Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom

Almost everyone agrees that breastfeeding is a valuable part of the motherhood journey. It creates a strong bond between parent and child, ensures proper nourishment for infants, and gives children a healthy foundation for life. In fact, breastfeeding has some truly amazing benefits for your child: it’s associated with lower rates of obesity,  improvements in gut bacteria,  and immune function, healthy organ development, and lower rates of SIDS,  just to name a few. Bonus: breastfeeding also has some major benefits for moms, as well. If you need some encouragement to stay the course—below are some of the most incredible ways breastfeeding can benefit nursing parents: 

It increases oxytocin production: Breastfeeding has been linked to increased levels of oxytocin—a so-called “feel good hormone”—in both moms and babies, which also happens to promote a feeling of bonding between parent and child. Oxytocin levels can also increase via skin-to-skin contact even when you’re not nursing—something that can be achieved by wearing your baby in a carrier, like the ultra-comfortable, supportive, and nursing-friendly Moby Easy Wrap. 

It helps you bond with the baby: According to a research article published in the journal Nutrients, breastfeeding can help not only foster bonding between parent and child in the early stages of life, but may also protect against children internalizing problems in the future. One of the easiest ways to support your breastfeeding journey, either at home or on the go, is with a nursing-friendly baby carrier, like the Moby Classic Wrap, which makes it easy to reposition your baby to nurse without ever having to unstrap them. 

It promotes better sleep: Sleep is an undeniably precious commodity when you’re a parent—and luckily, breastfeeding can help you get more of it. In fact, according to a 2022 review published in the Journal of Sleep Research, breastfeeding mothers enjoyed significantly more sleep on an average night than their non-nursing counterparts. 

It may reduce your risk of certain cancers: If you want to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer, breastfeeding your baby may be a good place to start. A 2023 review published in the journal Cancer Medicine reports that for each 12-month period of breastfeeding, a mom’s risk of breast cancer can drop by as much as 7%. 

It burns calories: According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), breastfeeding burns an average of 450 to 500 calories a day. 

Breastfeeding is mutually beneficial for both Mom and baby, and creates an amazing lifetime bond that is invaluable. 

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