This post covers 19 fantastic health advantages of breastfeeding. Nursing is a beautiful and natural process that is excellent for creating a bond between you and your newborn, not to mention all the health benefits that both of you can enjoy. There are also psychological benefits like boosted feelings of calm and reduced stress levels. Keep reading to find out more.
19 Fantastic Health Advantages of Breastfeeding
Psychological Advantages of Breastfeeding
Besides experiencing an emotional bond between you and your little one, there are several other psychological advantages of breastfeeding.
- Stress Relief
Your body’s natural stress response is inflammation and when these levels are elevated, you are more likely to feel depressed. Nursing can help with reducing a mother’s inflammation levels and the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
- Enhanced Calmness
Nursing is also beneficial emotionally and physically for your baby. Nursed babies cry less in general and have fewer instances of childhood illness.
- Better Sleep
One of the most significant and unexpected psychological advantages of nursing is better sleep. Mothers who nurse might feel they fall asleep faster, stay asleep for longer, and enjoy a deeper sleep.
- Hormonal Boost
When you nurse, your body generates the hormones oxytocin and prolactin which bring forth a nurturing, peaceful feeling to help you focus on your newborn while being in a relaxing state. It also promotes bonding between you and your baby.
- Emotional and Physical Bonding Between Mother and Child
Nursing creates a wonderful bonding experience between you and your baby and promotes more holding, skin-to-skin interaction, and stroking. Many experts believe that affectionate bonding during the first year of your baby’s life reduces behavioral and social issues in adults and children.
RELATED: 34 Nutritious snack ideas for breastfeeding moms
Physical Health Advantages of Breastfeeding For Babies
Nursing can give you as a mother peace of mind that your breast milk is keeping your baby healthy and happy. Some of the health advantages of breastfeeding for babies include:
- Tougher immune system
- Less respiratory conditions like whooping cough, respiratory virus infections, and pneumonia
- Fewer colds
- Reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome
- Fewer digestive problems, diarrhea, and constipation
- Lower chance of stomach inflammation and reflux disease
- Enhanced vision and reduced risk of developing blindness
- Less chance of preterm necrotizing enterocolitis
- Fewer instances of bacterial meningitis
- Fewer ear infections
Apart from offering many physical health benefits by getting essential nutrients from your breast milk, your baby can also enjoy the benefit of long-term behavior, thought and understanding, and mental health. Babies who are nursed are likely to have:
Other Advantages of Breastfeeding for Babies
- Improved motor skills
- Better memory
- More advanced reasoning and critical thinking skills
- Early language development
Final Thoughts
I hope you have found this post about the health advantages of breastfeeding informative. Are you planning on breastfeeding? Not all women are able to nurse due to medical issues. I was only able to breastfeed my baby for six weeks, but at least he did get some of my milk and the benefits it offers. As you can see there are plenty of physical and psychological benefits linked to nursing, so if you were thinking about nursing your baby, I hope I have convinced you to give it a try.
Breast milk is so good for your baby and it doesn’t cost a thing! 🙂