It pays to breastfeed for women with gestational diabetes, as new research has found that it reduces their risk for type 2 diabetes.
In a study published Nov. 23 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, it was found that women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) who exclusively or mostly breastfed for at least two months after giving birth – as well as those who continued to do so for a couple of months – slashed their chances of developing type 2 diabetes by half within two years.
“Both the level and duration of breastfeeding may offer unique benefits to women,” concluded lead author Dr. Erica Gunderson, also senior research scientist at Kaiser Permanente.
