25+ Amazing Breastfeeding Benefits for Baby
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Breastmilk is well known to be the best food for infants, but did you know that there are many other benefits of breastfeeding for babies beyond just good nutrition?
It's true. In fact, the benefits are not simply impressive — they're truly miraculous.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding for six months at least. After reading this list of how breastfeeding benefits babies, you'll likely wonder why their recommendation isn't longer than that.
Following is a seriously impressive list of the many ways that breastfeeding benefits baby — not only in infancy, but for years to come. And while this list is truly amazing, there are also many phenomenal breastfeeding benefits for mom as well.
Yes, breastfeeding isn't always easy, but this will surely encourage any mom to do her best to nurse her baby as long as possible.
25+ Benefits of Breastfeeding for Babies
Breastfeeding Literally Saves Babies' Lives
It's been estimated that if breastfeeding were happening at nearly universal levels, about 820,000 children’s lives would be saved every year. Enough said, right?
Meets Child's Emotional Needs
God made it so that a baby will want his mother. When baby is hurt, upset, etc., the little one wants mama. There are many studies showing babies need lots of touch. In my opinion, the best relief comes when the child is reconnected to his mother the way he was just after birth. Nursing mom is a real anchor for the child's soul.
Nourishment When Sick
When little ones are sick, they often don't want to eat.
However, babies will typically want comfort from mom in the form of breastfeeding. Baby will come for comfort and the milk follows, giving baby nutrition and fluids, which can help baby get better faster. It also prevents dehydration in the case of a fever.
I remember being so thankful that I knew my babies were hydrated whenever they had a fever, thanks to them being breastfed.
Less Chance of Multiple Sclerosis
It appears that babies who were breastfed at least 4 months have less of a chance of getting MS than those were not.
Recovers from Illness More Quickly
All babies can get ill, but according to Professor Peter Hartmann of the University of Western Australia, who is an internationally renowned expert on lactation and breastfeeding, “If a baby gets an illness, or his mother does, the protective components in her milk tend to increase,” and “A breastfed baby is likely to recover faster than a formula-fed baby because the mother’s body will produce specific antibodies against whatever infection he’s picked up”.
Higher IQ
There are other articles stating that the reason breastfed babies have a higher IQ is due to breastfeeding mothers having a higher IQ. However, this study made statistical adjustments for mother's IQs and still showed a clear benefit for breastfed babies.
Breastfeeding May Help Prevent Crohn's Disease
It makes sense that providing baby with the ultimate nutrition early on would provide benefits to gut health that would prevent this illness.
Helps Prevent Jaundice
Colostrum, the baby's first milk, acts as a laxative and helps clear the infant's intestines, therefore decreasing the chances of jaundice.
Helps Treat Jaundice
Since frequent stooling reduce bilirubin levels, frequent nursing is recommended for jaundiced babies.
Might Prevent Autism
Autism is growing exponentially, but according to this Japanese study, breastfeeding might protect baby from developing this.
Prevents Infections from Formula
Breastmilk helps infants avoid infections since formula can easily be contaminated.
Prevents Infections from Environment
Breastmilk protects infants from infections since breastmilk contains antibodies against pathogens in the baby's surroundings.
Provides Superior Nutritional Benefits
Breastmilk is more than food — it is a combination of antibodies, enzymes, long-chain fatty acids and hormones, many of which cannot be included in the formula.
Breastmilk Is Linked to Reduced Cases of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
SIDS is a truly horrifying situation that no parent wants to face. As it turns out, breastfeeding is linked to fewer cases.
Breastmilk Prevents Urinary Tract Infections
Breastfed infants have fewer incidences of urinary tract infections than their non-breastfed counterparts.
Breastfeeding Increases Fibronectin
Fibronectin is an important glycoprotein that has many beneficial functions in the human body. Breastfed babies may have more of this glycoprotein than non-breastfed babies.
Breastfeeding Plays a Role in Proper Palate Development
The mechanism of breastfeeding helps baby's palate develop properly, which has many benefits for breathing, overall dental health, and more.
Breastfeeding Might Prevent Near-sightedness
Though this isn't completely verified, it seems that breastfeeding might prevent the development of near-sightedness.
Breastfeeding Encourages a Healthy Digestive System
Since breastmilk is more easily digested than manmade formulas, it encourages the development of a healthy digestive system.
Breastfeeding Might Reduce Pain
Whether breastfeeding reduces pain or has some other mechanism of action, this study shows that infants react with less distress during vaccinations when breastfed before and after.
Breastfeeding Reduces the Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
While there might be additional reasons for this, the physical act of breastfeeding provides for optimal development of the dental arches, which in turn reduces the risk of obstructive sleep apnea developing later in life.
Reduces HIV Transmission and Increases HIV-free Survival
Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of HIV transmission and increases HIV-free survival.
Breastmilk Is Custom Nutrition
Formula doesn't change, however, breastmilk continually changes to meet your child's needs at every age.
Breastfed Children Show Greater Motor Activity
Compared with non-breastfed babies, breastfed babies show greater motor activity.
Breastfeeding Associated with Enhanced Stereoscopic Vision
Stereoacuity is the ability to distinguish distance between two objects, and breastfeeding is associated with this enhanced stereoscopic vision at age 3.5 years.
American Academy of Pediatrics and WHO (The World Health Organization) Recommended
Both of these organizations recommend breastfeeding to age two and beyond. Though this “benefit” is more of a “because they said so” reason, the statement is really fascinating, so I wanted to include it.
As you can see, breastfeeding is for sure best for baby.
I'd love to hear — how long did you breastfeed your babies for and how long were you breastfed for?
Did you notice any patterns in your family to back up the information in this post?
Great post! About jaundice, I think it’s crucial for expectant parents to know that a mother with blood type O is more likely to have a baby with jaundice. I am Type O, but I swear my midwife never mentioned this, and neither did any of the several books about pregnancy and baby care that I read!! My son was fine after treatment, but it would have been nice to be prepared for the possibility of jaundice. I guess I thought it was caused by malnourishment or something and wouldn’t happen to my baby.
I breastfed my son past 2 years old even though I went back to work outside the home when he was only 12 weeks old. Breastfeeding is a GREAT way to maintain a bond between mom and baby despite being separated on a regular basis. Here’s my advice on breastfeeding while working outside the home.
Thanks for the info!
Re point #1: I did a research paper on this once. Learned that a newborn can see to about 7 inches; the same distance between a mother’s face and her breast. How beautiful!
I think that would lead to visual development of the baby as well, don’t you think?
Without a doubt. Certainly imprinting is key. Harder to hold a baby that exact distance with bottle feeding. (I’ve tried.)
I am still nursing my 4th child who turned 3 y.o last February. I never thought I would nurse this long but I am enjoying it and i have noticed she hasn’t been as sick as the others who nursed up to 2 y.o.
A few weeks ago I noticed she had an inflamed gum because something got caught between 2 teeth. I got the inflicting piece of food out and rinsed her mouth. She nursed as usual before going to sleep. The next morning the inflammation was gone!
I am continually amazed at what breastmilk can do. Dr’s online recommended using it for pink eye and ear infections. Just amazing.
On your comment about the proper perspective on women’s bodies: My oldest baby will turn 40 this year. I was in a bedroom feeding him when his great-grandfather started chatting with me. He said he didn’t understand the fuss over seeing someone nurse. When he was a boy women didn’t show their ankles in public, but didn’t think anything about breastfeeding in church! Loved and have shared that perspective many times as a childbirth educator.
There wasn’t support for breastfeeding and I stopped with that child at 6 weeks. He was allergic to milk. His brothers nursed to 18 and 24 months.
Wow – great story. Thanks for sharing!
I learned something awesome about breastfeeding at my hospitol childbirth class… when your baby latches on your body reacts as if you and your baby are one.. so when they are sick and latch on, your body treats them as it would you and gives them a perfect healing and whole dose of antibiotics if you have already had the illness or it makes them antibodies if you have not… illness made simple. perfect ” you dont have to worry with age and weight measuring” dose and perfect “you dont have to count hours” daily dosages… what a life and time saver.. lol
Thank you for mentioning that.
The only part of this I don’t like is your title. Breastfeeding is the biological norm, not the best, artificial feeding is substandard by definition. (update – blog owner removed dead link)
While I think that mothers nutrition is very important, I support education on nutrition over the automatic jump that a mother who doesn’t have a perfect diet should use a homemade raw formula as promoted by some is wrong.
It only makes sense that nutrition affects breastmilk. Its why I choose raw milk from grass-fed cows, meat and eggs from pastured animals. What goes in creates what comes out.
Megan, after reading the article it seems that the author thinks it’s a problem to say “breast is best” because it might make mothers who can’t breastfeed feel guilty, right? I hear that, but I still think we need to say what is the best choice. It’s kind of like this–if I put out there that “this kind of diet is the best kind of diet for you to eat” but a mother, for whatever reason (convenience, cost, or other reason) can’t or doesn’t choose to do that, she can still know that she is doing the “best” that she can at that moment. I think to just call breastfeeding a biological norm doesn’t buck against the culture that basically has been saying “give the kid a bottle” since when I was born.
Just my thoughts, but I really appreciate your chiming in.
I breastfed baby 1 & 4 for 17 mths. Baby 2 & 4 for 2.5 years. I can say it was great to have that closeness with them. And when they seemed to be coming down with something I would stack my milk by downing extra vitamins and minerals.
I am long past this stage now, but am thankful that God brought women of encouragement into my life. No one in my family ever breastfed at all.
Thanks for sharing. I was barely breastfed. So glad I was able to.
Oh, how I wish I could have breastfed my two little ones. It wasn’t that I didn’t try. I did! But, my milk never came in – never was engorged, my son went jaundice and screamed everytime I “fed” him – we did the pump and turned out I never had any milk. I was a VERY disappointed and upset Momma. My daughter I started pumping right from the start and probably produced less than an ounce – pumping every three hours. It was exhausting. My mother had the same problem as I did. But, I’m very happy for Momma’s who DO nurse. I know I would have loved it.
Becky B.
Wow – no milk, Becky? That is really hard. I can only imagine how hard that must have been for you. I had tons of breastfeeding trials but that would have been much more difficult. But from reading your posts I admire what a great mom you are. Thanks for sharing.
Great post! Very informative, very helpful.
Thank you :).
“24. More Appropriate Perception of Women’s Bodies”
I have never thought of that, but, in my opinion, it’s a very.good.point! Thank you, Adrienne!
Thanks, Victoria. I am amazed thinking of how women dressed in super skimpy outfits are considered to be appropriate, but breastfeeding is regarded as indecent. Maybe I need to add that to the post :).