What Happens to the Body While Breastfeeding?

Science Holic
Jul 1
3 min read

Author: Elaine Guo

Editors: Oscar Chen, Fiona Cheng

Artist: Felicia Chen

Your body is constantly changing when breastfeeding. It is induced after childbirth. Breastfeeding is a crucial part of motherhood because it offers benefits for both the mother and the baby. Breast milk contains nutrients that a baby needs for the first six months of their life: fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, water, etc. It also contains other bioactive factors that help the infant’s immune system and protect them from diseases. For mothers, breastfeeding can help reduce the chances of developing certain illnesses like depression. There are countless ways a mother and the baby can be affected both mentally and physically.

A baby needs a consistent and reliable food source during the first six months of its lifetime due to their weak and undeveloped immune system. After being introduced to solid foods, like vegetables or fruits, they can continue to be breastfed. The baby receives all of the required nutrients needed for development from breast milk. Furthermore, breast milk is easy for the baby’s stomach and intestines to digest. Breast milk has carbohydrates that support the healthy balance of bacteria in the baby’s stomach, fats that help develop the brain, and vitamins that support growth. Breast milk also contains natural substances that soothe the baby while promoting normal weight gain; most importantly, breast milk contains antibodies that protect the body from infections and help develop a strong immune system. This would lower the baby’s risk of developing certain diseases or illnesses, including pneumonia, asthma, ear infections, obesity etc. Babies who are fed healthy breast milk tend to have a lower hospitalization rate and overall better health compared to non-breastfed babies.

Mothers who breastfeed are affected in various ways. After delivery, some mothers can develop postpartum depression, which is a mood disorder characterized by mood swings that occurs after giving birth, but breastfeeding can help lower the risk of developing it. Additionally, breastfeeding reduces the risk of developing symptoms such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. When you breastfeed, hormones such as prolactin and oxytocin are released. Prolactin is responsible for the secretion of milk. When a baby suckles, the prolactin level in the blood increases to stimulate the production of milk. Suckling can affect the release of other pituitary hormones that result in the suppression of ovulation and menstruation, which is a reason why many mothers do not menstruate for many months after their pregnancy. Oxytocin is in charge of producing and helping milk flow easily for the baby to receive. It also helps the mother recover quicker after childbirth because oxytocin helps the uterus contract after the delivery of the baby. Although these contractions help the uterus return to its normal size and reduce bleeding, they can cause severe uterine pain for the first few days when the baby suckles. When breastfeeding, a mother can get the oxytocin reflex, indicating that there is milk flow from the breast. The signs of this include thirst during feeding periods, uterine pain, a feeling of a tingling sensation in the breast before or during a feed, the flow of blood from the uterus, etc. Despite all this, it is important to note that every mother’s body is different and that they can have different experiences while breastfeeding.

In conclusion, breastfeeding is important to both the mother and baby, affecting both their physical and mental health. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding is essential before making a decision.

Citations:

“Benefits of Breastfeeding for You & Baby.” Cleveland Clinic,

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15274-benefits-of-breastfeeding. Accessed

1 June 2025.

“Breastfeeding Benefits Both Baby and Mom | Breastfeeding.” CDC, 5 May 2025,

https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/features/breastfeeding-benefits.html. Accessed 1

June 2025.

“The physiological basis of breastfeeding - Infant and Young Child Feeding.” NCBI, 1

January 1970, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK148970/. Accessed 1 June 2025.