Does Breastfeeding Make You Lose Weight?

One of the most frequently asked questions about breastfeeding is, does breastfeeding make you lose weight? Studies show that there is no definitive answer to this question. The reason for this is that it depends on many variables. Lactating mothers can have varying amounts of body fat and body mass index, which can affect the absorption of calories from various foods.

Body fat is measured in pounds per week or kilos per month. Women who have more body fat have greater needs to consume calories to maintain their weight. On the other hand, nursing mothers who have less body fat don't have to worry about increasing their caloric intake to meet their babies' needs. For these women, nursing may make them lose weight. In both situations, the mother would need to practice healthier eating habits.

Researchers have conducted many studies about the impact of breastfeeding on weight loss. One study, published in the Journal of Obesity, found that women who breastfed for more than six months had significantly less body fat than women who breastfed for only three months. However, the women in this study who consumed at least 20 ounces of breast milk every day didn't have much weight loss. This study did not differentiate between full and empty nurseries, so it's hard to tell how much weight loss is caused by breastfeeding and how much is caused by other factors.

A second study of breastfeeding found that women who were underweight before they began breastfeeding lost more weight after introducing formula to their infants. The women who lost the most weight had also previously been underweight. Another study of breastfeeding found that women who breastfed for longer periods of time reported fewer calories burned through exercise. They also burned more calories overall due to increased lean muscle mass. All of these findings suggest that breastfeeding does contribute to weight loss, but the real question is whether it is enough or if it must be supplemented with other measures.

The amount of weight loss experienced by the mother while breastfeeding doesn't necessarily correlate with the amount of weight loss experienced by her infant. One study that controlled for the number of calories consumed by the infant found that women who breastfeed for longer periods of time still had a small amount of weight loss. Women who breastfeed for shorter amounts of time and at shorter intervals experienced no significant weight loss. It appears that longer periods of time and shorter intervals don't necessarily equate to losing weight. It may simply be that longer breastfeeding periods and shorter feeding intervals don't lead to significant caloric differences.

Other researchers have determined that the actual calories consumed by mothers while breastfeeding may be much higher than the calories expended. In one study, lactating women were instructed to calculate the amount of calories they were consuming based on the amount of milk they produced. Those who breastfed for six months reported consuming significantly fewer calories than those who breastfeed for three months or less. Those who breastfeed for more than six months did not show any significant change in the amount of calories they were consuming.

When researchers controlled for the amount of calories consumed, they still found that breastfeeding resulted in significant weight loss among the women. They found that women who breastfed for more than six months lost an average of four hundred fifty pounds per year. This amounts to about thirteen pounds per month. These findings suggest that breastfeeding can be beneficial in a weight loss program because women are able to lose weight much faster when they are breastfeeding.

There are many benefits to breastfeeding. Many physicians recommend breastfeeding as part of a healthy lifestyle because of the many advantages that come from breastfeeding. Babies who are breastfed are less likely to develop health problems later in life, they receive adequate nutrients, and they are less subject to infection. If breastfeeding is not possible for you and your partner, you can always try formula. However, if you are a mom, it is important to give breast milk a chance to prove its benefits to both you and your baby.