We plan to breastfeed our infant. This video provides a lot of information about the benefits of breastfeeding. It doesn’t discuss any “risks”, although I am not sure that is a meaningful concept when analyzing an evolutionary biology-based parenting practice. Below the video is a summary of some of the key points if you do not wish to watch the video:
- The benefits of breastfeeding imply exclusive use, ie, no supplementation with bottle feeding, formula or solid foods
- Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants; it also allows the mother to pass her antibodies to the baby to improve its immunity to disease
- The skin-to-skin contact of breastfeeding creates hormonal release that leads to bonding
- Breastfeeding is connected to improved brain development in infants (compared to non-breastfeeding), especially with regards to language development, emotional function and cognition
- The hormonal release also assists with post-partum healing of the mother’s body and delays the return of ovulation during breastfeeding, preserving the mother’s stores of iron and creating “natural” spacing between pregnancies
- Childbearing and breastfeeding have shown significant decreases in a woman’s risk of developing different forms of cancer in clinical studies
A House Rises 