Breastfeeding is good for babies, but did you know it is good for moms too? Yes, what is good for the baby is also good for the mother. So, don’t toss the nursing bra just yet and reach for a nursing bottle. Follow nature’s lead and experience the benefits of breastfeeding.
Reduces risk too cardiovascular disease
A study of data by University of Pittsburgh professor Eleanor Schwarz from over 139,000 post-menopausal women in the US showed that those who breastfed for less than 12 months during their reproductive years had a 42.1 percent risk of developing cardiovascular disease, while those who did only had 38.6 chance.
Mobilized mother’s fat
During pregnancy, a woman’s figure changes considerably. Fat accumulates in her thighs and midsection to help nourish the developing fetus. Nursing can help break down some of the fat, helping mothers lose weight faster and regain their original figure.
Minimizes cancer risk
This is perhaps the most beneficial effects of breastfeeding. An analysis of 60,000 women published in 2009 in the Archives of Internal Medicine by Alison Stuebe, assistant professor in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, revealed that breastfeeding can decrease one’s risk of getting breast cancer. The same is observed among mothers who had taken medication to suppress lactation, suggesting that a breast engorged with milk that is not expressed could increase the chances of breast cancer.
Promotes birth spacing
Breastfeeding is the most effective and natural way of child spacing. The hormones that make milk suppress the release of reproductive hormones. Most mothers who are nursing full-time tend generally don’t ovulate and don’t have menstrual period for some time. It is like the body’s way of telling moms, “Nourishing your baby is what your body can handle right now. It’s too soon to get pregnant.”
