You’ve carried a tiny human for nine months, nurturing the baby with your body. Breastfeeding is the natural next step in this incredible journey. It’s more than just feeding; it’s a powerful act of love and nourishment that offers a wealth of benefits for your health.
Giving birth is a physically demanding process, and your body needs time to recover. Breastfeeding can be a gentle yet effective way to help your body bounce back. The hormone oxytocin, released during breastfeeding, helps your uterus contract to its pre-pregnancy size, reducing postpartum bleeding and discomfort.
Additionally, breastfeeding burns extra calories, helping you shed those pregnancy pounds gradually and sustainably. According to The World Health Organization, all babies are to be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then gradually introduced to appropriate foods after 6 months while continuing to be breastfed for 2 years or beyond. Let’s look at some more ways in which breastfeeding benefits mothers! Reduced Cancer Risk: A Protective Shield Research indicates that breastfeeding may lower your risk of breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer.
While the exact mechanisms aren’t fully understood, it’s believed that breastfeeding helps regulate hormone levels, ensuring a gradual journey back to normal levels of reproductive hormones. This is crucial, as prolonged exposure to reproductive hormones increases the risk of certain cancers. The longer you breastfeed, the more stable the protective effec.
