How Breastfeeding Benefits The Planet

You already know that breastfeeding provides many benefits to your baby (and to you and your family, too!). But one often-overlooked benefit is breastfeeding’s impact – or lack thereof – on the environment.

Ecological Breastfeeding Benefits

It’s no mystery as to why breastfeeding is the most natural and ecological way to feed your baby. There are no preservatives or risk of contaminants in breast milk and it’s generally not processed in any way. Breastfeeding also saves energy – when baby is able to feed directly from the breast, there is no need to warm the milk. Mom’s body prepares all the right ingredients at just the right temperature. You could say that breast milk is a renewable resource!

Feeding at the breast also reduces waste – from production to feeding, no products are needed, just mom and baby’s bodies. Bottles and packaging take energy to manufacture, promote, and recycle. So, whenever and for however long as possible, feeding directly from the breast is most efficient in terms of reducing waste and saving energy.

And, although using a breast pump to express breast milk requires additional gear, accessories, and storage products, it’s still much more earth-friendly than formula feeding. First and foremost, the majority of these products are reusable. And, when you take into account the waste created by formula manufacturing and packaging, feeding breast milk generates less waste and uses fewer natural resources – whether from bottle or breast.

Breastfeeding moms do their share in protecting the environment every day, and so do we. Medela is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and has participated in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WasteWise program since 2009. Additionally, Medela offers a recycling program for its electric breast pumps supporting our commitment to the environment. After all, it’s more than just protecting the environment for our generation – it’s about preserving it for our children (and our children’s children) to enjoy.