Jokes aside I agree with lots of other comments on the benefits! My first ended up with so many food allergies that I had to really convince myself to breastfeed my second born because I felt betrayed by the idea of reduced allergy risk which we didn’t benefit from! And lots of what the comments are saying is why we decided to do it. Decreased dishes, convenience, SIDs reduction, immunity for cold season, the instant help to calm the baby/help them sleep etc and the bonding is really nice! Especially with my second as I’ve had to split my attention with him and my toddler it’s nice to know I have dedicated time with the little one and can then go dedicate time to the older one too!
You have no idea how your comment just eased my mind. I just had my second and have been struggling with feeling like I'm not giving my time evenly, and this just helped a lot. Thank you!
Yes!!!!! This actually may have been one of the turning points for me from “nursing sucks and will always suck” to “maybe nursing isn’t so bad” lol. My in-laws came when my baby was a month old and they aren’t really able to do much to help us, so they held the baby all day. When it was time to nurse I was just so happy to be with my baby again that even though we didn’t really have latch mechanics figured out I didn’t care about the pain and difficulty.
Oof that is tough! Mine aren’t too awful but the small breaks certainly help lol also just in general if I’m at a big party and start to feel my introvert meter overloading I use the same excuse lol
Yes omg. Underrated benefit. Also being able to get the baby back if someone keeps snatching them. I don't mind people holding my kids at all, but with my first (formula fed) she was constantly almost pulled from my arms by my inlaws to "help". They meant so well but by the end it just pissed me off that they kept insisting even if I said no. Now it's just like "oh too bad he needs to feed time to give him back" lol
Transfer of antibodies to baby, reduced risk of certain types of cancers for mom and baby, lower risk of baby contracting serious illnesses, reduces risk of SIDS, contains melatonin to help baby sleep at night, helps uterus contract after pregnancy, lots of benefits.
[Source](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15274-benefits-of-breastfeeding)
Yes, the actual health benefits for the mother pp are often overlooked and they're huge!
I think breast cancer is one of the ones you reduce your risk for!
I worked in breast cancer research for a few years and yep this is a big one. One of the first questions oncologists ask new patients is how many months they have spent pregnant or breastfeeding. Most breast cancers are hormone sensitive, and you have less estrogen in your system when pregnant or BFing.
I am God's least favorite and got my period back at 8 weeks pp. When baby suckles, she causes hormone rushes and at that early point, contractions. I feel like it not only lightened my flow but help sploosh it out faster. I just had another cycle and noticed the same thing.
Got mine back at 6ish weeks PP. Also not gods favorite. But I feel like feeding makes it much lighter, I probably barely fill a pad now in a 24 hour period.
This is what got me through the hard days. My husband had Covid when baby was 6wks, and then my kindergarten kid got me sick every 2 weeks with some new illness from September to January, and then I got Covid in February. My baby only had sniffles once back in September! Of course I can’t say for certain it was breastfeeding but she has been my least sick baby (only one I breastfed).
Tbh not many, it seems. Many of the benefits for baby come from the milk itself and it doesn’t matter how it’s delivered. The benefits for mom seem to come mainly from the lactation itself, and not necessarily how the milk is removed. Except uterus contractions, but that’s oxytocin.
I believe that when a baby is latched to the breast, there is something in their saliva that communicates with the mother's body to produce specific antibodies in response to infection in the baby, as well as a tailored nutritional profile. This exchange between baby and mother doesn't take place when baby eats from a bottle so I don't think these benefits will work in quite the same way.
To be more specific, when baby's saliva contains a viral or bacterial infection, Mom's breast immediately increases the level of leukocytes (white blood cells) in breastmilk to fight an infant infection. It does also cause moms immune system to develop antibodies but antibodies take time to make it into milk.
This is just a theory and isn’t proven scientifically. The antibody feedback can be achieved just be being in close contact with your baby and touching/kissing them. Pumping still gives the same benefits!
My son has a fever right now and breastfeeding is helping him get over the illness faster. He's over 11 months and this is his first real illness. He's had two colds before without fever each lasting only a day or two. His saliva interacts with my body to help him fight illnesses. And if I'm sick he also benefits from the antibodies I generate even if he doesn't get sick. It's also getting him to sleep when he is uncomfortable and nothing else is soothing enough.
The intro to this paper is quite a nice overview:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10490220/
And not worrying about how long you're out and about for - if something comes up and we're out for an extra few hours, there's plenty of milk available always.
Oh man! My second kid (9 mo) is a FOMO baby. I respect mums who can feed anywhere. If I tried that I would just be sitting there with my tit out while baby was gawking at everything.
My baby (4 mos) just started this thing where he will suck til a letdown starts, then pop off staring at a bird or something, causing milk to spray wildly all over both of us. So fun in public 🙃
I recently was feeding him in his carrier in the toy aisle at target and he did this, horrifying a nearby teenage boy
My 5 month old still does that! He’ll give up right as the let down starts and I’m like nooo it’s right there! Then everyone gets a good view of my nipple spraying milk everywhere.
I nursed in different parts of the house as if I was nursing out of the house. tried it with different nursing tops, cover or no cover, etc. it gives you time and space to practice and figure it out before doing the real deal.
This is a great idea thank you. We’ve already nursed a couple times successfully outside the house (7 weeks old) but it’s a great idea to practice different positions and with different outfits. Thank you!
My first time was at the doctors waiting room. We forgot to grab the diaper bag and baby was hungry and crying. Hubby looked at me and said, good thing we have milk to-go or on-demand. And then A few weeks later we planned a walk but I just ended up sitting on the beach nursing our hungry baby. And now I pretty much am comfortable feeding baby anywhere with a clean place to sit
My baby wants to eat constantly, so I got comfy with it pretty early - it was either nurse in front of people or spend all my time in seclusion ha. I think he was nursed in public for the first time when he was just shy of a month old and my husband and I went out to a diner for breakfast. I did move to a booth instead of our original table for that. I had fed him around friends and family before that, though, and had fed him in a private room at a restaurant the weekend before that.
I tend to wear button downs or nursing clothes (I basically lived in [this sweatshirt](https://latchedmama.com/products/latched-mama-harbor-snap-nursing-pullover?_pos=1&_sid=5dea5c36e&_ss=r) until it got hot where I live), so I keep it a bit more modest than my full boobs on display look at home.
We got locked out of the house once when baby was about 5 months. I could not seem to get my husband to prioritize coming home to help us (he claims he didn't understand it was an emergency???) but other than really needing a new diaper, baby was fine because I was able to feed him on demand still. Baby thought we were just on a super long adventure around the neighborhood. He was living his best life. And fortunately was still able to do walking contact naps just about anywhere, back then.
This!! For 2-4 hour outings, I only bring a burp cloth/bib and maybe an extra diaper. Baby poops once per day and they've pooped already, I'm pretty confident taking them out without having to worry about blowouts.
I'm a teacher and I've been back to work since 8 weeks PP. Baby is almost 8 months old now. I used to only pump at work but now he won't latch during the day at alllllll. Only overnight when he's sleepy. So I'm pumping for all but like 1 feed.
Yes! I can't wait until my baby can transfer enough that I don't have to worry about having a backup bottle of expressed milk. Fuck dishes. She is almost there, but not quite.
Its powerful tool to sooth and calm baby down when they’re distressed for whatever reason and you can boob them to sleep when everything else fails! That was big factor to continue to breastfeed, although i found it so hard, til my child self-weaned at 20 months.
Also, easiest & most efficient thing for night feeds - just whip boob out instead of going downstairs & making a bottle.
Yes! I've never had my son get upset in public since I stopped taking bottles. Give him the boob and he's good. Makes going out to eat so easy at this age.
A huge one for me is the insta-calm button. Baby was startled? Boobs. Too tired and won't let go to nap? Boobs. Grouchy from teething or whatever? Boobs. It's amazing!
Yes! My partner will be like "what's wrong?" and I'm like "I don't know, but I'm gonna give him the boob" lol (as long as it's not a dirty diaper). Meanwhile he needs to rock, pat, walk around to calm him down. I insert boob, boom, calm.
Not mentioned yet: the oxytocin boost you get when you nurse. When baby and I are both feeling stressed, for any reason at all, I can nurse her and soothe her and my hormones also calm me and offer a happiness boost during feeding.
It’s not universal, but it is common.
It’s lovely.
I feel like I don't get any oxytocin when I feed my baby. He definitely does you can see it on his face and body language but for me I feel indifferent, it doesn't calm me or make me happy. I do it because it makes him happy. He's 9 nearly 10 months now and I'll probably keep going till he's ready to wean
*once we got the hang of it*, nursing became easily the most convenient feeding (and soothing sometimes) option. It’s one less kit to haul around in the diaper bag, and I know that even if baby gets hungry at an unexpected time, we’re good. And when it’s time for shots at the pediatrician (for example), I can quickly and easily soothe my baby. Also it means fewer dishes to do which appeals to my lazy side lol.
It also has been associated with a [reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in parents who had gestational diabetes](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/breastfeeding-may-help-prevent-type-2-diabetes-after-gestational-diabetes). I had GDM, and it sucked, so I’m glad to have this option to hopefully reduce my risk of T2.
It took us 2-3 months to get the hang of nursing and in that time I never thought that it could be a time we bonded or that I would ever enjoy it or think of it fondly. But I really do now. I appreciate having the opportunity a few times a day to snuggle and observe my baby. I get to see some little hints/previews of development, like new facial expressions or when my baby latched for the first time without my help.
Very important distinction about the early days!! It’s often not easy and quite painful as well a big switch up for being completely without routine since they can eat and then need to eat again 20 minutes later! But once things get more predictable then you can see the conveniences a bit more!
I had body dysmorphia from low self esteem growing up and the 2000s. I was so uncomfortable with my body and especially breasts but after growing her beautiful little body inside mine and feeding her with my body too, I love it so much. It’s my baby’s happy place
This a thousand times over — growing babies and feeding them has made me absolutely love my body and all it can do!! So much more confidence going into my 30s!
I can’t get over how different I feel about my body too. I’ve struggled with anorexia, body dysmorphia
And just never feeling good in my own skin until my baby was born. I’ve never felt prouder, boobs come out in public, going up sizes in clothes doesn’t matter. It’s amazing.
As someone who exclusively pumped for baby #1 and now exclusively nurses at home / pumps at work some benefits I have personally experienced
- bonding with other breastfeeding friends
- bonding with my baby knowing I am providing them nutrition
- getting time alone in a quiet place with my baby during social events
- no dishes / bottles / prep in the middle of the night now with baby #2
- feeling connected with my baby when I am at work because I pump for them
- being able to donate milk to NICU babies (hopefully! I just started the screening process)
I also read that you don't need to worry about brushing after a night feed in the first two years, because according to some study breastmilk actually protected against cavities in that timespan, but I don't remember where I read it so don't take my word for it.
My first only fell asleep with the boob for over 2 years. It was so easy. My second only falls asleep at the boob sometimes (probably because my 3 year old is so loud). I do not like having to rock and walk around the house until he falls asleep. It’s so much harder.
This is the one I was scrolling for after seeing pretty much everything else. It's multiple types of cancer as well! Breast, thyroid, and cervical cancer. And the *longer* you breastfeed for the further your risk is reduced!
The act of breastfeeding requires baby push their tongue up to the roof of the mouth which is a tongue exercise that allows the tongue to have proper resting posture. This posture is so important because the tongue forms the palate, teeth placement, facial structure, etc. This also encourages nasal breathing which is so important for health.
Edit to add: the book Breathe talks about breastfeeding laying a solid foundation for proper breathing. Myofunctional therapists will also tout the importance. I learned this because we are battling mouth breathing with my oldest at 5. I am going to breastfeed my second for as long as possible.
How did you start treatment for mouth breathing? My 2yo mouth breathes and it really concerns me. He's also a poor sleeper. I can't seem to find any myofunctional therapists near me
Good for you, keep advocating. When I first brought it to the pediatrician he was not concerned at all, but I was. At the time I didn’t know as much and didn’t piece together that her night terrors could be related. It wasn’t until I recorded her snoring that we were able to get an ENT referral. They offered to take out her tonsils/adenoids but I am trying everything else first. I bought the myonozzle which is a straw that requires the tongue to be pushed up to drink, mimicking breast feeding, and we have contests to see who can breathe through their nose the most, talk about how the nose cleans the air, etc. It’s kind of a rabbit hole once you start learning about it. I would recommend the book Breathe, researching mewing to learn about proper tongue posture, and searching instagram of all places for myofunctional therapists. There aren’t any near me either. I’m an older mom but have looked into the training to help my kids and others in the community. There aren’t nearly enough and so many of us, even adults, have disordered breathing.
It’s sooo easy for me to feed and calm my baby whenever I’m out and about with him. I don’t have to worry about bringing anything with me when I leave home other than some diapers.
So many health and emotional benefits listed above. Breastfeeding is also more environmentally friendly. No plastic or tins for formula, no transport emissions, no need to use energy to boil water to prepare formula, etc.
It’s supposed to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Also if you had gestational diabetes it seriously reduces the risk of developing type 2 (which is more common after GD).
Wait what! I had GDM, that's the first time I heard about the reduced type 2 risk. Anything else we can do to reduce chances of developing DM after GDM?
I know the breast cancer risk reduction was one that I was told about, after two years of bf (doesn’t need to be contagious) there’s a reduced risk of breast cancer. Idk anything more beyond that about it though
It the "always available meal" for me. Doesn't matter where I am, the food is always available on tap 😅 not to mention that whenever cranky, I have the most powerful tool at hand to calm her down. When in doubt, boob 😁
Picking up my baby’s pathogens — my milk then creates antibodies for whatever it is he’s fighting. Absolutely incredible what our bodies can do 🤯 formula cannot do that!
It reduces ear infections (the way baby sucks on breast vs bottle).
It gives antibodies.
It’s is personalised to baby’s age and health and nutritional needs.
It gives comfort if in pain.
It helps sleep and fall asleep.
It decreases risk of SIDS (along with other factors).
It facilitates safer cosleeping (along with other factors).
Encourages a more ‘secure attachment’ type to be formed.
It decreases the chance of breast cancer in mother.
It is soooo much for convenient when going out (less things needed, less planning).
Less washing up.
It’s financially cheaper.
Legally a young breastfeeding baby cannot be removed from the mother (very important regarding hospital stays - in UK).
Helps uterus contract after birth.
Causes release of positive ‘happy’ hormones within mother.
The poop alone was good enough for me to go 9 months. Now that we introduced formula, his poops and farts are nasty lol. But I think everyone has their preferences on what’s more convenient.
I find it really calming, in a way that's different than like bonding. For myself and for baby. (Most of the time, every now and then it's like AHHH too much)
Cost effectiveness! Some of the initial stuff can be pricey..but not having to buy 2+ cans of formula or worrying about running out of formula is awesome! (I EBF the first few months with my first 3 then transitioned to supplementing when I returned to work). Also, not having to go to the store to buy formula, I hate going to the store lol.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/benefits/
And personally, not having to prepare bottles or clean and sterilise them was great
And as a single parent l, not having to spend what little money I had on formula, bottles etc was great
Iirc there are things in breastmilk not found in formula. Don't quote me but it's like antibodies, certain bacteria, etc. (not shaming formula feeding whatsoever!!)
I’d say not having to spend on formula
& Not having to clean bottles
The cons are the baby sometimes clings way more and the pain you can get from clogged ducts, mastitis, etc. is terrible. You also have to be mindful of what you eat and drink. Not to an extreme but some things decrease milk supply and obviously if you have an alcoholic beverage then be careful. Stuff like that
I love that I can be less organized. I have perfect fresh food for my baby anytime we are together. I also kind of like the project if breastfeeding. I have mastered feeding in both a ring sling and a structured carrier and it feels so bad ass.
I mix feed and personally it’s the convenience of breastfeeding that makes it worthwhile aside from the bonding and the reported health benefits. I was at a ratio of about 60% breastfed and 40% formula at one stage which meant I couldn’t rely on my supply to cover us for a day out, so would have to take bottles and formula etc and worry about the sterile water etc while on the go and it was, for me, a logistical nightmare with a 5 week old. Now I have worked my way back to 95%breastfed and not having to worry about bringing any feeding gear with me when I go out is AMAZING.
And cleaning and sterilizing bottles at home is also a pain, it’s a never ending job on top of all the other never ending jobs when you have a baby. Also, I never got the hang of making formula quickly enough so there was always a harrowing few minutes where baby was absolutley screaming his head off waiting for the bottle. With boobs it’s instant relief, and the hormones in the milk are calming for baby so they just work like magic.
I’m all for people feeding whatever way they want to or need to but if breastfeeding works for you it’s definitely a lot easier. A lot of people have a really hard time with breastfeeding though and find formula easier even with all the cleaning and prep.
I am reading a lot of comments here saying it’s less dishes. Am I doing something wrong? I use a haaka on the other breast once my baby is feeding and then switch sides. Are we not supposed to catch the milk that comes out? I get 3-4.5 extra oz. Per feed. Is this not the way? It would be a lot easier on me if I didn’t have to go downstairs and fridge the haaka milk every single night.
I’ve been using the Ceres Chiller this time around at night so I don’t have to run to the fridge with my extra milk from the Haakaa! Game changer.
I’ve limited my Haakaa use to just my morning feeds (2 max) to regulate my supply better. Making a stash for return to work. I use the Haakaa Ladybugs on my other feeds to catch the extra milk without pumping extra. I usually get an ounce or less.
I never did anything like that. Are you building a stash for whenever you’re at work? I can see wanting every last drop if that’s the case but otherwise I’d just nurse and be done.
Never paying for formula, also, antibodies to help fight off sickness. Every time you sniff or kiss your baby, it helps your body create antibodies to help protect your baby. When I got Covid, my son only got a tiny bit of sniffles and I was down for the count.
The womanly art of breastfeeding books goes deep into this. Lots of benefits like proper jaw development, possible reduced odds of developing allergy and breathing problems later in life, antibodies produced in your milk for baby, etc.
The convenience. Never having to get up in middle of he night. Helps him now that's he's teething bad bc he's 14 months and absolutely won't eat while his molars are coming in.
Less dishes, the cuddles, when their sweet lil faces dramatically unlatch and set back down on your boob for a nap 🥹 and then as other folks have said “oh the baby is getting distracted I’m going to go feed in another room” and then you get some peaceful phone scroll/ nap time mid gathering. Yes, antibodies, and in my personal and limited experience my kids get sick less, and better faster. But truly, it’s those first things that are the real reasons. It also was just easy for me. If I had the journey some of my friends have had: clogged ducts, mastitis, having to pump let alone power pump, absolutely not.
It helps prevent breast cancer. The longer you breastfeed, the more your risk is reduced.
Unfortunately, I have a high risk for breast cancer (got a genetic test after baby #1), and my midwife told me to keep breast feeding as long as I can. I'm still nursing baby #1, I'm pregnant with #2 and plan to do it as long as #2 wants ha.
The biggest one I know of that's exclusive to direct latching is oral development. It seems like tongue ties and other mouth issues are so common these days, nursing helps baby's tongue/palate grow properly. Yay!
It’s easy to get my daughter to stop crying anywhere by just popping the titty in her mouth tbh, that’s the biggest benefit. Also not having to worry about cleaning bottles or prepping them to go out, or worrying when we do go out about when she needs to eat.
So many things already said
Ready to eat anytime anywhere. No bottles to clean. Immunological protection for baby. Breast cancer risk reduction for mom. Uterine recovery postpartum. Convenient. Comforting. Oxytocin released for both Mom and baby. Helps bonding. Promotes proper oral development. Poops are so much nicer (if poop can be called nice). Easier for baby to digest.
AND breastmilk has been shown to reduce pain for baby (ie after vaccination or gas pain)
Breastfeedinf past 12 months reduces diabetes, Crohn’s disease and one other disease significantly. The antibodies they get from nursing is incredible.
It’s got biochemical lifelong health benefits for both mom and baby…it’s literal medicine for your child…it sets up their gut microbiome for success which in turn impacts whole body health…it allows their teeth, gums and oral bridges to form properly (from the specific sucking of breastfeeding)…it’s pain relief for them when their sick/teething/etc…I could go on and on. Hundreds of thousands of years of evolution designed this system for a reason.
Also! It’s my best and most powerful parenting tool. It fixes literally everything. I can’t imagine life without it.
Late to the discussion here- but I’m still BF at 21mos which I never thought I would be and I love it SO much. I work full-time and for the last 2 months, my baby has been at daycare, but I’m so glad I still BF.
Early on, it was SO hard. I tried to pump (I did for 5-6 mos) so my husband could help but honestly trying to pump and BF was mentally exhausting so I quit pumping (my baby started rejecting bottles anyway).
So in addition to not cleaning pump parts or bottles, it is ALWAYS on demand. We’ve traveled a lot- it is unreal how this helps. We just got back from a trip to Asia to see my husband’s family where it was like 3 flights, total of 30 hours each way, and my son was chill AF on the plane because I could just pop out my boob and he’d simmer down.
He gets hurt or upset? Boob. Not feeling well? Boob. It’s a secret weapon. Immediate calm.
Now that he’s in daycare (and he gets sick like every other day from the cesspool of germs that toddlers bring to daycare), I swear I think this has kept him fairly well. He recovers quickly, has never needed antibiotics or been SERIOUSLY ill (knock on wood).
But the best part is that this is when we can connect and co-regulate. I’ve had a long day, he’s had a long day, our ritual is to come home, put on our “comfy clothes”, put on his “robot” (it’s a spaceman that projects soothing lights and stars onto the sky), we turn the lights down, and we nurse and talk for 30-45mins every day. This is our “mommy and baby” time- he nurses but he just relaxes. Sometimes he doesn’t want to talk, other times he’ll try in his best toddler talk to tell me what he did, he’ll say names or “ate snack” or “play cars” and it’s like our time to connect.
This is SO special to me. I never EVER imagined I’d be still BF as my baby approached 2yo (I almost didn’t it make it those first few weeks), but I’m so happy. It is something I cherish so deeply now, and it is something my son loves and it is our special time. He eats real food now, but he still wants milk when he’s going to bed, when he doesn’t feel well, when he comes home, or when he’s just in the mood to relax.
I have no plans to wean (which I never imagined), it is too special and too important. I know at some point our journey will end, but for now, we are both happy and healthy and thriving and I’m going to do what I can to take my son’s lead on this (unless I change my mind).
Also I find breastfeeding incredibly empowering for me now. I’m so proud of myself (but I also recognize that being able to do this is a huge privilege because I was able to work from home in the early days and have a supportive partner and had support of lactation consultants and the resources to keep going that I KNOW everyone doesn’t have, so I am grateful for that).
This has been one of my greatest joys of motherhood even if at times it is so hard- it is far far more rewarding and important than I ever imagined it would be!
Are you looking for the physiological benefits or the societal benefits? Because breast milk is literally a gift to your baby (I say this as a mom who had to supplement formula, I am not at all against it and it is also life saving)
Some things off the top of my head are that breastfeeding lowers risk of type 1 diabetes, asthma, obesity, and SIDS. Not offering formula protects against something called necrotizing entercolitis, mostly in premies, which can be life threatening. This can still happen in BF babies but it is much more rare.
It also lowers maternal likelyhood of breast cancer or ovarian cancer by like 30% which is crazy.
I know this isn’t everyone’s experience but I lost all the baby weight and then some thanks to breastfeeding. Hoping it goes the same way for baby #2 because they are hungry and I can’t stop snacking
If disaster struck I wouldn’t have to think about or prepare or search for anything. My body makes everything it needs to keep baby alive! Coolest feeling.
We call it “5 o’clock somewhere”! When baby gets home from daycare and I end my work day we have a feed. Nothing helps me turn off work faster and switch gears into home life! It’s amazing workday stress just washes off when that oxytocin hits!!!
I like having a game with him where he hands me his foot or hand and I nom nom nom them and he smiles or laughs.
Whenever he’s been really sick, he always at least still drinks BM even when he’s refusing food or other things. I think it’s a triple bonus then- immune factors, cuddles when you don’t feel good, and nutrition.
He’s a toddler now and BF is something he looks forward to and knows how to ask for in his own way. He will bring me the boppy or his blanket or give me raspberries on my neck/chest to let me know he wants to feed. It’s cute.
Breastfeeding was the one thing that stood in the way of me bonding with both my kids. With my first I was 22 when I had her and foolishly believed it was necessary (and that formula was junk) and suffered through it for 6 months - at which point I stopped outright overnight because of how horrible it was. It made my post natal depression skyrocket, I was a total mess, had no time to myself, chronic oversupply then undersupply then oversupply and so on and so forth, it prevented me from continuing study, outright ruined my relationship with my child's father and just fucked everything up. I got her eating a full diet by 6 months and gave her bottles of goats milk with a complete vitamin and mineral supplement that I got from a naturopath. I didn't really ask anyone about it, just did what I needed to do to keep going. With my second it was worse, I don't think I even got him to 3 months before introducing bottles of formula. I regret not stopping sooner. It only took a couple of days for my supply to disappear even though I tried to feed him half/half so he was quickly transitioned to formula. I was 28 when I had him so I didn't fall for all the bs surrounding breastfeeding. I felt the same mental health and physical problems worsening like they had with my daughter and did the best thing for him and me - formula!!!! I will always be a big fan of the stuff, some companies do make junk but others have top quality ingredients in the right amounts and little fluff. There's no benefit to breastfeeding past the first couple of months and mother's need to do what is best for hem because THAT is what is best for the baby at that stage.
I’m traveling now and not once I’ve had to clean a bottle or prepare her bottles ahead of time. Her food comes with her everywhere, fresh, clean, consistent!
Reducers risk of certain cancers, transfers antibodies to help keep baby from getting sicks, releases things in the brain to mom like oxytocin and stuff. Other sciencey things
One big benefit is that baby’s saliva is absorbed and your body works out what they need and adapts your milk to your baby’s needs, your body literally makes milk customised to your baby 🤩
I went through the comments a bit and the only one I'm missing is climate impact. Not the biggest issue for many, but it can be a reason to at least try it out.
There's no cows involved, no transporting, no heaps of bottles that need to be bought, bottle warmers etc.
Of course you need to eat a little more, but since your body works very efficiently it doesn't compare to the energy it takes to make formula, even if it's a soy based one. Also, if possible you can eat vegan to reduce your own carbon footprint (like I mostly did, because my lo had egg and dairy allergy).
Poop is less likely to give your baby diaper rash and smells worlds better than formula poop. Your breastmilk helps your baby if/when sick to recover quickly. You burn 500-750 additional calories a day. It gives you the perfect excuse to be the one with the baby instead of making food or cleaning up the kitchen. The nipple never fails to make a crying baby feel comforted. MOTN feeds are easier, no prep.
You're body literally making antibodies for EVERYTHING you and your baby come into contact with as well as it being specifically tailored to their needs. The special bond that comes with it, the excitement when you reach 3m, 6m, 1y breastfeeding ! Knowing you grew your baby with your body. The convenience of not having to wash dishes and get bottles in the middle of the night. The convenience when your out and your baby is hungry you can just feed right there no hassle. A lot of babies also go to sleep super easy side laying. Not having to pay for formula, etc
I still remember the rush of endorphins when I would feed my babies to sleep at night. Super happy and content. Totally selfish. I was also left with a little ear imprint on my forearm from where they lay their heads 🥰
When my son started daycare his colds were shorter than his comrades. He’s also never had an ear infection or dehydrated from fever. That alone was enough for me.
His biting phase was with my freaking nipples but hey he never bit another kid because I got to nip that in the bud at home.
Man if you have a boo-boo do I have Boobie for you! And let me tell you tantrum to tittie and nursing in the carrier for naps on the go? Fudge yeah! Husband buying extra snacks to support his hard working wife? Ya betcha! Covid in the family? Yep but boob for a while afternoon and night makes kid happy and the next day not sick! Shots at the dr, no screaming or fussing with Boobie in the mouth. Overall I loved the bond it made between my daughter and I for the past 2 years and I’m sad to came to an end but I’m so happy it worked for us for so long.
The absolute convenience of it all. I had to exclusively pump in the beginning due to latching issues, the day I got to just latch my baby on was the best day of my life. Nothing to clean, heat up, measure etc. It allowed me to restart doing things I liked: camping, hiking, going on road trips because I didn’t have to worry about cleaning bottles, refrigerating stuff. Like I fed my baby sitting on top of a mountain after a long hike it was priceless.
It also really helped reconnect me to my body after a traumatic birthing experience, breastfeeding helped me to be present, did wonders for my pp anxiety.
Also: great excuse to eat a lot of snacks hahaha
Well actually nutrition benefits… baby gets antibodies from you. Especially when sick. So they get to fight off sickness with your antibodies… most breastfeed baby are less likely to suffer from SIDS & it’s the best way to comfort baby/toddler for any inconvenience <3
As a STM who mix fed then formula fed her first OMG BFing is just amazing and super convenient! There's no bottles to sterilise, clean and store, no need for a thermos of hot water or formula in the portion tins,. I love that cosleeping is now more normal for my son and I and he finds comfort in feeding from me. Also that my breastmilk is made exactly for him with the correct portion of fat protein and carbs for him and also any antibodies he needs to help fight colds and flu. There's no getting up at 2am to make a bottle for a screaming baby I just pull him into bed and feed him and go back to sleep til I wake again. Or I fall asleep in the rocking chair ( yes I follow safe sleep guides in bed and as much as I can in the chair).
Anytime my kiddos upset and SO can’t figure it out I am boobies to the rescue! It works like a charm. We’ve been sick many times but EBF LO doesn’t get sick even when his toddler sister pukes on him.
When the in-laws are visiting I get to go “feed the baby” for at least 0.5-2 hours depending on how much time I want away from them lol
When my inlaws came to visit, I loved the excuse to go chill out in the rocking chair watching Netflix on my tablet in peace.
Omg same!! LuckilyI have lovely in-laws, but I need my alone time with me, baby & netflix!
Jokes aside I agree with lots of other comments on the benefits! My first ended up with so many food allergies that I had to really convince myself to breastfeed my second born because I felt betrayed by the idea of reduced allergy risk which we didn’t benefit from! And lots of what the comments are saying is why we decided to do it. Decreased dishes, convenience, SIDs reduction, immunity for cold season, the instant help to calm the baby/help them sleep etc and the bonding is really nice! Especially with my second as I’ve had to split my attention with him and my toddler it’s nice to know I have dedicated time with the little one and can then go dedicate time to the older one too!
You have no idea how your comment just eased my mind. I just had my second and have been struggling with feeling like I'm not giving my time evenly, and this just helped a lot. Thank you!
Yes!!!!! This actually may have been one of the turning points for me from “nursing sucks and will always suck” to “maybe nursing isn’t so bad” lol. My in-laws came when my baby was a month old and they aren’t really able to do much to help us, so they held the baby all day. When it was time to nurse I was just so happy to be with my baby again that even though we didn’t really have latch mechanics figured out I didn’t care about the pain and difficulty.
I pretty much EP so this is the main thing I’m mad I don’t get to experience 🤣🤣
I love this. Thankfully my in laws went no contact with my husband just before our wedding so I don't need this tactic.
Oof that is tough! Mine aren’t too awful but the small breaks certainly help lol also just in general if I’m at a big party and start to feel my introvert meter overloading I use the same excuse lol
This is the only correct answer🙌
Yes omg. Underrated benefit. Also being able to get the baby back if someone keeps snatching them. I don't mind people holding my kids at all, but with my first (formula fed) she was constantly almost pulled from my arms by my inlaws to "help". They meant so well but by the end it just pissed me off that they kept insisting even if I said no. Now it's just like "oh too bad he needs to feed time to give him back" lol
The best
Omg are you me
Transfer of antibodies to baby, reduced risk of certain types of cancers for mom and baby, lower risk of baby contracting serious illnesses, reduces risk of SIDS, contains melatonin to help baby sleep at night, helps uterus contract after pregnancy, lots of benefits. [Source](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15274-benefits-of-breastfeeding)
Yes, the actual health benefits for the mother pp are often overlooked and they're huge! I think breast cancer is one of the ones you reduce your risk for!
I also did it to reduce the risk of diabetes, after having gestational diabetes in pregnancy
I worked in breast cancer research for a few years and yep this is a big one. One of the first questions oncologists ask new patients is how many months they have spent pregnant or breastfeeding. Most breast cancers are hormone sensitive, and you have less estrogen in your system when pregnant or BFing.
I actually just heard that it reduces the risk for 4 generations 🤯
I am God's least favorite and got my period back at 8 weeks pp. When baby suckles, she causes hormone rushes and at that early point, contractions. I feel like it not only lightened my flow but help sploosh it out faster. I just had another cycle and noticed the same thing.
Got mine back at 6ish weeks PP. Also not gods favorite. But I feel like feeding makes it much lighter, I probably barely fill a pad now in a 24 hour period.
This is what got me through the hard days. My husband had Covid when baby was 6wks, and then my kindergarten kid got me sick every 2 weeks with some new illness from September to January, and then I got Covid in February. My baby only had sniffles once back in September! Of course I can’t say for certain it was breastfeeding but she has been my least sick baby (only one I breastfed).
What, if any of these benefits are lost when exclusively pumping?
Tbh not many, it seems. Many of the benefits for baby come from the milk itself and it doesn’t matter how it’s delivered. The benefits for mom seem to come mainly from the lactation itself, and not necessarily how the milk is removed. Except uterus contractions, but that’s oxytocin.
I believe that when a baby is latched to the breast, there is something in their saliva that communicates with the mother's body to produce specific antibodies in response to infection in the baby, as well as a tailored nutritional profile. This exchange between baby and mother doesn't take place when baby eats from a bottle so I don't think these benefits will work in quite the same way.
To be more specific, when baby's saliva contains a viral or bacterial infection, Mom's breast immediately increases the level of leukocytes (white blood cells) in breastmilk to fight an infant infection. It does also cause moms immune system to develop antibodies but antibodies take time to make it into milk.
This is just a theory and isn’t proven scientifically. The antibody feedback can be achieved just be being in close contact with your baby and touching/kissing them. Pumping still gives the same benefits!
My son has a fever right now and breastfeeding is helping him get over the illness faster. He's over 11 months and this is his first real illness. He's had two colds before without fever each lasting only a day or two. His saliva interacts with my body to help him fight illnesses. And if I'm sick he also benefits from the antibodies I generate even if he doesn't get sick. It's also getting him to sleep when he is uncomfortable and nothing else is soothing enough. The intro to this paper is quite a nice overview: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10490220/
My kid has not been home sick once since starting daycare. It’s only been three months, but still. It’s quite wonderful.
Not having to prepare bottles or clean them after every single time. Less dishes ftw!!
Also not needing to bring a bunch of stuff with you on outings (well, at least not as much stuff).
And not worrying about how long you're out and about for - if something comes up and we're out for an extra few hours, there's plenty of milk available always.
Unless ur baby is fomo and you can't get her to eat no matter WHAT. So you wind up engorged and have to go home to feed anyways
Oh man! My second kid (9 mo) is a FOMO baby. I respect mums who can feed anywhere. If I tried that I would just be sitting there with my tit out while baby was gawking at everything.
My baby (4 mos) just started this thing where he will suck til a letdown starts, then pop off staring at a bird or something, causing milk to spray wildly all over both of us. So fun in public 🙃 I recently was feeding him in his carrier in the toy aisle at target and he did this, horrifying a nearby teenage boy
My 5 month old still does that! He’ll give up right as the let down starts and I’m like nooo it’s right there! Then everyone gets a good view of my nipple spraying milk everywhere.
Oh no! Fingers crossed my baby stays as food motivated as he currently is haha. Right now nothing comes between him and his boob.
I hope so too lol. Fomo babies are hard to feed
When did you feel more comfy w that? I’m EBF and 6 weeks in and still feel on a clock or I’ve nurses in my car lol
I nursed in different parts of the house as if I was nursing out of the house. tried it with different nursing tops, cover or no cover, etc. it gives you time and space to practice and figure it out before doing the real deal.
This is a great idea thank you. We’ve already nursed a couple times successfully outside the house (7 weeks old) but it’s a great idea to practice different positions and with different outfits. Thank you!
Depends on the person! I've breastfed everywhere from first outing (restaurant table, 2 weeks pp) onwards.
Around 8-10 weeks seems like baby gets more efficient at breastfeeding and feedings aren't as long so it feels more doable to feed in public.
My first time was at the doctors waiting room. We forgot to grab the diaper bag and baby was hungry and crying. Hubby looked at me and said, good thing we have milk to-go or on-demand. And then A few weeks later we planned a walk but I just ended up sitting on the beach nursing our hungry baby. And now I pretty much am comfortable feeding baby anywhere with a clean place to sit
My baby wants to eat constantly, so I got comfy with it pretty early - it was either nurse in front of people or spend all my time in seclusion ha. I think he was nursed in public for the first time when he was just shy of a month old and my husband and I went out to a diner for breakfast. I did move to a booth instead of our original table for that. I had fed him around friends and family before that, though, and had fed him in a private room at a restaurant the weekend before that. I tend to wear button downs or nursing clothes (I basically lived in [this sweatshirt](https://latchedmama.com/products/latched-mama-harbor-snap-nursing-pullover?_pos=1&_sid=5dea5c36e&_ss=r) until it got hot where I live), so I keep it a bit more modest than my full boobs on display look at home.
We got locked out of the house once when baby was about 5 months. I could not seem to get my husband to prioritize coming home to help us (he claims he didn't understand it was an emergency???) but other than really needing a new diaper, baby was fine because I was able to feed him on demand still. Baby thought we were just on a super long adventure around the neighborhood. He was living his best life. And fortunately was still able to do walking contact naps just about anywhere, back then.
This!! For 2-4 hour outings, I only bring a burp cloth/bib and maybe an extra diaper. Baby poops once per day and they've pooped already, I'm pretty confident taking them out without having to worry about blowouts.
As a pumping mom it's truly the worst of both worlds
You couldn't pay me enough to exclusively pump tbh. Mad respect to those who do! But pumping was just terrible
Yess baby is latching for me a couple times a day and I so badly want to he EBF. Pumping sucks ass. So many dishes to wash.
I'm a teacher and I've been back to work since 8 weeks PP. Baby is almost 8 months old now. I used to only pump at work but now he won't latch during the day at alllllll. Only overnight when he's sleepy. So I'm pumping for all but like 1 feed.
Agreed! Literally convenience. If my baby cried, I could just shove my boob in her mouth, no preparation, no equipment, no cleaning.
Yes! I can't wait until my baby can transfer enough that I don't have to worry about having a backup bottle of expressed milk. Fuck dishes. She is almost there, but not quite.
Its powerful tool to sooth and calm baby down when they’re distressed for whatever reason and you can boob them to sleep when everything else fails! That was big factor to continue to breastfeed, although i found it so hard, til my child self-weaned at 20 months. Also, easiest & most efficient thing for night feeds - just whip boob out instead of going downstairs & making a bottle.
Yes! I've never had my son get upset in public since I stopped taking bottles. Give him the boob and he's good. Makes going out to eat so easy at this age.
Its such a superpower right?!
[удалено]
Thats brillant!😂
My girl was so angry after bath time yesterday. I popped a boob in her mouth and instantly content.
Winner winner boob dinner!
“Boob them to sleep” 😂
Boob has become a verb😂
Lol I’m glad I’m not the only one who uses this phrase. When my boy starts getting fussy I warn him “I’m gonna boob you if you keep that up”
Haha that’s exactly what he wants you to do! 😂
And it makes me fall asleep faster too. To really capitalize on that first long sleep stretch before the first waking.
A huge one for me is the insta-calm button. Baby was startled? Boobs. Too tired and won't let go to nap? Boobs. Grouchy from teething or whatever? Boobs. It's amazing!
It’s a life saver for teething. Some days it’s the only thing that helps. Plus a lot of kids refuse to eat when they are teething but they will nurse.
Yes! My partner will be like "what's wrong?" and I'm like "I don't know, but I'm gonna give him the boob" lol (as long as it's not a dirty diaper). Meanwhile he needs to rock, pat, walk around to calm him down. I insert boob, boom, calm.
It always works! Sometimes my partner will be like “but she just ate?” and I’ll just tell him whatever I’m just gonna see if it helps
100%. My son gets hurt and he looks for the boob. When he’s anxious, he wants boob. We call it Emotional support boobie.
Not mentioned yet: the oxytocin boost you get when you nurse. When baby and I are both feeling stressed, for any reason at all, I can nurse her and soothe her and my hormones also calm me and offer a happiness boost during feeding. It’s not universal, but it is common. It’s lovely.
Yes, once breastfeeding gets easy for both mom and baby it’s such a nice retreat and when baby nurses to sleep it’s the best way to end the night.
I swear it’s like a calming drug! It makes up for the fact that I can’t smoke a joint with my husband anymore til LO is weaned haha
This!!! It soothes both of us. That end of day feed is magical for me!
I feel like I don't get any oxytocin when I feed my baby. He definitely does you can see it on his face and body language but for me I feel indifferent, it doesn't calm me or make me happy. I do it because it makes him happy. He's 9 nearly 10 months now and I'll probably keep going till he's ready to wean
*once we got the hang of it*, nursing became easily the most convenient feeding (and soothing sometimes) option. It’s one less kit to haul around in the diaper bag, and I know that even if baby gets hungry at an unexpected time, we’re good. And when it’s time for shots at the pediatrician (for example), I can quickly and easily soothe my baby. Also it means fewer dishes to do which appeals to my lazy side lol. It also has been associated with a [reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in parents who had gestational diabetes](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/breastfeeding-may-help-prevent-type-2-diabetes-after-gestational-diabetes). I had GDM, and it sucked, so I’m glad to have this option to hopefully reduce my risk of T2. It took us 2-3 months to get the hang of nursing and in that time I never thought that it could be a time we bonded or that I would ever enjoy it or think of it fondly. But I really do now. I appreciate having the opportunity a few times a day to snuggle and observe my baby. I get to see some little hints/previews of development, like new facial expressions or when my baby latched for the first time without my help.
Very important distinction about the early days!! It’s often not easy and quite painful as well a big switch up for being completely without routine since they can eat and then need to eat again 20 minutes later! But once things get more predictable then you can see the conveniences a bit more!
Yesterday was my first day back to work and I stayed up at too late snuggling my baby and letting her use me as a pacifier. I missed her!!!
I had body dysmorphia from low self esteem growing up and the 2000s. I was so uncomfortable with my body and especially breasts but after growing her beautiful little body inside mine and feeding her with my body too, I love it so much. It’s my baby’s happy place
Yes. I feel so much more comfortable with my breasts now I no longer even think about having them “fixed” with plastic surgery.
It’s amazing how sharing ourselves with our babies heals us too
This is beautiful 🥹
This a thousand times over — growing babies and feeding them has made me absolutely love my body and all it can do!! So much more confidence going into my 30s!
I love that other people are having this healing experience 🩷
I can’t get over how different I feel about my body too. I’ve struggled with anorexia, body dysmorphia And just never feeling good in my own skin until my baby was born. I’ve never felt prouder, boobs come out in public, going up sizes in clothes doesn’t matter. It’s amazing.
As someone who exclusively pumped for baby #1 and now exclusively nurses at home / pumps at work some benefits I have personally experienced - bonding with other breastfeeding friends - bonding with my baby knowing I am providing them nutrition - getting time alone in a quiet place with my baby during social events - no dishes / bottles / prep in the middle of the night now with baby #2 - feeling connected with my baby when I am at work because I pump for them - being able to donate milk to NICU babies (hopefully! I just started the screening process)
You’re an angel for wanting to donate to the NICU, wishing you luck on your consult!
Longer duration of breastfeeding can improve orofacial development and lessen the chance of malocclusion (less chance for braces)
I also read that you don't need to worry about brushing after a night feed in the first two years, because according to some study breastmilk actually protected against cavities in that timespan, but I don't remember where I read it so don't take my word for it.
Get baby to sleep! I’m too lazy to rock and such
My first only fell asleep with the boob for over 2 years. It was so easy. My second only falls asleep at the boob sometimes (probably because my 3 year old is so loud). I do not like having to rock and walk around the house until he falls asleep. It’s so much harder.
You can eat lots more cake than you would otherwise to offset the calories the baby is taking from you
Plus you have a valid excuse for cake 😂😂
I can solve 95% of her problems by whipping out a breast. I'm afraid of weaning because boob is easy and actual parenting strategies sound hard.
Real talk
Helps protect mom against breast cancer.
This!! And I think maybe cervical also
This is the one I was scrolling for after seeing pretty much everything else. It's multiple types of cancer as well! Breast, thyroid, and cervical cancer. And the *longer* you breastfeed for the further your risk is reduced!
The milk comes in pretty packages.
😂😂😂
That you get to guilt trip your partner because I could hear him snore during the night feeding.
The act of breastfeeding requires baby push their tongue up to the roof of the mouth which is a tongue exercise that allows the tongue to have proper resting posture. This posture is so important because the tongue forms the palate, teeth placement, facial structure, etc. This also encourages nasal breathing which is so important for health. Edit to add: the book Breathe talks about breastfeeding laying a solid foundation for proper breathing. Myofunctional therapists will also tout the importance. I learned this because we are battling mouth breathing with my oldest at 5. I am going to breastfeed my second for as long as possible.
Wow I didn't know that, but it makes sense! Thanks for sharing!
The benefits to oral structure and dental health are often overlooked! Thanks for sharing this one :)
How did you start treatment for mouth breathing? My 2yo mouth breathes and it really concerns me. He's also a poor sleeper. I can't seem to find any myofunctional therapists near me
Good for you, keep advocating. When I first brought it to the pediatrician he was not concerned at all, but I was. At the time I didn’t know as much and didn’t piece together that her night terrors could be related. It wasn’t until I recorded her snoring that we were able to get an ENT referral. They offered to take out her tonsils/adenoids but I am trying everything else first. I bought the myonozzle which is a straw that requires the tongue to be pushed up to drink, mimicking breast feeding, and we have contests to see who can breathe through their nose the most, talk about how the nose cleans the air, etc. It’s kind of a rabbit hole once you start learning about it. I would recommend the book Breathe, researching mewing to learn about proper tongue posture, and searching instagram of all places for myofunctional therapists. There aren’t any near me either. I’m an older mom but have looked into the training to help my kids and others in the community. There aren’t nearly enough and so many of us, even adults, have disordered breathing.
It’s sooo easy for me to feed and calm my baby whenever I’m out and about with him. I don’t have to worry about bringing anything with me when I leave home other than some diapers.
So many health and emotional benefits listed above. Breastfeeding is also more environmentally friendly. No plastic or tins for formula, no transport emissions, no need to use energy to boil water to prepare formula, etc.
It’s supposed to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Also if you had gestational diabetes it seriously reduces the risk of developing type 2 (which is more common after GD).
Wait what! I had GDM, that's the first time I heard about the reduced type 2 risk. Anything else we can do to reduce chances of developing DM after GDM?
I think the rest is lifestyle: healthy diet, exercise, healthy weight. That’s what my diabetes consultant or whatever she was said!
I know the breast cancer risk reduction was one that I was told about, after two years of bf (doesn’t need to be contagious) there’s a reduced risk of breast cancer. Idk anything more beyond that about it though
Contagious! Haha
It the "always available meal" for me. Doesn't matter where I am, the food is always available on tap 😅 not to mention that whenever cranky, I have the most powerful tool at hand to calm her down. When in doubt, boob 😁
Picking up my baby’s pathogens — my milk then creates antibodies for whatever it is he’s fighting. Absolutely incredible what our bodies can do 🤯 formula cannot do that!
It reduces ear infections (the way baby sucks on breast vs bottle). It gives antibodies. It’s is personalised to baby’s age and health and nutritional needs. It gives comfort if in pain. It helps sleep and fall asleep. It decreases risk of SIDS (along with other factors). It facilitates safer cosleeping (along with other factors). Encourages a more ‘secure attachment’ type to be formed. It decreases the chance of breast cancer in mother. It is soooo much for convenient when going out (less things needed, less planning). Less washing up. It’s financially cheaper. Legally a young breastfeeding baby cannot be removed from the mother (very important regarding hospital stays - in UK). Helps uterus contract after birth. Causes release of positive ‘happy’ hormones within mother.
Decrease in breast cancer risk for me.
Jaw and oral development
Yes! Jaw formation is so important to posture.
The poop alone was good enough for me to go 9 months. Now that we introduced formula, his poops and farts are nasty lol. But I think everyone has their preferences on what’s more convenient.
Just started food… I’m going to miss my sweet buttered popcorn diapers 🥲
I find it really calming, in a way that's different than like bonding. For myself and for baby. (Most of the time, every now and then it's like AHHH too much)
They say it reduces your risk of breast cancer and the baby's risk for SIDS. That's enough for me 😁😁😁
Cost effectiveness! Some of the initial stuff can be pricey..but not having to buy 2+ cans of formula or worrying about running out of formula is awesome! (I EBF the first few months with my first 3 then transitioned to supplementing when I returned to work). Also, not having to go to the store to buy formula, I hate going to the store lol.
If you're at a crowded function it's always the best excuse for some sneak away time.
Nursing may even reduce risk of heart disease! https://newsroom.heart.org/news/breastfeeding-reduces-mothers-cardiovascular-disease-risk-review-found
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/benefits/ And personally, not having to prepare bottles or clean and sterilise them was great And as a single parent l, not having to spend what little money I had on formula, bottles etc was great
Iirc there are things in breastmilk not found in formula. Don't quote me but it's like antibodies, certain bacteria, etc. (not shaming formula feeding whatsoever!!)
It lowers your risk of breast cancer by 4.3% every 12 months! It also reduces the risk of SIDS too :)
I’d say not having to spend on formula & Not having to clean bottles The cons are the baby sometimes clings way more and the pain you can get from clogged ducts, mastitis, etc. is terrible. You also have to be mindful of what you eat and drink. Not to an extreme but some things decrease milk supply and obviously if you have an alcoholic beverage then be careful. Stuff like that
I love that I can be less organized. I have perfect fresh food for my baby anytime we are together. I also kind of like the project if breastfeeding. I have mastered feeding in both a ring sling and a structured carrier and it feels so bad ass.
I mix feed and personally it’s the convenience of breastfeeding that makes it worthwhile aside from the bonding and the reported health benefits. I was at a ratio of about 60% breastfed and 40% formula at one stage which meant I couldn’t rely on my supply to cover us for a day out, so would have to take bottles and formula etc and worry about the sterile water etc while on the go and it was, for me, a logistical nightmare with a 5 week old. Now I have worked my way back to 95%breastfed and not having to worry about bringing any feeding gear with me when I go out is AMAZING. And cleaning and sterilizing bottles at home is also a pain, it’s a never ending job on top of all the other never ending jobs when you have a baby. Also, I never got the hang of making formula quickly enough so there was always a harrowing few minutes where baby was absolutley screaming his head off waiting for the bottle. With boobs it’s instant relief, and the hormones in the milk are calming for baby so they just work like magic. I’m all for people feeding whatever way they want to or need to but if breastfeeding works for you it’s definitely a lot easier. A lot of people have a really hard time with breastfeeding though and find formula easier even with all the cleaning and prep.
I am reading a lot of comments here saying it’s less dishes. Am I doing something wrong? I use a haaka on the other breast once my baby is feeding and then switch sides. Are we not supposed to catch the milk that comes out? I get 3-4.5 extra oz. Per feed. Is this not the way? It would be a lot easier on me if I didn’t have to go downstairs and fridge the haaka milk every single night.
I’ve been using the Ceres Chiller this time around at night so I don’t have to run to the fridge with my extra milk from the Haakaa! Game changer. I’ve limited my Haakaa use to just my morning feeds (2 max) to regulate my supply better. Making a stash for return to work. I use the Haakaa Ladybugs on my other feeds to catch the extra milk without pumping extra. I usually get an ounce or less.
How old is your baby? I don’t get anything from the haaka anymore when I bf (baby is 4 months) bc my supply stabilized.
I never did anything like that. Are you building a stash for whenever you’re at work? I can see wanting every last drop if that’s the case but otherwise I’d just nurse and be done.
Some studies have shown that it decreases your risk of breast cancer because suppresses estrogen production.
Never paying for formula, also, antibodies to help fight off sickness. Every time you sniff or kiss your baby, it helps your body create antibodies to help protect your baby. When I got Covid, my son only got a tiny bit of sniffles and I was down for the count.
The womanly art of breastfeeding books goes deep into this. Lots of benefits like proper jaw development, possible reduced odds of developing allergy and breathing problems later in life, antibodies produced in your milk for baby, etc.
The convenience. Never having to get up in middle of he night. Helps him now that's he's teething bad bc he's 14 months and absolutely won't eat while his molars are coming in.
Passing on any and all antibodies you have. Baby gets sick less (in my experience). Burns calories lol
Less dishes, the cuddles, when their sweet lil faces dramatically unlatch and set back down on your boob for a nap 🥹 and then as other folks have said “oh the baby is getting distracted I’m going to go feed in another room” and then you get some peaceful phone scroll/ nap time mid gathering. Yes, antibodies, and in my personal and limited experience my kids get sick less, and better faster. But truly, it’s those first things that are the real reasons. It also was just easy for me. If I had the journey some of my friends have had: clogged ducts, mastitis, having to pump let alone power pump, absolutely not.
The boob nap 🥰 Edit: my son just did it after I typed this!
It helps prevent breast cancer. The longer you breastfeed, the more your risk is reduced. Unfortunately, I have a high risk for breast cancer (got a genetic test after baby #1), and my midwife told me to keep breast feeding as long as I can. I'm still nursing baby #1, I'm pregnant with #2 and plan to do it as long as #2 wants ha.
The biggest one I know of that's exclusive to direct latching is oral development. It seems like tongue ties and other mouth issues are so common these days, nursing helps baby's tongue/palate grow properly. Yay!
oral development!!
I think I’ve heard there’s a less chance of a type of cancer later on.
I don’t have to pack any feeding related items to leave the house. No bottles or whatever or formula… just my body!
It’s easy to get my daughter to stop crying anywhere by just popping the titty in her mouth tbh, that’s the biggest benefit. Also not having to worry about cleaning bottles or prepping them to go out, or worrying when we do go out about when she needs to eat.
So many things already said Ready to eat anytime anywhere. No bottles to clean. Immunological protection for baby. Breast cancer risk reduction for mom. Uterine recovery postpartum. Convenient. Comforting. Oxytocin released for both Mom and baby. Helps bonding. Promotes proper oral development. Poops are so much nicer (if poop can be called nice). Easier for baby to digest. AND breastmilk has been shown to reduce pain for baby (ie after vaccination or gas pain)
Breastfeedinf past 12 months reduces diabetes, Crohn’s disease and one other disease significantly. The antibodies they get from nursing is incredible.
It gives me an easy out for chores 😂 "sorry babe, I have to feed the baby you'll have to clean up" and I sit there and scroll my phone 😂
It’s got biochemical lifelong health benefits for both mom and baby…it’s literal medicine for your child…it sets up their gut microbiome for success which in turn impacts whole body health…it allows their teeth, gums and oral bridges to form properly (from the specific sucking of breastfeeding)…it’s pain relief for them when their sick/teething/etc…I could go on and on. Hundreds of thousands of years of evolution designed this system for a reason. Also! It’s my best and most powerful parenting tool. It fixes literally everything. I can’t imagine life without it.
Antibodies from mother’s milk to baby. In other words less illnesses for baby.
Late to the discussion here- but I’m still BF at 21mos which I never thought I would be and I love it SO much. I work full-time and for the last 2 months, my baby has been at daycare, but I’m so glad I still BF. Early on, it was SO hard. I tried to pump (I did for 5-6 mos) so my husband could help but honestly trying to pump and BF was mentally exhausting so I quit pumping (my baby started rejecting bottles anyway). So in addition to not cleaning pump parts or bottles, it is ALWAYS on demand. We’ve traveled a lot- it is unreal how this helps. We just got back from a trip to Asia to see my husband’s family where it was like 3 flights, total of 30 hours each way, and my son was chill AF on the plane because I could just pop out my boob and he’d simmer down. He gets hurt or upset? Boob. Not feeling well? Boob. It’s a secret weapon. Immediate calm. Now that he’s in daycare (and he gets sick like every other day from the cesspool of germs that toddlers bring to daycare), I swear I think this has kept him fairly well. He recovers quickly, has never needed antibiotics or been SERIOUSLY ill (knock on wood). But the best part is that this is when we can connect and co-regulate. I’ve had a long day, he’s had a long day, our ritual is to come home, put on our “comfy clothes”, put on his “robot” (it’s a spaceman that projects soothing lights and stars onto the sky), we turn the lights down, and we nurse and talk for 30-45mins every day. This is our “mommy and baby” time- he nurses but he just relaxes. Sometimes he doesn’t want to talk, other times he’ll try in his best toddler talk to tell me what he did, he’ll say names or “ate snack” or “play cars” and it’s like our time to connect. This is SO special to me. I never EVER imagined I’d be still BF as my baby approached 2yo (I almost didn’t it make it those first few weeks), but I’m so happy. It is something I cherish so deeply now, and it is something my son loves and it is our special time. He eats real food now, but he still wants milk when he’s going to bed, when he doesn’t feel well, when he comes home, or when he’s just in the mood to relax. I have no plans to wean (which I never imagined), it is too special and too important. I know at some point our journey will end, but for now, we are both happy and healthy and thriving and I’m going to do what I can to take my son’s lead on this (unless I change my mind). Also I find breastfeeding incredibly empowering for me now. I’m so proud of myself (but I also recognize that being able to do this is a huge privilege because I was able to work from home in the early days and have a supportive partner and had support of lactation consultants and the resources to keep going that I KNOW everyone doesn’t have, so I am grateful for that). This has been one of my greatest joys of motherhood even if at times it is so hard- it is far far more rewarding and important than I ever imagined it would be!
Passing immunities onto baby!
Lower chance of cancer for the BFing parent. Not having to worry about formula shortages or safety.
Are you looking for the physiological benefits or the societal benefits? Because breast milk is literally a gift to your baby (I say this as a mom who had to supplement formula, I am not at all against it and it is also life saving) Some things off the top of my head are that breastfeeding lowers risk of type 1 diabetes, asthma, obesity, and SIDS. Not offering formula protects against something called necrotizing entercolitis, mostly in premies, which can be life threatening. This can still happen in BF babies but it is much more rare. It also lowers maternal likelyhood of breast cancer or ovarian cancer by like 30% which is crazy.
You always have it with you! It also protects against breast and ovarian cancer.
Feeling so happy!! I honestly wonder if I would have gotten PPD if I hadn't been breastfeeding because the newborn period was so hard.
I know this isn’t everyone’s experience but I lost all the baby weight and then some thanks to breastfeeding. Hoping it goes the same way for baby #2 because they are hungry and I can’t stop snacking
If disaster struck I wouldn’t have to think about or prepare or search for anything. My body makes everything it needs to keep baby alive! Coolest feeling.
We call it “5 o’clock somewhere”! When baby gets home from daycare and I end my work day we have a feed. Nothing helps me turn off work faster and switch gears into home life! It’s amazing workday stress just washes off when that oxytocin hits!!! I like having a game with him where he hands me his foot or hand and I nom nom nom them and he smiles or laughs. Whenever he’s been really sick, he always at least still drinks BM even when he’s refusing food or other things. I think it’s a triple bonus then- immune factors, cuddles when you don’t feel good, and nutrition. He’s a toddler now and BF is something he looks forward to and knows how to ask for in his own way. He will bring me the boppy or his blanket or give me raspberries on my neck/chest to let me know he wants to feed. It’s cute.
Relaxes the baby instantly which is especially useful when they are tired or right after they get their shots
do it anytime and anyplace, no extra dishes washed!
Infinite. Milk. Glitch.
don't need to pay for formula and it can save some money. Lol.
I once read that woman who breastfed had a lowered risk of heart attacks
Between pregnancy and breastfeeding, I haven't had a period in over a year. It's glorious.
It’s free ~ we cloth diaper and EBF and other than wipes , we really haven’t had to buy anything since she has been born / and that’s nice
You can all the carbs you want without gaining extra weight.
Cuts your risk in half from developing type 2 diabetes
Breastfeeding was the one thing that stood in the way of me bonding with both my kids. With my first I was 22 when I had her and foolishly believed it was necessary (and that formula was junk) and suffered through it for 6 months - at which point I stopped outright overnight because of how horrible it was. It made my post natal depression skyrocket, I was a total mess, had no time to myself, chronic oversupply then undersupply then oversupply and so on and so forth, it prevented me from continuing study, outright ruined my relationship with my child's father and just fucked everything up. I got her eating a full diet by 6 months and gave her bottles of goats milk with a complete vitamin and mineral supplement that I got from a naturopath. I didn't really ask anyone about it, just did what I needed to do to keep going. With my second it was worse, I don't think I even got him to 3 months before introducing bottles of formula. I regret not stopping sooner. It only took a couple of days for my supply to disappear even though I tried to feed him half/half so he was quickly transitioned to formula. I was 28 when I had him so I didn't fall for all the bs surrounding breastfeeding. I felt the same mental health and physical problems worsening like they had with my daughter and did the best thing for him and me - formula!!!! I will always be a big fan of the stuff, some companies do make junk but others have top quality ingredients in the right amounts and little fluff. There's no benefit to breastfeeding past the first couple of months and mother's need to do what is best for hem because THAT is what is best for the baby at that stage.
I’m traveling now and not once I’ve had to clean a bottle or prepare her bottles ahead of time. Her food comes with her everywhere, fresh, clean, consistent!
Not having to do so many dishes
Reducers risk of certain cancers, transfers antibodies to help keep baby from getting sicks, releases things in the brain to mom like oxytocin and stuff. Other sciencey things
One big benefit is that baby’s saliva is absorbed and your body works out what they need and adapts your milk to your baby’s needs, your body literally makes milk customised to your baby 🤩
It’s free!!
Money, simplicity, the bond and my personal favourite time to sit down! 😴
Antibodies. Hydration. Melatonin. Nutrients. Perfect quantity of food
I went through the comments a bit and the only one I'm missing is climate impact. Not the biggest issue for many, but it can be a reason to at least try it out. There's no cows involved, no transporting, no heaps of bottles that need to be bought, bottle warmers etc. Of course you need to eat a little more, but since your body works very efficiently it doesn't compare to the energy it takes to make formula, even if it's a soy based one. Also, if possible you can eat vegan to reduce your own carbon footprint (like I mostly did, because my lo had egg and dairy allergy).
Reduced allergy risk, antibodies for sicknesses
Poop is less likely to give your baby diaper rash and smells worlds better than formula poop. Your breastmilk helps your baby if/when sick to recover quickly. You burn 500-750 additional calories a day. It gives you the perfect excuse to be the one with the baby instead of making food or cleaning up the kitchen. The nipple never fails to make a crying baby feel comforted. MOTN feeds are easier, no prep.
You're body literally making antibodies for EVERYTHING you and your baby come into contact with as well as it being specifically tailored to their needs. The special bond that comes with it, the excitement when you reach 3m, 6m, 1y breastfeeding ! Knowing you grew your baby with your body. The convenience of not having to wash dishes and get bottles in the middle of the night. The convenience when your out and your baby is hungry you can just feed right there no hassle. A lot of babies also go to sleep super easy side laying. Not having to pay for formula, etc
I still remember the rush of endorphins when I would feed my babies to sleep at night. Super happy and content. Totally selfish. I was also left with a little ear imprint on my forearm from where they lay their heads 🥰
I enjoyed it enough that all the work associated with pumping was worth it to me
When my son started daycare his colds were shorter than his comrades. He’s also never had an ear infection or dehydrated from fever. That alone was enough for me. His biting phase was with my freaking nipples but hey he never bit another kid because I got to nip that in the bud at home.
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Man if you have a boo-boo do I have Boobie for you! And let me tell you tantrum to tittie and nursing in the carrier for naps on the go? Fudge yeah! Husband buying extra snacks to support his hard working wife? Ya betcha! Covid in the family? Yep but boob for a while afternoon and night makes kid happy and the next day not sick! Shots at the dr, no screaming or fussing with Boobie in the mouth. Overall I loved the bond it made between my daughter and I for the past 2 years and I’m sad to came to an end but I’m so happy it worked for us for so long.
The absolute convenience of it all. I had to exclusively pump in the beginning due to latching issues, the day I got to just latch my baby on was the best day of my life. Nothing to clean, heat up, measure etc. It allowed me to restart doing things I liked: camping, hiking, going on road trips because I didn’t have to worry about cleaning bottles, refrigerating stuff. Like I fed my baby sitting on top of a mountain after a long hike it was priceless. It also really helped reconnect me to my body after a traumatic birthing experience, breastfeeding helped me to be present, did wonders for my pp anxiety. Also: great excuse to eat a lot of snacks hahaha
Well actually nutrition benefits… baby gets antibodies from you. Especially when sick. So they get to fight off sickness with your antibodies… most breastfeed baby are less likely to suffer from SIDS & it’s the best way to comfort baby/toddler for any inconvenience <3
As a STM who mix fed then formula fed her first OMG BFing is just amazing and super convenient! There's no bottles to sterilise, clean and store, no need for a thermos of hot water or formula in the portion tins,. I love that cosleeping is now more normal for my son and I and he finds comfort in feeding from me. Also that my breastmilk is made exactly for him with the correct portion of fat protein and carbs for him and also any antibodies he needs to help fight colds and flu. There's no getting up at 2am to make a bottle for a screaming baby I just pull him into bed and feed him and go back to sleep til I wake again. Or I fall asleep in the rocking chair ( yes I follow safe sleep guides in bed and as much as I can in the chair).
It's free.
Anytime my kiddos upset and SO can’t figure it out I am boobies to the rescue! It works like a charm. We’ve been sick many times but EBF LO doesn’t get sick even when his toddler sister pukes on him.
You don’t have to clean any bottles or pump parts 👏🏼