While it has become fairly well known that breast-feeding is good for infant health, scientists are now discovering it may actually be good for maternal health as well. Studies recently published in the Annals of Oncology and Annals of Internal Medicine have found that breast-feeding has various health benefits for mothers. These benefits include reducing the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type II diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, resets metabolism, and reduces blood pressure.
They found that breast-feeding reduced the risk of developing a highly aggressive form of breast cancer, hormone receptor negative tumors. The studies also found that breast-feeding helped protect the mother from ovarian cancer. Dr. Marisa Weiss stated that breast feeding helps the breasts mature, making them more resistant to developing cancer.
In the Annals of Internal Medicine, they published studies that showed that breast-feeding helped restore a mother's metabolism and heart health. While breast-feeding did not cause weight loss, it did improve glucose metabolism and the mother's sensitivity to insulin, increased lipid metabolism, burn more calories and use fat stores. the more a mother breast-fed, the more reduction in risk of diabetes. They found that even a little bit of breast-feeding was beneficial to maternal health, but As a result, mothers who breast-fed for 10 months had a reduction in the risk of diabetes by 60% in 2 years.
These results show that breast-feeding may be an important component to the health of a mother after she has given birth as it matures the breasts and resets a mother's metabolism.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/23/breast-feeding-is-good-for-mothers-not-just-babies/?ribbon-ad-idx=26&rref=health&module=Ribbon&version=origin®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Health&pgtype=article
The benefits to both mother and child make it seem like such a no-brainer to breastfeed. However, I do understand that there are certain circumstances where this is not possible. I wonder if there are any ways to mimic breastfeeding that would still allow the mother to gain the same benefits as if she were actually able to nurse (maybe using a breast pump, regardless of milk production)?
ReplyDeleteThere are many interesting documentaries I have seen on Netflix that address the topic of breastfeeding and breastmilk which are also fascinating. I recommend anyone do a search for some if they are interested!
The benefits to both mother and child make it seem like such a no-brainer to breastfeed. However, I do understand that there are certain circumstances where this is not possible. I wonder if there are any ways to mimic breastfeeding that would still allow the mother to gain the same benefits as if she were actually able to nurse (maybe using a breast pump, regardless of milk production)?
ReplyDeleteThere are many interesting documentaries I have seen on Netflix that address the topic of breastfeeding and breastmilk which are also fascinating. I recommend anyone do a search for some if they are interested!
Great article! I have heard a lot of breastfeeding, and as you pointed out, until recently much of the attention has been on the immediate developmental effects on the baby. There has to be more to that picture right? I read an article linking mothers who do not breastfeed, but intended to, had the highest rate of postpartum depression compared to mothers who did not breast feed and did not intend to in the first place, and finally mothers who never intended to breast feed and also did not breast feed. This leads me to believe there is something hormonally occurring, the aspect of intention and not meeting that intention causes stress pathways to activate, or not breastfeeding in itself does not supply the mother with otherwise protective hormones to help complete the pregnancy hormonal spectrum.
ReplyDeletePregnancy is a rollercoaster of hormones most definitely. There is added protection for babies who breastfeed, and also the mothers themselves. Another article I read showed how women who breastfeed are less likely to develop obesity later in life, again relating back to your article which showed breast feeding helping reduce the risk of diabetes.
My questions are similar to the previous commenter: are the known hormones or proteins associated with the production of milk able to be reproduced and supplemented for women who are unable to breastfeed and does this show similar efficacy? Baby formula seems to be able to cover the nutritional and development aspects necessary for the child, but has the mother’s benefit from the process of breastfeeding been overlooked?
Borra, Cristina. Iacovou, Maria. Sevilla, Amudena. (2015). New Evidence on Breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression: Importance of Understanding Women’s Intentions. Maternal Child Health Journal.
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