New Moms: Breastfeeding May Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes

New moms considering breastfeeding have yet another good reason to do so: reducing their own risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A new study published in The American Journal of Medicine suggests that women who breastfeed for at least one month are less likely to develop diabetes than mothers who don’t breastfeed at all. Specifically, moms who didn’t breastfeed were 43 percent more likely to have type 2 diabetes than moms who breast-fed for six months or longer, and were almost twice as likely to have diabetes than women without children.

The researchers used data from a previous study of women 40 to 78 years of age. The multi-ethnic group of 2,233 women resided in California, 461 of whom had type 2 diabetes. The researchers discovered that the women with diabetes were more likely to be mothers who had not breastfed than to be mothers who had breastfed or women who had never had a child. The great news from this study is that even moms who don’t plan on breast-feeding for six months as experts recommend would appear to benefit from just a short 1 month duration of breast-feeding: those who breast-fed for one to six months were at no greater risk for developing diabetes than those who breast-fed for longer.

Breast-feeding exclusively (providing no other food or drink, including formula) was also shown to be beneficial. Women who never exclusively breastfed were 38% more likely to have diabetes than those who exclusively breast-fed for at least one month.

This research adds to the plethora of reasons why a woman should consider breast-feeding her infant. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommend exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months, followed by breast-feeding with complementary foods for at least one year.

In the ADA’s Position Statement on Breast-feeding, they pull from an abundance of research to support breast-feeding.

For the mom, benefits include:

• Helping to expend calories and lose weight gained during pregnancy
• Faster shrinking of the uterus after childbirth, which can help prevent bleeding
• Improves bone density
• Saves money and time from not buying and mixing formula
• Decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers and type 2 diabetes

For the baby, benefits include:

• Supports a better immune system
• Protects against allergies
• Helps properly form the jaw and teeth
• Associated with a higher IQ through adolescence
• Decreased risk of chronic diseases (such as obesity, types 1 and 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Less chance of getting severe lower respiratory tract infections, asthma

Breast-feeding is also an opportunity for the mother and baby to bond.

If you’re a new mom or mom-to-be interested in optimizing your and your baby’s health through breast-feeding, reach out to health professionals and other moms for support. La Leche League International provides a support group, information, and education on breast-feeding. You can see a Lactation Consultant at your hospital (or home) to help get you started and conquer any obstacles. And, of course talk to your obstetrician, midwife, or doula.

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