Benefits to Baby
Breastfeeding benefits the baby during babyhood and childhood and has long-lasting benefits to the baby as an adult. Benefits include:
Less obesity in child- and adulthood
Reduced respiratory infection, allergies, eczema, and asthma. Breastfeeding reduces an inflammatory response that occurs when formula hits the bowels and circulatory system
Decreased risk of developing childhood diabetes and lower incidence of diabetes and elevated cholesterol as an adult
Reduced risk of urinary tract infections and of stomach viruses as a child and of later bowels diseases such as Crohn’s Disease and appendicitis
Higher IQ; increased muscle development; Improved mouth development resulting in decreased need to braces as a teen
Better response to immunizations and lowered risk of SIDS and childhood cancer
Benefits to Mother
Reduced risk of postpartum bleeding
Increased weight loss after delivery (Breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day)
Decreased postpartum depression and improved restfulness after birth
Lifelong decrease in breast and ovarian cancer
Decreased development of hypertension, diabetes and osteoarthritis
Benefits to Family
Parents have fewer respiratory infections because their baby is less sick than formula fed babies
Less sickness means fewer trips to the doctor and savings on health care
Parents miss less work than those who feed their baby formula
Savings of $2,500 first year that would be spend on formula
© HUG Your Baby 2020