Much is said about the indisputable benefits of breastfeeding for babies, from birth and throughout the duration of breastfeeding, both for its incomparable nutritional value and at the immune level, since it protects the baby from infections, as well as of course, the emotional value for both.
However, the health benefits of breastfeeding mothers are not as well known, as there are, and many. We tell you the advantages of breastfeeding your baby.
Oxytocin: the “love hormone”
The benefits of breastfeeding for mothers start from the first feeding thanks to oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone .”
“Oxytocin is a hormone that is released every time the baby sucks the nipple from where it travels to the mother’s and baby’s brain,” explains Montse Robles, lactation consultant and outreach officer for Medela, a Swiss company with more than 50 years of experience focusing her efforts on understanding the needs of mothers and the behavior of babies.
Oxytocin has multiple benefits for mothers, including the following:
Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother
1) Fewer symptoms of postpartum depression
Right after birth, skin-to-skin contact with the newborn causes an increase in the mother’s levels of oxytocin, known as “the love hormone” or “the caress hormone”.
Numerous studies have addressed the benefits of this hormone for mothers over time, among which its antidepressant effect stands out, since it has been shown that mothers with higher levels of oxytocin suffer fewer symptoms associated with anxiety and depression.
2) Reduce stress and improve blood pressure
In addition, while breastfeeding, this hormone helps the mother to have better basal, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and even increases the mother’s pain threshold, in addition to promoting a feeling of well-being.
3) Promotes the contraction of the uterus and prevents bleeding
Breastfeeding from the beginning helps the uterus contract more quickly. This facilitates the delivery of the placenta and prevents the mother from losing too much blood after delivery.
For this reason, early skin-to-skin contact with the baby as soon as it is born is very important to promote breastfeeding during the first hour after delivery, a sacred moment for mother and baby.
4) Prevents anemia
In the days after delivery, the oxytocin produced with breastfeeding decreases the chances of iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss.
5) Reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes
Breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes throughout life.
Women who breastfeed have a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes, hence the American Heart Association recommends maintaining breastfeeding until at least the baby’s first year , whenever possible, and taking into account that every six months the risk decreases a little more (from 3 to 4%).
6) Reduces the risk of cancer
Each extra month that you breastfeed will also reduce your risk of different types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, ovaries, and uterus.
7) Promote the bond with your baby
” T he increase in oxytocin levels that occur each time the mother breastfeeds also helps strengthen the bond with the baby,” says Montse Robles.
In this sense, scientists have associated higher levels of oxytocin with what they describe as “improved maternal behavior.” This guideline describes that there is a significant relationship between the mother’s intention to breastfeed before birth and the security of attachment between mother and baby .
Other benefits
But here the benefits do not end. Among other notable advantages, we can also mention that breastfeeding will help you save money, since for at least the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding your baby will not need anything else (until he starts complementary feeding); as well as to lose weight after pregnancy, by generating an extra caloric expenditure.
In Babies and more | Nine Golden Rules for Happy Breastfeeding, From a Lactation Consultant
