Benefits of Breastfeeding (Chestfeeding)

Breastfeeding (also called chestfeeding) is the healthiest way to feed most infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding as the sole source of nutrition for your baby for their first 6 months. About 1 in 4 infants in the United States is exclusively breastfed until they are 6 months old (well below the national target of 43%), and you’re encouraged to continue nursing for as long as both you and your baby desire it.

Amelia Henning, CNM, MSN, IBCLC, a Mass General Brigham certified nurse-midwife, reviews how breastfeeding improves the health of both the infant and the breastfeeding parent, provides tips on how you can get ready to breastfeed before you give birth, and shares ways your health care team can support you if you anticipate or experience challenges. Henning is director of the Breastfeeding & Lactation Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“Breastfeeding has many benefits for both you and your baby, but sometimes it can be challenging,” Henning says. “We provide education, resources, and care throughout pregnancy and after delivery to help you meet your infant feeding goals. Our team of nurses and lactation consultants supports patients with latching, positioning, hand expression, and pumping throughout your postpartum stay. After discharge, we offer a virtual support group, as well as appointments in the clinic to help you navigate concerns or complications that arise with breastfeeding.”

Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding benefits for baby

Here are some of the ways breast milk improves health for babies:

Breast milk provides nutrition for healthy development.

Human milk supports your baby’s brain development and growth by giving your baby all of the nutrients, calories, and fluids they need—and it changes to meet your baby’s needs as they get older. Human milk is also easy for your baby to digest. Your baby additionally gets a consistent supply of living nutrients, including probiotics, from breast milk and this helps strengthen their gut microbiome.

Breast milk boosts immunity.

Following birth, nursing allows you to continue providing your baby with the healthy antibodies they received in the womb during pregnancy, and even more. We are learning more every day about how breastfeeding improves gut health, and how this relates to many other diseases. These antibodies help protect your baby from serious health conditions, both while they are nursing and later on in childhood.

Breast milk helps reduce risk of health conditions.

Breastfed infants are less likely to develop the following conditions compared to babies who aren’t breastfed:

• Asthma
  
• Eczema
  
• Severe lower respiratory disease
  
• Obesity
  
• Type 1 diabetes
  
• Ear infections
  
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other causes of newborn death
  
• Gastrointestinal infections, which can cause diarrhea and vomiting
  
• Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This is death of intestinal tissue in newborn babies. It can happen in babies who are already sick, or in babies born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy).
  
• Leukemia and lymphoma. These two types of blood cancer are linked to problems with a child's immune system, which may be why breastfeeding can help reduce a baby’s risk of developing these conditions.
  

Breastfeeding benefits for lactating parents

Breastfeeding/lactating parents experience some advantages compared to using formula. These include:

Breastfeeding can help ease your recovery from childbirth.

During breastfeeding, your body releases hormones that help your uterus shrink back to its regular size more quickly. This can help reduce your risk of postpartum bleeding.

Breastfeeding or chestfeeding can help reduce your risk of:

• High blood pressure
• Future heart problems (coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke)
  
• Type 2 diabetes
  
• Ovarian cancer
  
• Breast cancer

Breastfeeding can help save money and time.

Breastfeeding/lactating isn’t exactly “free,” when you consider the time and energy you put it into it, but it is an investment in your baby and your future self. And there are some economical benefits to consider. You don’t need to purchase breast milk or spend time preparing it for your baby. You can feed on demand as needed. You may want to purchase a breast pump to make feeding more convenient, especially if you return to work or need flexibility. Insurance plans often reimburse you for the cost of buying or renting a pump and it’s less costly than formula.

Breastfeeding also enables you to feed your baby easily on the go or in other environments, without needing to bring along bottles or formula. There are some advantages for the environment, too, as you don’t need to wash bottles or throw away formula containers. And by reducing the risk of many common and chronic diseases, breastfeeding saves money on a large scale.

Bonding is a breastfeeding benefit for both parents and babies.

“The skin-to-skin contact of nursing helps you and your baby bond. It triggers the release of a hormone called oxytocin that’s linked to positive feelings of calmness and empathy that can help with bonding,” explains Henning. “Your familiar scent, the sound of your heartbeat, and your milk also work together to comfort your baby during feedings.”

Lactation support

“You and your baby may find breastfeeding goes smoothly, but it’s normal to need some time and support to adapt,” Henning says. “We can help you learn about breastfeeding positions to latch comfortably, and techniques to help with common challenges like milk supply concerns and sore nipples.”

Working together with your team of breastfeeding and lactation experts, you can optimize your chances of having a positive experience with breastfeeding.