Tennova Healthcare Outlines the Benefits of Breastfeeding for Moms

8/14/2017

Health system marks National Breastfeeding Month

If you are considering nursing your baby—or you’re already a breastfeeding expert—you no doubt know about breast milk’s big benefits for your little one. But did you know nursing is good for moms, too? August is National Breastfeeding Month, and Tennova Healthcare is using the occasion to spread the word on the benefits of breastfeeding.

Clinical studies indicate that breastfeeding provides substantial benefits for nursing women far beyond emotional satisfaction, some which last decades after your child is weaned. In fact, organizations such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend that women breastfeed their babies for at least six months in order for both moms and children to receive the full health benefits.

“The benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond basic nutrition. Breast milk contains antibodies that help protect your baby against many health conditions, including stomach, chest and kidney infections, asthma, eczema, childhood obesity and diabetes,” said Brittany Stofko, D.O., an obstetrician and gynecologist with Tennova Healthcare.

Here are five good reasons why new moms should consider breastfeeding:

1. It speeds your recovery.
   “The hormone oxytocin, released during breastfeeding, helps your uterus contract—reducing postpartum blood loss,” Dr. Stofko said. “And nursing your baby will help your uterus return to its normal size more quickly—in about six weeks after delivery, compared with 10 weeks for those who don’t breastfeed.”
2. It makes it easier to lose weight.
   Breastfeeding burns about 500 calories a day. That’s like taking an hour-long Zumba class, or running up and down stairs for 40 minutes. Studies also indicate that nursing your baby for six months or more can help you lose deep abdominal fat, called visceral fat, which can develop during pregnancy.
3. It lowers your risk for diabetes.
   According to researchers, women who breastfeed for a full year are 24 to 44 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Another study shows that women with gestational diabetes who nursed their babies for at least two months cut their risk for developing diabetes in half.
4. It helps to protect you from certain types of cancer.
   Experts believe that women who nurse their babies have a lower risk for breast and ovarian cancers. In fact, one recent study found that breastfeeding reduced the risk of hormone receptor negative tumors—an aggressive form of breast cancer—by up to 20 percent.
   “Even breastfeeding for a brief period of time has been linked with reduced risk for hard-to-treat tumors, which are more common in younger women,” Dr. Stofko said. “Plus, breastfeeding may also reduce your baby’s risk for certain childhood cancers, such as leukemia.”
5. And it’s good for your heart.
   Breastfeeding reduces your risk for developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease, according to several clinical studies.

“Nursing releases calming hormones, such as oxytocin and prolactin, which allow you to relax and focus on your child,” Dr. Stofko said. “But those hormones also play a role in relaxing your blood vessels, which is good news for your long-term cardiovascular health.

“As wonderful as all of these things are, most mothers put the benefits for their babies at the top of their list of reasons to breastfeed,” Dr. Stofko said. “Breastfeeding fosters a unique emotional experience for nursing mothers and their children. It’s a special gift for both you and your baby.”

For more information or to find an obstetrician/gynecologist, call 1-855-TENNOVA (836-6682) or visit Tennova.com.

About Tennova Healthcare
One of the state’s largest health networks, Tennova Healthcare includes 16 hospitals and more than 115 physician clinics. The combined network has approximately 2,600 licensed beds, 2,800 physicians on the combined active medical staffs, and 9,000 employees, with more than 70,000 admissions and 465,000 emergency department visits each year.

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