We all know the saying “breast is best” but here are some of the colossal benefits, and a couple quirky facts, about breastfeeding.

1.  Human milk boosts a baby’s immune system big time—helping baby fight viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, including:

• Respiratory tract infections
• Ear infections
• Bacterial meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections
• Infant diarrhea
• Common colds and flus

2.  Breastfeeding can actually reduce baby’s risk of disease later in life, including:

• Type I and II diabetes
• Hodgkin’s disease
• Leukemia
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Asthma
• Eczema

3.  Breastfeeding reduces mama’s risk of ovarian and breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.  The longer she breastfeeds, the higher the benefit.  In fact, a woman who breastfeeds for 8 years has nearly a 0% risk of breast cancer.

Get this—breastfeeding a baby girl actually reduces her lifetime risk of breast cancer by 25%.

4.  Breastfeeding saves a…