Like many moms who choose to breastfeed, I was fairly aware of the benefits of breastfeeding my first baby well before I started. But I actually didn’t know how many benefits there would be for me too, at least until I was pretty far along into nursing my first baby.
The more I think about it, the more I realize how much it would have helped me to focus on those upsides during those early days and months when, admittedly, I was struggling a bit. And that goes for my second, third and fourth babies.
(That’s me with number two up in the photo above. So cute!)
Our newest sponsor Boppy — a company we’ve loved for ages — also knows a few things about the challenges new moms face when choosing to breastfeed, which is why they offer tons of cool, thoughtful breastfeeding products that really do help make it easier. That includes their brand new Boppy Best Latch Breastfeeding Pillow, shown above, and the new Boppy Infinity Nursing Scarf which converts from a breathable cover to a stylish accessory.
So we’re so thrilled to be partnering with this fantastic company during National Breastfeeding Month to share 5 benefits of breastfeeding that I think we don’t talk about nearly enough.
Of course, we absolutely support a mother’s choice when it comes to how to feed her baby, and always have. My hope here is that keeping these wonderful benefits of breastfeeding for moms in mind will help support those mothers who have chosen to breastfeed, and may need a little extra mom-to-mom “you go!” from time to time.
1. Breastfeeding makes travel easier, a.k.a. fewer things to remember when you leave the house.
In those admittedly rough early weeks of motherhood, it was amazing if I could remember my own name, let alone what to pack in my diaper bag to get out the door. I always felt accomplished if all I managed to do was get the baby out of the house and buckled into the car seat! So it’s nice to remember that breastfeeding only requires your boobs at bare minimum — which happen to be attached to you — so, you know, pretty impossible to forget. While all the accessories are fantastic to have, it’s nice to know that should you forget anything at home, a breastfed baby can still eat whenever she needs to. Just lift your shirt and go!
2. Forced chill time.
Even though everyone told me, sleep when the baby sleeps I rarely ever did. And yes it was annoying. But, confession: I give all my pregnant friends now the same advice because boy, do I wish I had listened to it myself!
Especially if you’ve got older children to take care of along with your baby, there’s rarely a whole lot of downtime you get as a new mom. But thinking back, the time I spent breastfeeding really forced me to take a breather — if only for a few minutes while I got my baby latched on and happily nursing.
Breastfeeding was especially something I looked forward to before bedtime with all four of my kids, because I knew that it was the one moment I’d be guaranteed to sit with my feet up, and rock for a little while before returning to the chaos of life.
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From our sponsor
It’s no wonder that Boppy is a longtime favorite brand for new parents, thanks to helpful products that make those early days so much easier. Especially with the launch of two new products:
Their Boppy Infinity Nursing Scarf (shown here) is actually a cover with a special mesh panel that allows moms to check on their baby during nursing, and even make eye contact.
With the help of a lactation consultant, Boppy also created their new Boppy Best Latch Breastfeeding Pillow, to help moms get as comfortable as possible while breastfeeding. The two-surface design has a firm, stable surface on one side for nursing, and a softer fiberfill side for when the baby grows, making it a smart multi-use baby essential for new parents.
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3. Weight loss for some moms, a faster-shrinking uterus for all.
So, I wasn’t one of those people who lost weight while breastfeeding, but for many women I know, burning those extra calories helped a lot.
(As for me, I just enjoyed the excuse to consume those extra calories I needed, which, when you’re dealing with lack of sleep and other fun aspects of postpartum recovery, goes a long way. And by extra calories, I mean mini cupcakes. Without the mini part. Hey, just being honest here.)
Breastfeeding does, however, help get a woman’s uterus back down to its original size thanks to the release of the hormone oxytocin. And while that might not get you back in your pre-pregnancy jeans so fast, it does go a long way to making you feel more like your old self more quickly.
4. No periods! Well, for a while anyway.
Now, I realize that this doesn’t apply to every mom, but for me and for a large part of the breastfeeding population, you’re likely not get your period back for at least six months, and sometimes longer, if you exclusively breastfeed. The prolactin that’s released through nursing delays ovulation, which is why it’s typical for breastfeeding moms not to menstruate for a while after childbirth.
Is a period really that awful, you ask? Absolutely not. But you know, after just having a baby, and everything that comes with having a baby, one less thing to worry about each month was a nice perk, in my experience.
5. Your very own superpower.
We can all get so deep in trenches of parenthood that we sometimes forget to stop and think just how amazing our bodies are. You’re feeding your baby with your body, which, wow. That’s the closest thing to a real life superpower I think there is — besides that part where you actually grow a baby and deliver it. I know that during those times I was overwhelmed with my new life, and honestly, not feeling so great about my parenting skills, just the knowledge that I was keeping her alive and well with my own body was a pretty awesome back pat, and a huge mood booster for me.
Thanks so much to the wonderful folks at Boppy for sponsoring this post, and creating products to help make it easier for moms to breastfeed.
