Did you know breastfeeding may reduce heart disease risk?

As a new mom, you want what’s best for you and your baby. There are a lot of decisions to make, including whether to breastfeed or bottle feed. You’ve probably read about the ways breastfeeding benefits your baby—and that the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advises feeding your baby only breastmilk for at least 6 months.

But breastfeeding has benefits for moms, too, including a long-lasting, reduced risk of heart disease. A research review from the American Heart Association found that women who breastfed had a lower likelihood of heart attacks and strokes throughout life compared to women who did not breastfeed. These research findings are especially exciting because heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in American women.

Learn more about how breastfeeding may lower your risk of heart disease and other health benefits it provides.

How long do I need to breastfeed to get heart health benefits?

The research indicates that it doesn’t take much breastfeeding to have a positive impact on your heart. In fact, it seems that breastfeeding for any amount of time can help reduce your heart disease risk. However, women who breastfed for at least 12 months enjoyed the greatest effects.

If 12 months seems like a long time, take comfort in knowing that each time you breastfeed, your bond with your baby grows, they receive nourishment they need, and you’re helping your heart.

Why breastfeeding may lower the risk of heart disease

So, why does breastfeeding make a difference for heart health? The answer is that researchers aren’t exactly sure. Here are a few theories about why breastfeeding may reduce heart disease risk:

• Breastfeeding can help some people lose weight faster after giving birth. Because being overweight increases your risk for heart disease, a quick return to pre-pregnancy weight may eliminate that risk factor.
• Lactation involves many hormones. At least one hormone, oxytocin, lowers blood pressure, reduces fat mass, and offers other benefits that impact heart health.

Long-term benefits of breastfeeding

Another breastfeeding perk is that heart benefits are long-term. A decade after breastfeeding, mothers had:

• 17% lower risk of dying from heart disease
• 14% reduced risk of coronary artery disease
• 12% reduced risk of stroke

Age didn’t seem to matter, either. Researchers also found that the positive effect of breastfeeding doesn’t increase with more children. So you can have one child at an early age or multiple children later in life. As long as you birth and breastfeed at least one baby, your heart may share the benefits.

Benefits of breastfeeding for mom

Along with a lowered risk of heart disease, breastfeeding was shown to lower a mom’s risk of:

• Breast and ovarian cancer
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes

Benefits of breastfeeding for baby

Babies who drink breastmilk receive health benefits, too. Breastfeeding lowers a child’s risk of pediatric health conditions, such as:

• Asthma
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Ear infections
• Eczema
• Obesity
• Respiratory infections
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Type 2 diabetes

More protection against heart disease and stroke

Whether you breastfeed or not, it’s important to do what you can to protect yourself against heart disease and stroke. But you don’t have to do it alone. Schedule an appointment with a heart and vascular specialist at LCMC Health to keep your heart safe for years to come.