Maternal Benefits of Breastfeeding

Did you know that women who breastfeed their children for more than six months reap a variety of long-term benefits?   First of all, exclusive breastfeeding reduces the incidence of some forms of breast and ovarian cancers.  It is also known to improve bone density over time by decreasing then increasing with each successive breastfeeding cycle.  The hormones relaxin and oxytocin, known as the “mothering hormones”, are released during feedings.  These “mothering hormones” allow us an easier adaptation to the challenges of early post-partum infant care, thus reducing the chances of severe post-partum blues.  Finally, on a lighter note, the act of producing breast milk alone burns more than 500 calories per day!  You can’t beat that as a great method of losing our baby weight!