Top Health Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom & Baby: Why Breast Milk is the Best Start

In this blog post, I’ll be sharing the top 10 health benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby. But before we jump into the details, please know this. Every mom’s journey looks different. No matter how you choose to feed your baby, you’re doing an incredible job.

Before Karter was born, I knew I wanted to breastfeed for the health benefits for both him and I. But truthfully, I didn’t know just how much research would go into understanding how to check for high lipase content, or how to get into an oversupply without developing negative side effects (hello clogged ducts and engorgement). So, I wanted to make it easier for all new moms out there who wanted to breastfeed as well. Be sure to review each blog post for the information you’ll want to know when beginning your journey. 🤍

10 Health Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breast milk is considered liquid gold, for good reasons. It’s packed with macronutrients, micronutrients, antibodies, and hormones that provide the essential nutrients for your baby’s development.

Health Benefits for Your Little One

1. Provides optimal nutrition. Your breast milk goes through three stages – colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk. Each stage will provide your baby with exactly what they need at that point in time. What’s really amazing is that breast milk will change it’s nutrient composition based on what the baby needs. For example, I came down with the flu when Karter was around 5 months old. My body produced antibodies which were then passed through my milk, to prevent Karter from getting ill. It’s incredible how brilliant our bodies truly are!
2. Strengthens the immune system. Breast milk contains antibodies, immune cells, and probiotics that help to build a healthy gut microbiome and boost your baby’s immune system.
3. Reduces the risk for certain diseases. Current research indicates that babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of developing respiratory infections, ear infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), child obesity, eczema, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and celiac disease.
4. Supports brain development. New research shows that breastfeeding promotes positive brain and body development 10 years into childhood. Amazing!
5. Promotes better sleep. Breast milk contains hormones and nutrients that help your baby develop their circadian rhythm, while regulating sleep patterns.

Health Benefits for YOU

1. Aids in postpartum recovery. Breastfeeding promotes oxytocin, helping to contract your uterus back to normal size and reducing vaginal bleeding during the fourth trimester.
2. Lowers the risk of certain cancers and health concerns. Continued breastfeeding up to 1-2 years has shown to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
3. Promotes emotional well-being. Breastfeeding allows you to bond with your baby, while establishing trust within your baby’s cues.
4. Supports weight management. Breastfeeding uses fat cells stored in your body during pregnancy, and from your diet, to create milk. It’s recommended to eat an additional 300 to 500 calories a day to ensure you keep your milk supply and energy levels steady.
5. Strengthens bone health. Studies show that breastfed mothers tend have greater bone size and strength later in life.

If the mother is consuming a well balanced diet, this will carry over into her breast milk composition. Therefore, it’s even more crucial to be consuming a nutrient dense diet when breastfeeding. Ultimately, you’re still growing your baby, they’re just outside the womb now. I created Eat Well as a guide to help ease the confusion around what to eat. 🤍

Practical Tips For A Positive Experience with Breastfeeding

I highly recommend visiting with a lactation consultant. They will be there to assist in learning different positions for feeding, while correctly sizing you for your flange size. We stayed two days in the hospital when Karter was born, spending quite a bit of time with our lactation consultant. This helped tremendously when we got back home! Next, I would recommend checking for high lipase in your milk. This can prevent any concerns in the future. Lastly, if you’re interested in learning about how to get into oversupply, you can read my blog post here. And remember, always be sure to speak with your doctor to ensure you’re doing what’s best for you and your baby.

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If you learned anything from this post, I would love if you saved this on Pinterest, or shared it with a new mom who’s preparing to begin her breastfeeding journey. 🤍

Sources

New research traces breastfeeding benefits 10 years into childhood. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. (2024a, July 18). https://www.chla.org/blog/research-and-breakthroughs/new-research-traces-breastfeeding-benefits-10-years-childhood

New research traces breastfeeding benefits 10 years into childhood. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. (2024b, July 18). https://www.chla.org/blog/research-and-breakthroughs/new-research-traces-breastfeeding-benefits-10-years-childhood

The phases of breast milk. WIC Breastfeeding Support – U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/phases-breast-milk

professional, C. C. medical. (2025, March 19). Why breastfeed? let us count the reasons. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15274-benefits-of-breastfeeding

Salari, P., & Abdollahi, M. (2014, December). The influence of pregnancy and lactation on Maternal Bone Health: A systematic review. Journal of family & reproductive health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4266784/

Wisner, W. (2022, April 8). Does breast milk change when your baby is sick?. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/does-breast-milk-change-when-baby-is-sick