Breastfeeding gives babies a healthy start in life and it benefits moms too!
Benefits for Babies
Your milk changes as your baby grows
Milk
The first milk you make during pregnancy and just after birth is called colostrum. It is thick and golden yellow in color. This milk is very nutritious and has antibodies to protect your baby from getting sick. It also helps your newborn’s digestive system to grow and function well.
About 3 to 5 days after birth, colostrum changes into mature milk. Mature milk is white and looks thinner than colostrum. It has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein to help your baby grow.
Human milk helps protect your baby from illness
This protection is unique and changes to meet your baby’s needs.
Breastfed babies have lower risks of:
Breastfed babies have lower risks of:
- Asthma
- Obesity
- Type 1 diabetes
- Ear and lung infections
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Problems with their digestive system
“I decided to breastfeed for the health benefits — not just for me, but for my baby, too. Breastfeeding gives my baby all the nutrients he needs.”
– Danielle, new mom
– Danielle, new mom
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS
Babies who are breastfed or fed expressed human milk are at lower risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) compared with babies who were never fed breastmilk. The longer you exclusively breastfeed your baby, the lower your baby’s risk of SIDS.
Formula is harder to digest
For many babies, human milk is much easier to digest than formula. Unless your baby’s healthcare provider tells you to supplement with formula for medical reasons, it’s best to feed baby human milk.
Benefits for Moms
Breastfeeding makes life easier
Breastfeeding may seem like it takes more effort than formula feeding, but it can make life easier once you and your baby settle into a good routine.
When you breastfeed:
- You can satisfy your baby’s hunger right away
- You don’t have to buy, measure, and mix formula
- You don’t need to warm bottles in the middle of the night
- You don’t have to make extra trips to the store for formula
Also, breastfed babies may be sick less often than formula fed babies. This means less:
- Time off work to care for a sick child
- Trips to the doctor
- Money spent on co-pays and medicine
BREASTFEEDING HELPS MOM & BABY BOND
Human touch is important to newborns. It helps them feel secure, comfort, and love. Breastfeeding mothers also benefit from this closeness. The skin-to-skin contact helps your milk flow and can calm you as you breastfeed.
“Building trust with my newborn is the best feeling in the world.” – Rosa, breastfeeding mom
“Breastfeeding is something that only I can provide for my growing baby. It’s such a special bond.” – Marianna, breastfeeding mom
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Did you know?
Your baby can smell you and knows the unique scent of your milk.
Did you know?
Your baby can smell you and knows the unique scent of your milk.
Breastfeeding is good for mom’s health
Mothers who breastfeed recover from childbirth more quickly and easily. They also have a lower risk of:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Ovarian cancer
- Certain types of breast cancer
- Breastfeeding may also help you lose weight. Many women who breastfed have said it helped them get back to their pre-pregnancy weight more quickly. Exclusively breastfeeding can burn up to 600 calories per day.
Breastfeeding may also help you lose weight. Many women who breastfed have said it helped them get back to their pre-pregnancy weight more quickly. Exclusively breastfeeding can burn up to 600 calories per day.
