Parenting journals have already published countless articles on breastfeeding benefits. You might have also read it everywhere or that your doctor has told you about it. While there are myriads of benefits breastfeeding can offer your baby, it has a lot to offer for moms too! A study has shown that women who breastfeed for longer periods can reduce hypertension risk after they reach the menopausal stage.
A study conducted by the researchers of Sangshin Park of the Center for International Health research in Rhode Island, USA and Nam-Kyong Choi of the Department of Health Convergence in Ewha Woman’s University, South Korea with 3,119 recipients who are non-smoking postmenopausal women in their 50s. The women participated in the 2010-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The study revealed that those who nursed around 5 to 11 children are 51{4db744927fa64ed7316e4508ab58730c752d9c4bed2dec67632f9dcb98499f4f} at lower risk of hypertension compared to those who do not or feed only one child. Those who breastfeed longer (96 to 324 months) are at 45{4db744927fa64ed7316e4508ab58730c752d9c4bed2dec67632f9dcb98499f4f} lower risk.
More researches, however, are needed to understand the correlation between breastfeeding and hypertension. Researchers proposed that breastfeeding itself could “reset” maternal metabolism after pregnancy including fat accumulation and insulin resistance. This lowers the risk of obesity-related diseases.
Another reason why breastfeeding lowers the risk of diseases is due to the release of a hormone called oxytocin which is also known as the “bonding hormone”, associated with nurturing, trusting, affectionate behavior and lower blood pressure.
While breastfeeding studies have always been focused on the benefits to children like reducing allergies, celiac disease, obesity, and diabetes. Recent findings on its benefits for the mother are highly welcomed since high blood pressure is connected to 9.4 million deaths worldwide as per a report by the World Health Organization. You may want to extend your nursing sessions with this great news!
