Breast milk is the optimal nutrition for infants, providing a complete nutritional balance as well as much needed immunity. Studies indicate that breastfed infants have lower incidence of ear infections, respiratory infections and other diseases. Some studies even indicate that there are cognitive benefits for the breastfed infant. Breastfeeding has been shown to decrease parental absences from work. Women who breastfeed have been shown to have a decrease in the incidence of osteoporosis and a reduced risk of ovarian and premenopausal breast cancer.
Breast milk is a cost-effective form of infant nutrition.
Even taking into account the added calories a breastfeeding mother needs to consume, formula costs are high. Infant formula is a 1.6 billion-dollar a year market. Breastfeeding is estimated to reduce health care expenditures.