Breastfeeding: Benefits for Mothers

Breastfeeding is the easiest way to keep babies happy. Life is simple for most healthy breastfed newborns. They let you know when they're hungry, nurse eagerly until they are satisfied, then drift off to sleep with a look of contentment.

Breastfeeding makes life simpler for mothers. No measuring and mixing is necessary and, in most cases, you don't need to worry about how much breast milk your baby is consuming.

Breastfeeding has positive effects on the mother's body:

• When a mother nurses her baby right after birth, it causes uterine contractions that reduce bleeding and allow the uterus to quickly regain its shape.
• Because producing breast milk requires energy, breastfeeding mothers burn more calories, and, generally, return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster than bottle-feeding mothers.