Healthy Women Image

HealthyWomen Editors

The editorial team and staff of HealthyWomen.

Full Bio
mother breastfeeding

Good News for Diabetic Moms Who Want to Breastfeed

Your Health

HealthDay News

(HealthDay News) -- Diabetic moms, after talking with their doctors, should still try to breast-feed their babies, some experts say.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development says potential benefits of breast-feeding, despite maternal diabetes, may include:

  • For baby, improved defense against illness and infection.
  • For baby, the right balance of nutrients.
  • For mom, burning extra calories and losing some extra pounds acquired during pregnancy.
  • For many moms who developed gestational diabetes (diabetes that emerged during pregnancy), better fasting blood glucose, and lower blood sugar levels overall.

Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

You might be interested in