{"id":55205,"date":"2024-08-22T14:18:25","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T14:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c?p=55205"},"modified":"2026-05-05T14:18:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T14:18:28","slug":"benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-baby-and-mom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-baby-and-mom\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Most new parents are encouraged to breastfeed, but not all parents are completely aware of what the specific benefits of breastfeeding are. What&rsquo;s more, they may simply think of nursing as a healthy choice for baby without realizing there are also serious benefits of breastfeeding for mom.<\/p><p>Understanding that breastfeeding has health benefits for both babies <em>and<\/em> moms is one of the best kept secrets about breastfeeding, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parentlikeapediatrician.com\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Rebekah Diamond<\/a>, a pediatric hospitalist in New York City and assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University.<\/p><p>Being informed about these benefits is also one of the things that can motivate new parents to keep going in those early postpartum weeks, especially as they face breastfeeding challenges.<\/p><p>&ldquo;Breastfeeding is hard work for everyone and will always have challenges,&rdquo; says Diamond. &ldquo;But the physical and emotional experience of breastfeeding, once it&rsquo;s established, can be a truly wonderful and meaningful part of becoming a parent.&rdquo;<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-custom-dynamic-list key-takeaways-block\"><h3>Key takeaways<\/h3><div class=\"key-takeaways-container\"><ul><li>Breastfeeding supports both mom and baby, offering benefits like faster postpartum recovery, improved mood, and reduced risks of certain diseases for mothers, while providing babies with ideal nutrition and immune protection. It&rsquo;s not just &ldquo;good for baby&rdquo; &mdash; it&rsquo;s a shared health boost with both short- and long-term impact.<\/li><li>For babies, breast milk helps protect against infections, SIDS, and even some childhood cancers, while supporting long-term health like lower risks of obesity and diabetes. These benefits are linked to immune-building antibodies and gut-supporting properties unique to breast milk.<\/li><li>Even though breastfeeding can be challenging, any amount of breast milk still provides meaningful benefits, and it doesn&rsquo;t have to be all-or-nothing. What matters most is finding a feeding approach that works for your family while getting support when needed.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-benefits-of-breastfeeding-an-overview\" data-toc-id=\"9fa105a5\">The benefits of breastfeeding: An overview<\/h2><p>You may wonder, what&rsquo;s the big deal about breastfeeding? Why is it so highly encouraged? For one, breast milk is &ldquo;a customized food that is created by a mother&rsquo;s body specifically for her offspring,&rdquo; says <a href=\"http:\/\/nicolepeluso.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nicole Peluso<\/a>, a board certified lactation consultant and certified parenting educator.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-careblocks-enrollment\" aria-live=\"polite\"><div class=\"enrollment-background\"><div class=\"enrollment-content\" id=\"enrollment-block\"><div class=\"enrollment-start\"><span>Like what you&rsquo;re reading?<\/span><h2>Join Care for free<\/h2><form name=\"enrollment\"><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-firstname\" class=\"sr-only\">First name<\/label><input name=\"firstname\" type=\"text\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-firstname\" placeholder=\"First name\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-firstname-error hidden\">First name is required.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-lastname\" class=\"sr-only\">Last name<\/label><input name=\"lastname\" type=\"text\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-lastname\" placeholder=\"Last name\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-lastname-error hidden\">Last name is required.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-email\" class=\"sr-only\">Email<\/label><input name=\"email\" type=\"email\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-email\" placeholder=\"Email\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-email-error hidden\"><\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-zip\" class=\"sr-only\">Zip code<\/label><input name=\"zip\" type=\"text\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-zip\" placeholder=\"Zip\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-zip-error hidden\">Zip code is required.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"disclaimer\"><p>By clicking &ldquo;Join now,&rdquo; you agree to our <a href=\"\/about\/terms-of-use\/\" target=\"_blank\">Terms of Use<\/a> and <a href=\"\/about\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-loading\"><div class=\"enrollment-loading-animation\"><\/div><\/div><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-error-message hidden\">We&rsquo;re sorry, your request could not be processed at this time. Please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/app\/vhp\/get-started\">click here<\/a> to try again.<\/p><button name=\"submit\" type=\"submit\" class=\"button button-primary button-sm enrollment-submit\" data-loading=\"Sending...\">Join now<\/button><\/form><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-already-registered hidden\"><h2>Already Registered<\/h2><p>The email you entered is already registered. Would you like to log in?<\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/login\" class=\"button button-primary button-sm\">Log In<\/a><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-complete hidden\"><span>Congrats!<\/span><h2>Your account has been created.<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/app\/job\/cc\" class=\"button button-primary button-sm enrollment-cta\" id=\"enrollment-block-cta\">Find care now<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><p>In addition, understanding the benefits of breastfeeding can help you get through early challenges, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pediatrix.com\/find-care\/doctors\/ferry-jenelle-1619168648\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Jenelle Ferry,<\/a> board-certified neonatologist and director of feeding, nutrition and infant development at Pediatrix Medical Group.<\/p><p>Breastfeeding &ldquo;isn&rsquo;t always easy right away, can take more work to start than formula feeding and requires a single parent doing the bulk of the feeding work,&rdquo; Ferry says. Being aware of the benefits of breastfeeding can motivate you to keep going, she adds.<\/p><p>Here is a snapshot of the breastfeeding benefits for mom and baby.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-mom\" data-toc-id=\"bd079d21\">Benefits of breastfeeding for mom<\/h2><p>Let&rsquo;s start by looking at the many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/the-pros-and-cons-of-breastfeeding\/\">benefits of breastfeeding<\/a> for moms.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helps the uterus contract<\/h3><p>Many benefits of breastfeeding can be felt in the days right after giving birth. For instance, a baby&rsquo;s suckling can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/womens-health\/faqs\/breastfeeding-your-baby\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">help the uterus contract<\/a> back to its normal size more quickly and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ihs.gov\/babyfriendly\/benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">decrease postpartum bleeding<\/a>.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Balances postpartum moods<\/h3><p>Breastfeeding releases hormones like oxytocin and prolactin that are known to enhance moods and offer a mental health boost. There is some evidence that mothers who breastfeed are less at risk for experiencing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/postpartum-depression-signs-treatment\">postpartum depression<\/a>.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reduces cancer risks<\/h3><p>Breastfeeding can also lower a mother&rsquo;s risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers, Ferry says. This is due to an overall decrease in exposure to estrogen in the months that a mother breastfeeds.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lowers risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases<\/h3><p>Breastfeeding is associated with a lower overall risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. For those who had gestational diabetes, &ldquo;greater than one to three months of lactation has been shown to decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years after pregnancy by as much as 80%, &rdquo; Ferry says.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Convenience and cost-efficiency<\/h3><p>Most moms will tell you that their favorite thing about breastfeeding is how convenient and low-cost it can be. &ldquo;One of my favorite things about breastfeeding has been how much it simplified caring for my babies,&rdquo; says Alexandra Fung, a mom of four from Buena Park, California, and co-founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upparent.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Upparent<\/a>. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve loved not having to deal with bottles, with carrying around formula any time we go out, with getting up to go to the kitchen in the middle of the night to prepare a bottle, and with my last two [kids], not even having to set aside time to pump.&rdquo;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-benefits-of-breastfeeding-for-baby-nbsp\" data-toc-id=\"a8affb4c\">Benefits of breastfeeding for baby<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2><p>You may be aware that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/breastfeeding-baby-feeding-with-caregiver\/\">breastfeeding<\/a> is good for babies, but here are some of the most important and helpful benefits to keep in mind.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Protects from respiratory viruses<\/h3><p>Respiratory viruses like COVID, flu and RSV are everywhere, and they can be particularly serious for infants. &ldquo;One benefit of breastfeeding is that it can help protect your baby against lower respiratory tract infections,&rdquo; says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.memorialhermann.org\/doctors\/pediatricians\/dr-alexis-monique-javier-do-1790340008\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Alexis Monique Javier<\/a>, a pediatrician with Children&rsquo;s Memorial Hermann Pediatrics. This is due to antibodies in breast milk that help boost immunity.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reduces gastrointestinal infections<\/h3><p>It&rsquo;s not just coughs and colds that can be reduced with breastfeeding. &ldquo;Breast milk reduces the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses, from mild ones like a stomach bug with diarrhea to severe ones like life-threatening infections in premature babies,&rdquo; Ferry notes. This is likely due to factors in breast milk that stimulate intestinal growth and maturation, as well as help proliferate &ldquo;good&rdquo; bacteria in the gut, she explains.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&ldquo;[Breastfed] babies receive passive antibodies from the mother. This helps develop the baby&rsquo;s immune system.&rdquo;<\/p><cite>&mdash; Dr. Rachel Miller, OB\/GYN<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Decreases childhood cancers<\/h3><p>Breastfeeding is linked to a decreased rate of many different types of childhood cancers, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamanetworkopen\/fullarticle\/2816747\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2024 cohort study<\/a> published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This includes a reduced risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, as well as childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML), neuroblastoma and Hodgkins lymphoma.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lowers the risk of SIDS<\/h3><p>Babies who are breastfed are less likely to die of <a href=\"https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/content\/140\/5\/e20171324\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sudden Infant Death Syndrome<\/a> (SIDS), which tragically kills about 2,300 babies a year. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/content\/140\/5\/e20171324\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one study<\/a> shows that even just two months of breastfeeding &mdash; whether exclusively or partially breastfeeding &mdash; cuts a baby&rsquo;s risk of SIDS in half.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helps protect preterm babies<\/h3><p>Breast milk is good for all babies, but plays a particularly helpful role in preterm babies. For instance, breast milk decreases the risk of a premature baby contracting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uptodate.com\/contents\/breastfeeding-the-preterm-infant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">necrotizing enterocolitis<\/a>, a serious and sometimes life-threatening infection premature babies are susceptible to.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-toc-id=\"dd51f304\">Why is breastfeeding important for babies?<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2><p>Breast milk offers excellent, balanced nutrition for your baby, which is why the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthychildren.org\/English\/ages-stages\/baby\/breastfeeding\/Pages\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Academy of American Pediatrics (AAP)<\/a> recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, when possible. But what really makes breast milk different from other foods is the way it benefits a baby&rsquo;s immune system.&nbsp;<\/p><p>&ldquo;Babies receive passive antibodies from the mother,&rdquo; explains <a href=\"https:\/\/pocketbridges.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Rachel Miller<\/a>, an OB\/GYN practicing in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. &ldquo;This helps develop the baby&rsquo;s immune system.&rdquo; Passive immunity is when someone receives immunity from elsewhere, rather than producing it themselves in reaction to a pathogen. In other words, breast milk offers your baby protection against viruses, bacteria and other threats, without them having to actually be sickened first.<\/p><p>This is important for infants, who are much more susceptible to severe disease than those of us who already have an established immune system. It&rsquo;s why doctors generally see fewer serious cases of respiratory illnesses and ear infections in breastfed babies, adds Miller. Additionally, these protections are especially important for vulnerable babies, such as babies who were born preterm or who have medical complications.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-toc-id=\"2bb2f62b\">Short- and long-term benefits of breastfeeding<\/h2><p>There are both short-term and long-term benefits of breastfeeding for babies, Miller explains. Many of the short-term benefits involve protection from common childhood viruses and diseases such as colds, RSV, whooping cough, pneumonia, ear infections and gastroenteritis.<\/p><p>Longer term benefits of breastfeeding for baby include protection from the following:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Type 2 diabetes.<\/li><li>Childhood obesity.<\/li><li>Allergies.<\/li><li>Childhood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma.<\/li><\/ul><p>Diamond points out that while these benefits should be celebrated, the association between breastfeeding and these outcomes isn&rsquo;t entirely clear. &ldquo;The data we have is correlations, and it&rsquo;s not clear exactly how much this is pure cause and effect,&rdquo; says Diamond. &ldquo;But there is definitely an association between breastfeeding and life-lasting health benefits.&rdquo;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-toc-id=\"eaa30629\">Supplementing breastfeeding: is partial breastfeeding beneficial?<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2><p>Breastfeeding can be extremely difficult sometimes. Many moms end up needing to supplement with formula due to issues like low milk supply or because they need to return to work and can&rsquo;t keep up with pumping.<\/p><p><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-care-com-resources wp-block-embed-care-com-resources\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"fiMGUgxQ4X\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/how-to-balance-breastfeeding-and-pumping\/\">How to combine breastfeeding and pumping: Tips to create a schedule that works<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&ldquo;How to combine breastfeeding and pumping: Tips to create a schedule that works&rdquo; &mdash; Care.com Resources\" src=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/how-to-balance-breastfeeding-and-pumping\/embed\/#?secret=9gfNWZpWl4#?secret=fiMGUgxQ4X\" data-secret=\"fiMGUgxQ4X\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/figure><p>Perhaps the most important thing to know about the benefits of breastfeeding is that any amount of breast milk you are able to provide for your baby counts. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tragic and common misconception that breastfeeding is all or none,&rdquo; says Diamond.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>&ldquo;There are plenty of reasons why introducing some amount of formula will be beneficial &hellip; and this does not take away from the awesome benefits of breast milk that you do end up giving your baby.&rdquo;<\/p><cite>&mdash; Dr. Rebekah Diamond, pediatric hospitalist and assistant professor of pediatrics<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure><p>Diamond says that breast milk has benefits for moms and babies, even in smaller amounts, and she urges moms not to compare themselves to other moms when it comes to how they feed their babies. And there are several great bottles for breastfed babies to supplement the nursing you continue to do.<\/p><p>&ldquo;There are plenty of reasons why introducing some amount of formula will be beneficial in the short or long term,&rdquo; she says, &ldquo;and this does not take away from the awesome benefits of breast milk that you do end up giving your baby.&rdquo;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-bottom-line-on-breastfeeding-benefits\" data-toc-id=\"d64a433a\">The bottom line on breastfeeding benefits<\/h2><p>Breastfeeding is amazingly beneficial for both moms and babies. But, in addition to understanding the benefits of breastfeeding, the biggest takeaway here for parents is that everyone is unique, says Javier, and it&rsquo;s important not to compare your breastfeeding experience to someone else&rsquo;s.&nbsp;<\/p><p>&ldquo;Every mother and baby&rsquo;s breastfeeding journey is different and comes with its own challenges, which is perfectly OK,&rdquo; she adds. The most important thing is doing what&rsquo;s best for your family and seeking support from doctors and lactation consultants when needed.<\/p><p>&ldquo;Your pediatrician wants to support you as best as they can, so I encourage families to have conversations with their doctors if they have any concerns along the way,&rdquo; Javier concludes.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;ve all heard it&#8217;s great for babies, but what are the benefits of breastfeeding for mom? Experts break down the serious perks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":979,"featured_media":55211,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"enable_toc":true,"care_reviewed_by":0,"care_post_updated_flag":false,"care_updated_date":"2026-05-05T14:18:25.225Z","last_update":"2024-08-22","view_count":754,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1057,1077],"member-type":[3],"vertical":[6,17,13],"platform":[2],"class_list":["post-55205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-babies","tag-new-parents","member-type-seeker","vertical-children","vertical-child-care-advice","vertical-kids-health-safety","platform-resources"],"acf":[],"created":"2021-11-16","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/979"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55205"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":227599,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55205\/revisions\/227599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55205"},{"taxonomy":"member-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/member-type?post=55205"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=55205"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=55205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}