FIRST MONTHS

BETTER SLEEP

New moms who are being woken every two to four hours for a feed may find this hard to believe, but breastfeeding actually leads to better sleep.

”A breastfeeding mother should get better-quality sleep because her sleep cycle synchronises with that of her baby,” Esme says. Which is why following the age-old advice to ”sleep when your baby sleeps” is so important in the early months. Another way breastfeeding aids sleep is that it makes you more relaxed and able to doze off more easily, and it does the same for Baby, so you both get more sleep. This is according to research undertaken by the University of Western Australia, which shows that the higher level of fat in breast milk works with the hormones oxytocin, prolactin, melatonin and cholecystokinin to relax Mom and Baby.

WEIGHT LOSS

The most commonly known benefit of breastfeeding – quicker postpartum weight loss – is also, ironically, the most unreliable because it doesn’t apply to all women. ”Funnily enough, in my experience, it seems to work more for women who don’t need to lose that much baby weight,” Louise says.

Still, while some studies show absolutely no difference in weight loss between women who breastfeed and those who bottle feed, others have shown a larger reduction in hip circumference and more fat loss in the first month after birth. It makes sense when you consider that producing milk requires between 200 and 500 calories per day, the equivalent of around 30 laps in a pool or an hour-long bike ride.

REDUCES THE RISK OF PND

”It’s been well documented that early breastfeeding helps in the prevention of postnatal depression,” Sister Grove says. Again, the ”love hormone” oxytocin is believed to be responsible for this phenomenon, as it promotes wellbeing and relaxation. The skin-to-skin contact required for breastfeeding has also been proven to help minimise depression.

Even if you are being treated for depression, Louise says it is advisable to continue breastfeeding, provided your doctor prescribes appropriate medication. ”I’ve seen moms who have been urged to stop breastfeeding because they are depressed, and that often leads to more depression. They feel like they’re failing as a mother already, and being told to stop breastfeeding exacerbates this feeling of failure.”