Breasfeeding is Good for Moms Too

Filed in archive Cardiovascular Health , Diabetes , Women's Health on April 25, 2009

© myllissa

Breast milk is the best milk for babies, we've always been told. I only know that breastfeeding your baby delays your first ovulation after pregnancy. That's about the only benefit of breastfeeding to moms, that fully registered in my mind.

Now reports are saying the women who breastfed for more than 12 months have lesser risk of heart disease factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol compared to women who did not breastfeed.

Women in their 60s who had breast-fed for more than 12 months over their lifespan were nearly 10 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, and significantly less likely to develop heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, researchers report.

"We found that the longer women breast-feed, the lower their risk of heart attacks, strokes or heart disease," said Dr. Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, an assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology, obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Health Care.

For sure breastfeeding have other benefits to the mothers. First and foremost, it is less expensive and far more convenient than formula milk.