Can I breastfeed if I have diabetes?

Not only is Breastfeeding possible for women with diabetes it is encouraged, regardless of the type of diabetes (gestational, type 1, or type 2) [1,2,3,4,5,6,7].

Mothers on insulin therapy should consult with their diabetes care team regarding adjustment to insulin dosing so that the first milk flow is produced as soon as the baby is born [1,4,6], and therefore be able to breastfeed safely, alternatively the risk of hypoglycaemia is much higher.

Healthcare professionals recommend breastfeeding

The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends breastfeeding newborns exclusively with breast milk for the first six months [2,4,5]. Numerous studies also show that breastfeeding has health benefits for the mother as much as for the child [1,2,3,4].

If you are living with diabetes, the composition of your milk remains the same as that of a mother not living with diabetes with the same level of lactose, the main sugar in breast milk [1,4].

Breastfeeding: a strongly encouraged health asset

Breastfeeding is beneficial for health, regardless of the mother's type of diabetes [1,2,3,4,6] :

• It can reduce the insulin requirements of mothers with type 1 diabetes [1,4,6];
• It will protect the mother and her baby from a possible progression to type 2 diabetes if gestational diabetes developed during pregnancy [1,2,3];

It increases glucose tolerance/ insulin sensitivity and therefore improves the health of mothers with type 2 diabetes [2].