10 Reasons Breastfeeding Is Awesome
Here's why “breast is best.”
1 / 11
Got Milk? - Everyone has heard the saying “breast is best,” but do you know why? This National Breastfeeding Month we look at the reasons breastfeeding rocks — for you and your little one. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel (Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)
2 / 11
It Helps You Bond - Nursing and oxytocin go hand in hand, and that fab hormone helps you fall in love with the wrinkly new person who seems to relish jacking up your sleep. Bonus: oxytocin also helps your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size more quickly. (Photo: Nicole Hill/Rubberball/Corbis)
3 / 11
You’ll Drop the Baby Fat Faster - On average, breastfeeding burns 500 calories per day. If you maintain a healthy diet, you can drop the weight you gained during pregnancy without depriving yourself. In fact, studies show that women who exclusively breastfeed for three months lose more weight than those who don’t. (Photo: John Henley/CORBIS)
4 / 11
Your Baby Will Be Healthier - Breast milk boosts your little one’s immune system and provides protection from the ickies. And girls who are given formula have a greater chance of developing breast cancer as adults than those who had breast milk, even for a little while. Plus, breast milk is linked to lower risk of SIDS and obesity and slashes your child’s chances of developing allergies, asthma, ear infections and much more. (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)
5 / 11
Your Little Person Will Thrive - There are some great baby formulas out there, but none of them is quite the same as your breast milk. The stuff that comes out of your boobs is customized to give your baby exactly what he or she needs at any given moment, with the perfect amount of vitamins, protein, carbs and fat, today, tomorrow and 12 months from now. (Photo: Chad Johnston/Masterfile/Corbis)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 11
You’ll Save Money - Boob milk costs you nothing! On the flip side, formula will run you, on average, $800 a year. Plus, because breastfed babies tend to be healthier, you’ll save on medical bills, too. (Photo: Jamie Grill/Tetra Images/Corbis)
7 / 11
You Will Be Healthier - Nursing lowers your chances of breast cancer, and the longer you do it, the more your risk drops. This protection is boosted even more for women who breastfeed young. Nursing also drops your chances of developing osteoporosis in your old age. (Photo: Hero Images/Hero Images Inc./Hero Images/Corbis)
8 / 11
You’ll Save Time - When your baby is howling with hunger, would you rather be able to pop your breast in her mouth or have to go make a bottle? Bonus: You’ll have tons of space in your bag if you can leave bottles on the shelf. (Photo: Grant Difford/Great Stock/Corbis)
9 / 11
Your Kid Will Be a More Adventurous Eater - The taste of breast milk varies based on what you eat. Experts say that tasting those different flavors as an infant will make your little one more accepting of solid foods. (Photo: Mike Kemp/Blend Images/Corbis)
Photo By Photo: Mike Kemp/Blend Images/Corbis
10 / 11
Your Kid Will Be Smarter - Research shows that the longer you breastfeed your baby, the higher her IQ, the farther she’ll go with her education, and the better her grades. (Photo: Kevin Dodge/Corbis)
