Top 5 Breastfeeding Benefits for Moms

Top global medical organizations promote exclusive breastfeeding as the healthiest choice for babies up to six months old. Most parents have heard all the amazing benefits a baby gets from breastfeeding. But there are also several breastfeeding benefits for moms.

Whether you choose to bottle-feed, breastfeed, or a little of both, the bökee is here to support you. Finding the best choice for your family is what matters most.

Parenting feels like you constantly have your hands full, and that’s why we created the bökee. It easily suctions to your countertop or other smooth, flat surfaces, providing an easy base to hold a bottle, sippy cup, or medicine bottle. The result: an easier way to prepare a meal or snack for your little one with just one hand. Because we know the other one is full! Check out the bökee in a variety of fun colors today.

Breastfeeding Benefits for Mom Are Significant

With so much emphasis on how important breast milk is for babies, we often forget to acknowledge how helpful the breastfeeding journey can be for mothers. Here are five of the top breastfeeding benefits for moms.

1. It’s a unique way to bond with your baby.

Not much else in the world is better than the feeling of holding your baby close. Moms and dads can enjoy these snuggles, the soft weight on your chest, and that new baby smell. But breastfeeding mothers inherently have some “required” snuggle time when feeding their babies. It’s non-negotiable when nursing your child!

To be clear, you will bond with your baby regardless of whether you breast- or bottle-feed.

But nursing moms tend to get more skin-to-skin contact with babies. This contact helps reduce stress and create calmness in both mothers and babies.

Breastfeeding also releases oxytocin, the so-called “love hormone.” Oxytocin helps boost your mood and promotes healing after childbirth.

Don’t worry, Dads and formula-feeding Moms, you get to bond with the new baby, too! Cuddling, diapering, bathtime, and more give all parents plenty of opportunities to bond with their babies.

2. You’ll get more sleep.

Newborns need to eat every couple of hours, so getting a good night’s sleep is unlikely during those first few months. But breastfeeding simplifies the middle-of-the-night feedings. There is no prep needed to breastfeed a baby. It’s a plug-and-play system!

If you have a co-sleeper, you may not even need to get out of bed while you nurse. And if you have a partner available to handle the post-feeding burping and diapering, you can go right back to sleep after feeding.

3. Breastfeeding saves money.

The cost of basically everything increased dramatically in 2022. That includes baby formula. Less expensive brands of formula are currently about 54 cents per ounce. If you choose a name brand, organic, or specialty formula, you may pay as much as $1.15 per ounce.

So, let’s do the math. Babies consume an average of 25 ounces of milk or formula per day during their first year. With the least expensive option, that’s about $13.25 per day or close to $400 per month. If you go with a high-end brand, the cost could be double.

Breastfeeding isn’t totally free, though. You may need breast pads and nipple cream to keep yourself comfortable. And if you choose to pump (a necessity if you ever want a few hours away), you’ll need a good breast pump and freezer bags to store your milk.

But even with those expenses, financial savings are one of the most significant breastfeeding benefits for parents.

4. It burns calories.

Eight ounces of breastmilk contain about 170 calories. Do you know where those calories come from? That’s right; from you! Breastfeeding burns about 500 calories per day and often more, possibly helping a new mom lose some of the weight gained during pregnancy.

Every woman’s body is different, and breastfeeding doesn’t guarantee your body will return to its pre-pregnancy weight. Your diet, exercise habits, and the amount of sleep you get all play a role in how quickly your body adjusts after giving birth.

Also, while burning calories can be beneficial, we want to stress that weight loss should not take center stage in this phase of life. You’re a mom now. Your body has done amazing things to bring a baby into the world, and it’s important to honor your body in this new phase of life.

5. Breastfeeding could save your life.

That statement may sound overly dramatic. But breastfeeding has tremendous positive effects on your body.

• Breastfeeding reduces your chances of developing breast cancer later in life.
• If you breastfeed for at least a year, your chances of developing breast cancer drop by 26%.
• Women who breastfeed are also less likely to develop high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and type II diabetes.
• Breastfeeding appears to lower the risk of invasive ovarian cancer by more than 25%, and the percentage increases the longer you nurse.

Your Choice for Your Family

With all these breastfeeding benefits for moms, it’s not surprising that the medical community advocates for breastfeeding whenever possible. But it’s equally important to recognize that each mom has the right to choose the best option for herself and her child.

Society has a way of putting unrealistic expectations on new moms. But choosing whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed is personal, and nobody else gets to make this decision for you. You know your body and your baby better than anyone, and you’ll find the best path for your family.

Despite all the benefits of breastfeeding, it isn’t always simple, comfortable, or feasible. It can be a tricky process to master, and it isn’t the right choice for every situation.

The bökee team understands that feeding your baby is a unique journey. Ours included breastfeeding, formula-feeding, donor milk, and tube feeding, so you’ll never get any judgment from us! We know that parenting is a big job, and we’re here to provide an extra hand.

We designed the bökee for busy parents juggling the needs of a hungry baby or toddler who also wants to be held. With our unique one-handed bottle preparation tool, you can save your time, energy, and sanity. Choose your favorite colors today to have a bökee on hand wherever you are.