What Are the Benefits of Breastfeeding for Women?

October 28, 2025

2 min read

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There is no doubt that breastfeeding is ideal for a newborn baby. But how does it affect the mother's body?

Key takeaways

There is no doubt that breastfeeding is ideal for a newborn baby.
Six advantages
Are there risks?

Who this is for

People exploring Women's health through breast, breastfeeding.

Why it matters

This piece helps you get oriented quickly, then move into a collection or series if you want to keep going.

Article author

Dr. Nicholas

Head of the Center for Mammology, Endocrine and Reconstructive Surgery, Surgeon

Six advantages

Lactation is a natural process and therefore it was originally designed to take care of a woman's health. And it can cause problems only when its natural course is disturbed for one reason or another. Natural feeding allows the following:

Avoids postpartum complications. Every time the baby breastfeeds, the hormone oxytocin is released, which is responsible for the contraction of the uterus. This allows the placenta to detach and prevents postpartum bleeding. With regular breastfeeding of about two months, the uterus recovers its shape, and the organs next to it return to their usual places.
Prevents the development of the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a metabolic disorder that leads to the development of inappropriate tissue response to insulin, impaired fat metabolism, and obesity. The longer a woman has been breastfeeding in her life, the lower the risk of developing this problem.
Reduces the risk of osteoporosis. During pregnancy and lactation calcium is absorbed better, which promotes bone mineralization and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
Protects against cancer of the reproductive system. The hormone prolactin, which affects milk production, suppresses estrogens. This is responsible for the growth of cancer cells. The longer the periods of breastfeeding in a woman's life, the lower the risk of developing breast cancer. This explains the relatively low incidence of breast cancer in developing countries. Additionally, the risk of development of ovarian and uterine cancer is essentially reduced.
Promotes weight loss. During natural feeding, the body burns up to 500 calories per day! To lose that much in normal conditions, you would have to ride a bicycle for at least an hour. So why don't all moms manage to lose weight quickly? It's a question of organizing the lactation process and following the diet. Recommendations to eat for three during lactation are long outdated.
Maintain a healthy psyche. Mothers who have established natural feeding sleep better and longer, spend more time with the baby, and can more easily soothe and support the baby. As a consequence, they are less likely to develop postpartum depression.

Are there risks?

It would seem that with so many pluses, everyone should strive to breastfeed their baby. However, there are also disadvantages — although not all young mothers have to deal with them. Certain anatomical features of a woman’s breasts: such as inverted/flat nipples or narrow milk ducts can make it more difficult or impossible to breastfeed.

Incorrect attachment to the breast can lead to cracks that make breastfeeding painful. In some cases, lactostasis (stagnant milk) can occur. If this condition is not treated in time, it can lead to mastitis—an inflammatory process in the breast.

During breastfeeding, many women fear changes in the shape of the breast. These changes are more likely caused by the processes that occur during pregnancy and childbirth. Additionally, giving up breastfeeding will only worsen the appearance of the breasts as the fatty tissue will not be able to recover quickly.

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