8 Ways that Breastfeeding Benefits the Mother

You've heard about the many benefits that breastmilk provides to a baby. But did you know that breastfeeding is actually good for the mother too? Here are some of the top ways that breastfeeding benefits a mother.

Breastfeeding benefit #1: Burning calories
Breastfeeding can burn up to 500 calories a day, which can help you lose those extra pregnancy pounds. Who wouldn't love that? Be careful though: it's not safe for you or your baby to lose much more than a pound a week. So don't diet; just eat healthy.

Breastfeeding benefit #2: Getting back your pre-baby tummy
Nursing stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin. In the first few days of nursing, this oxytocin causes uterine contractions that help shrink the uterus back to its pre-pregnancy size. If a woman does not breastfeed, her uterus will remain slightly larger than it was before pregnancy.

Breastfeeding benefit #3: Helps prevent post-partum hemorrhaging
Those uterine contractions also serve to slow the bleeding after delivery. The brain sends signals to the body to shut down blood supply to the vessels that nourished the growing baby, preventing hemorrhage. Mothers who don't breastfeed must be given artificial oxytocin to avoid excessive hemorrhage.

Breastfeeding benefit #4: Rest and relaxation
Nursing requires a mother to take the time to sit down and feed her child. This is especially important for new mothers, who need to take it easy. For a mom who doesn't use bottles, it is impossible to have Daddy or someone else feed the baby while she does housework. It forces the mother to get some much-needed rest. And each time a mother nurses her child, that same oxytocin that helped get her tummy back into shape will also help her relax. Oxytocin decreases blood pressure and has a calming effect, often to the point of putting the mother to sleep.

Breastfeeding benefit #5: Reduced risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer
Studies have shown that the risk of developing breast cancer can be reduced by almost 50% in breastfeeding mothers. Breastfeeding for 12 to 24 consecutive months can reduce your risk of developing uterine cancer by almost one third.

Breastfeeding benefit #6: Lowers risk of osteoporosis
The risk of developing osteoporosis is 4 times higher for a mother who bottle feeds than for a mother who breastfeeds.

Breastfeeding benefit #7: Delayed return of fertility (no periods!)
Many nursing moms don't begin to ovulate again for the entire time that their child is exclusively breastfed. Still others find that their period stays away even longer. I once knew a woman who, between pregnancy and nursing, hadn't had a period in 39 months. But if you want to wait to have another child, breastfeeding should not be your only form of birth control. That same woman who hadn't had a period in 39 months also got pregnant while nursing her first child, and she hadn't had a period yet. You can get pregnant during that first cycle before the return of your period. Use a backup method to be on the safe side.

Breastfeeding benefit #8: Breastmilk is free and convenient
No formula to buy and mix, no bottles to wash, no need to warm a bottle in the middle of the night. Breastmilk is always available at just the right temperature, and you don't have to worry about always having clean water to mix up a bottle, or making sure you have enough formula on hand to get you through the holiday weekend. Nighttime feedings are a breeze with breastfeeding - no need to fumble around trying to mix and warm a bottle while your baby cries in hunger.

There are numerous other ways that breastfeeding benefits the mother - these are just a few examples. So if you're pregnant, or even just thinking about having a baby sometime in the future, consider breastfeeding. Your baby will be healthier and happier, and so will you!