Appendix: Children who develop acute appendicitis are much less likely to have been breastfed as infants
Bowels: Breastfed babies have less constipation, gas, and develop more healthy gut bacteria to aid digestion.
Digestive system: Breastfeeding a baby for at least six months reduces the likelihood that they will develop food allergies, reduces risk of gastrointestinal infections, and provides them with lifelong protection and greatly reduced risk of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in adulthood.
Ears: Breastfed babies have a much lower risk of ear infections than those who are fed formula.
Emotional Development: Breastfeeding provides an excellent early opportunity for babies to bond with mothers, allowing skin-to-skin contact, eye contact, and exclusive maternal contact that is unique to nursing a baby.
Endocrine: Breastfeeding reduces the risk of diabetes, for both mother and child.
Eyes: Visual acuity is greater in breastfed babies
Heart and Circulation: Heart rates are more even in breastfed babies, and as adults, they will have lower cholesterol levels.
Higher IQ: The good cholesterols and special fats in breast milk help to support nerve and brain tissue growth.
Immune System: Breastfed babies are provided early immunity to diseases and infections because of antibodies in breast milk. As a result of this early immunity boost, babies who breastfeed respond better to vaccinations. Breastfeeding also reduces a baby's risk for childhood cancer.
Joints: Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis occurs less often in children who breastfed as infants.
Kidneys: Breast milk is low sodium and its proteins are "small" and easy to digest, so it's more gentle on a baby's kidneys.
Lungs and Respiratory System: Breastfeeding a baby greatly reduces their risk for respiratory infections. The immunity boost provided by breast milk also reduces the risk of contagious infections.
Mouth: Babies who breastfeed for a year develop better dental occlusion (how the upper and lower teeth meet to bite), which means fewer orthodontic needs as children. Suckling from the breast also develops facial muscles better during infancy. Changes in breast milk flavor due to the mother's diet help babies adjust more readily to different tasting foods as they later begin trying solids.
Urinary Tract: Breastfed babies experience fewer urinary tract infections than formula-fed babies.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to click "like" or "share" on the Facebook link at the left, and click here to see Melanie Nowlin's entire resource article collection on the subject of breastfeeding. You can also follow her on Twitter for links to new articles, breastfeeding Q&A, and daily updates. Ms. Nowlin also manages a Facebook community, "Breastfeeding Support and Advocacy", to which she posts article updates and helpful links for breastfeeding and expecting mothers.
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