For some women, postpartum retention of weight gained during pregnancy at least three months lost. Another study found that women women who breastfed exclusively for than 12 weeks postpartum were on average 7. Wheezing in children Show more related content may contribute to obesity. For instance, in one study, who exclusively breastfed for more.
Beyond providing nourishment and helping to protect your baby from getting sick, breast-feeding can also help you lose weight gained during pregnancy. When you breast-feed, you use fat cells stored in your body during pregnancy — along with calories from your diet — to fuel your milk production and feed your baby. Weight loss during breast-feeding can occur even when you follow the recommendations to eat an additional to calories a day to keep up your energy and milk production. However, after an immediate postpartum weight loss of about 15 pounds 6. It often takes six to nine months to lose weight gained during pregnancy.
Formula Debate, a Parent’s Intent Matters. Mothers who breastfeed tend to have a lower risk of postpartum depression. Infant formula basics Infant growth rates Infant massage Infant swimming and asthma Returning to work after maternity leave Organic baby food Sick baby? Breastfeeding will not initially help you lose any additional weight than is normal from loss of the placenta, amniotic fluid, and excess water which accounts for about 15 to 17 pounds in the first few weeks, all told, but it will help to contract your uterus and shrink it back down to its pre-pregnancy size much more quickly. Related Articles. What are your concerns? Other studies report similar results, adding that breastfeeding mothers appear to achieve their pre-pregnancy weight on average six months earlier than those who formula-feed 7, 8. Spread your calorie intake out — instead of meals, eat 3 smaller meals with snacks between. Breastfeed without restriction Research tells us that both more frequent breastfeeding and breastfeeding longer than six months increases maternal weight loss.