Why is breastfeeding important for mom and for baby? What are the benefits?
I love this question! It seems so simple but there are a million answers and the lists keeps growing! We could spend this entire interview sharing why breastfeeding is important for mom and baby, especially for premature infants but I will try to focus on what in my opinion are the Big 3 (1. Health, 2. Social, 3. Economic) . I think it’s really important to emphasize that we often say that “Breast is Best” but breast isn’t just best…it’s actually the gold standard by which all other substitutes are modeled!! I think when most people think about benefits of breastfeeding they automatically focus on benefits for the baby:
1. Health benefits: ( Breast milk provides wonderful antibodies that are protective for babies through the 1st 6 weeks in particular and more long-term benefits through the 1st 6 months) We know that breast fed babies have less infections especially gastrointestinal, respiratory and ear infections which is huge during the 1st year of life.
We also know know that breast fed babies have less risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Asthma, Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity and Leukemia…this is really important given the life long complications of these chronic conditions and the devastating consequences of SIDS. Health benefits for mom include decrease risk for ovarian and breast cancer, a natural form of contraception with exclusive breastfeeding and for some women more rapid weight loss following pregnancy.
2. Social/Emotional: One of my favorite benefits of breastfeeding are the social/emotional benefits for mom and baby. Breastfeeding encourages and sustains the natural bond between mom and baby…even when not actively nursing both mother and baby benefit from the nurturing that suckling provides.
Pumping and nurses actually increases the release of what I like to call the love hormones ( Prolactin/Oxytocin). Prolactin which stimulates the actual production of milk also has sedating effect on mother which allows her to be uniquely focused on the nurturing of her child. Oxytocin is the hormone that actually causes the contraction of the milk ducts and it serves to augment the maternal/infant bond in a way that is really hard to describe.
3. Economic: Finally and for many women most importantly Breastfeeding is the most economical way to feed your child!. Breast Milk is free. The packaging is free!. The preparation time is zero!. The milk is at the perfect temperature!. Even for mothers who go on to express breast milk to provide through a bottle the economic gains far outweigh the alternatives for formula use. This is a win-win for mother, baby and the economy. Very few therapy/treatment options offer that…especially in pediatrics!
Why is it important for mom to breastfeed for 6 months?
As pediatrician and a neonatologist I actively support the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement on Breastfeeding) Policy which recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, with continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother an infant. The primary reason to breastfeed for at least 6 months is that our data shows that infants who exclusively breastfed for less than 6 months ( i.e. 4 to 6 months) had a higher incidence of pneumonia, pneumonia and ear infections.
Therefore, to really receive the benefits for infants that we mentioned in question 1 the period of exclusive breastfeeding needs to be a minimum of 6 months. Breastfeeding for a minimum of 6 months has also been shown to prolong the period for natural contraception and enhance child spacing which has been linked to better overall outcomes due to decreased rates of preterm birth.
As always Dr. Terri can be contacted at 