Breastfeeding & Heart Health

Breastfeeding benefits both babies and birthing parents in many ways -- including our heart health, as this American Heart Association News article reports.

For instance, a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) published in 2021 found that toddlers who were fed breast milk had lower blood pressure than those who never had breast milk.

Another study in JAHA in 2022 found that women who breastfed were 17% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 11% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than women who didn’t breastfeed. They were also 14% less likely to develop heart disease and 12% less likely to have strokes than women who didn’t breastfeed.

The American Heart Association recommends that babies receive 12 months of breast milk. At around four to six months, parents can start to add more sources of nutrients alongside breast milk. For those who cannot breastfeed or do not want to breastfeed, expressing breast milk or using donated breast milk can provide these nutrients.

There’s growing evidence that suggests breastfeeding can play an important role in lowering cardiovascular disease risks. We know that cardiovascular disease risk factors, including high blood pressure, can start in childhood, so giving a baby breast milk even for a few days in infancy is a good start to a heart-healthy life.

SOURCE: American Heart Association • LAST UPDATED: August 23, 2022