Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the process of feeding an infant with milk from the breasts. All post-pregnancy female mammals, including humans, undergo lactation, the production of milk from the mammary glands to feed a newborn (Capuco & Akers, 2009). Breast milk is produced naturally under the control of hormones. Prolactin, a hormone produced in the pituitary gland, stimulates breast milk production after delivery, while oxytocin, another hormone, controls the flow of milk from the breasts in what is called the “let-down reflex” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2009b). Breast milk is recommended as the best source of nutrition for infants because it is safe and contains important nutrients necessary for infant growth and development. According to the World Health Organization (2023), close to a million lives of children under 5 years could be saved every year if all children were adequately breastfed.

Breastfeeding recommendations

Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged as essential for the health and development of infants, and adequate breastfeeding promotes healthy growth and protects infants from infections. The WHO (2023) also recommends the initiation of breastfeeding within one hour after delivery. Early initiation of breastfeeding after birth is associated with a reduced risk of infant mortality (Edmond et al., 2016).

The WHO (2023) recommends that infants be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months after birth. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also recommends exclusive breastfeeding of infants for approximately 6 months after birth (AAP, 2022; Meek & Noble, 2022). Exclusive breastfeeding means giving infants only breast milk, without any foods, liquids or water except for medication and certain nutrient supplements (WHO, 2009a). According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, infants fed only human milk or those receiving both human milk and infant formula should be given a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU per day starting soon after birth (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2020).

Mothers are encouraged to introduce appropriate complementary foods from the age of 6 months while continuing breastfeeding up to the age of 2 years or beyond for the best health outcomes in children (AAP, 2022; WHO, 2023).

Benefits of breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has enormous benefits for the baby, the mother, and the society:

• Nutritional benefits: Breast milk contains whey and casein proteins which provide important amino acids for growth and development. It contains lactose as the main carbohydrate and some oligosaccharides. Breast milk is also rich in lipids, vitamins, minerals, and water (WHO, 2009b). Water makes up almost 90% of breast milk and allows the suspension of nutrients and other milk components (Kim & Yi, 2020).
• Immunologic benefits: Breast milk contains important immune components that protect infants from infections including secretory immunoglobins IgA, IgG, IgM, white blood cells, proteins, and enzymes. Colostrum, the thick, yellow milk produced during the first few days after delivery is particularly rich in these immune-boosting components that strengthen the baby’s immune system (Kim, 2021).
• Chronic disease prevention: Breastfed babies are less likely to become overweight, obese, or develop diabetes later in life compared to non-breastfed babies (WHO, 2023).
• Cognitive benefits: Exclusive breastfeeding is associated with good cognitive and behavioral outcomes in children (Couto et al., 2020). Breastfed children perform better in cognitive tests and reach developmental milestones faster than non-breastfed babies (Jeong et al., 2018).
• Maternal benefits: Breastfeeding decreases the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other chronic conditions in mothers (Westerfield et al., 2018). Oxytocin, a hormone released during lactation relieves maternal pain, reduces postpartum depression and promotes recovery from labor. Lactation also serves as a natural form of birth control by suppressing the hormones responsible for ovulation (Del Ciampo & Del Ciampo, 2018).
• Socio-economic benefits: The positive health outcomes due to breastfeeding can reduce medical costs for families and the healthcare system in general (Quesada et al., 2020). Low breastfeeding rates contribute over $3 billion a year to the United States healthcare expenditure for both mothers and babies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023).

Addressing barriers to effective breastfeeding

Some conditions can make breastfeeding challenging for mothers and babies. However, some measures can be taken to address these barriers and encourage breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding barriers	Measures to address barriers
Breast pathology, including inverted nipples, sore nipples, engorged breasts, and mastitis	Work with a healthcare provider and/or a lactation consultant to treat underlying medical conditions or infections
Maternal depression	Counseling and mental health support for breastfeeding mothers
Improper latching	Education on proper latching and positioning for breastfeeding
Tongue tie and cleft palate	Medical treatment of the underlying medical condition Expression of breast milk to feed babies
Lack of maternal support system	Encourage family and social support for breastfeeding mothers. For example, through breastfeeding support groups, partner and family education, and outreach programs

(Modak et al., 2023)

Breastfeeding promotes healthy growth and development in babies and provides important health benefits to mothers. Breastfeeding helps to achieve the broader health goals of society and mothers should be given all the support they need to breastfeed adequately.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Newborn and Infant Breastfeeding. AAP. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/newborn-and-infant-nutrition/newborn-and-infant-breastfeeding/?srsltid=AfmBOoo3TffNRSuLQyCTAY8WrNFCETvNxLKJKnZO4wFZ7eat9lhCCfWo

Capuco, A. V, & Akers, R. M. (2009). The origin and evolution of lactation. Journal of Biology, 8(4), 37. https://doi.org/10.1186/jbiol139

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). About Breastfeeding. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/php/about/index.html#:~:text=Only 1 in 4 infants are exclusively breastfed as recommended,the national average of 83%25.

Couto, G., Pessoa, U. F., & Oliveira, I. (2020). Benefits of exclusive breastfeeding: An integrative review. Nursing Practice Today, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.18502/npt.v7i4.4034

Del Ciampo, L. A., & Del Ciampo, I. R. L. (2018). Breastfeeding and the benefits of lactation for women’s health. Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetricia : Revista Da Federacao Brasileira  Das Sociedades de Ginecologia e Obstetricia, 40(6), 354–359. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1657766

Edmond, K., Newton, S., Hurt, L., & Shannon, C. (2016). Timing of initiation, patterns of breastfeeding, and infant survival: prospective analysis of pooled data from three randomized trials. The Lancet Global Health, 4(4), e266–e275. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(16)00040-1

Jeong, H., Kyoung, S., & Ra, M. (2018). The relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and infant development: A 6- to 12-month follow-up. Early Human Development, 127, 42–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.08.011

Kim, S. Y., & Yi, D. Y. (2020). Components of human breast milk: from macronutrient to microbiome and microRNA. Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics, 63(8), 301–309. https://doi.org/10.3345/cep.2020.00059

Kim, Y. J. (2021). Immunomodulatory effects of human colostrum and milk. Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, 24(4), 337–345. https://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2021.24.4.337

Meek, J. Y., & Noble, L. (2022). Policy statement: Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics, 150(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-057988

Modak, A., Ronghe, V., & Gomase, K. P. (2023). The psychological benefits of breastfeeding: Fostering maternal well-being and child development. Cureus, 15(10). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.46730

Quesada, J. A., Méndez, I., & Martín-Gil, R. (2020). The economic benefits of increasing breastfeeding rates in Spain. International Breastfeeding Journal, 15(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-020-00277-w

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2020). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

Westerfield, K. L., Koenig, K., & Oh, R. (2018). Breastfeeding: Common questions and answers. American Family Physician, 98(6), 368–373. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30215910/

World Health Organization. (2023). Infant and young child feeding. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infant-and-young-child-feeding

World Health Organization. (2009a). Infant and Young Child Feeding: Model Chapter for Textbooks for Medical Students and Allied Health Professionals. WHO.

World Health Organization. (2009b). The physiological basis of breastfeeding. In Infant and young child feeding: model chapter for textbooks for medical students and allied health professionals. WHO.

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