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The upside of breastfeeding for mums

25 July 2017

Blog
Maternity
Breastfeeding is not only good for babies but has plenty of upside for mums too. Our Midwifery Manager Sue Bradshaw gives us the inside word on the biggest breastfeeding benefits for mums.

Breastfeeding can be one of those tricky skills that for some mums comes straight away and for others, they battle through for weeks before having success.

Perseverance is important, particularly about three days after your baby is born when your breasts become firm and attachment is difficult.

But we recommend, as much as possible, to persevere and power through as the benefits for your own health and wellbeing are significant.

Breastfeeding benefits for mums

The essentials:

  • It saves you time. There is no need to wash bottle and equipment, mix formula, create storage or wait for formula to hear.
  • Less expensive. Naturally, your body doesn’t charge you to make breastmilk.
  • Convenient. Don’t need worry about transporting equipment, storing milk safely or heating up formula.

The health side:

  • Improve your wellbeing. Breastfeeding hormones help you relax and give you a feeling of overall wellbeing.
  • Your organs return to their pre-pregnancy state more quickly when you breastfeed.
  • Decreases health risks associated with osteoporosis and uterine cancer.

Breastfeeding has also been linked to lower rates of breast cancer.

If you have any breastfeeding concerns before or after your pregnancy, speak to your midwife or obstetrician who can recommend tips and resources to help you feel more confident breastfeeding.

St John of God Health Care
Sue Bradshaw - Midwife

Sue Bradshaw is the Midwifery Services Manager at St John of God Murdoch Hospital and has more than 30 years’ experience as a nurse and midwife. She is an accredited lactation consultant and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.