to make the specific antibodies for that disease. Babies, however, cannot fully do this until they are older, which is why breastfeeding provides an important benefit for your child's health.

When you breastfeed, you pass your antibodies to your baby to help them "jump start" their immune system. This means a breastfed baby's immune system develops quicker than a formula fed baby. These antibodies also protect your baby against many common illnesses and conditions, both during infancy and throughout his/her life.

The combination of the antibodies that you pass on to your infant and the other protective aspects of breast milk contribute to reducing the risk for the following diseases and conditions:

• allergies
• anemia (low iron)
• breast and ovarian cancer
• colds
• Crohn's Disease
• diarrhea
• ear, skin, stomach, and respiratory infection
• high blood pressure
• juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
• many childhood cancers, including leukemia
• meningitis
• necrotizing enterocolitis (a gastrointestinal disease that mostly affects premature infants)
• obesity
• pneumonia
• salmonella
• some lymphomas
• staph, strep and e-coli infections
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• tooth decay
• Type I and Type II diabetes
• ulcerative colitis
• urinary tract infections
• viruses

Resources

Healthier Weight

Breastfeeding reduces a baby's risk of childhood obesity by 30% compared to bottle feeding. Exclusively breastfeeding your infant for six months is shown to cut the likelihood of weight gain in half at two years old, compared to infants who are breastfed for only one month. This is because breast milk contains the right amount of calories for your infant while infant formula contains many more calories. In addition, a baby will learn to tell you when he or she is full instead of having to finish a full bottle, no matter if it is formula or pumped breast milk. If you must pump and bottle-feed with breast milk, learn to watch for signs that he or she is full.

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Good for You

Reduces your risk for breast cancer

Studies have shown that a woman's risk for breast cancer drops when she breastfeeds for at least six months and the risk further drops as breastfeeding is continued.

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Reduces your risk for diabetes

Studies show that there is a 15% decrease in a mother's risk of developing Type II diabetes per year of breastfeeding. This means that, if you have three children and breastfeed each of them for one year, you will reduce your risk by 45%. (15% x 3 children x 1 year each.) Also, it has been shown that breastfeeding one child for a year reduces the risk more than breastfeeding three children for a total of one year.

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Helps you get back into shape

Breastfeeding mothers burn calories naturally because of the calories used in milk production (on average between 200-500 calories per day). It is recommended to add that many calories to your diet to hold a steady weight. If you are trying to lose weight, gradually decrease the number of calories you eat per day because a sudden drop can affect your milk supply. Remember to consume at least between 1,500 and 1,800 calories a day no matter what. This will keep you healthy and protect your milk supply.

Resources

For more information, see Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding.

Other Links

North Carolina

nutritionnc.com - Breastfeeding promotion and support provided by the North Carolina Nutrition Services Branch.

National

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Last updated: October 2011