A question that many new mothers ask is Does Breastfeeding Make You Lose Weight? My friend asked me this question a while back and I found it very interesting and I spent a lot of time trying to find an answer for her. She had just given birth and was quite worried about her weight loss. So I went on to research this question to no avail. I tried to get some scientific information but I could not find any scientific evidence that breastfeeding actually causes weight loss in the mother or her infant. At best, I came up with some speculations and personal experience.
My friend asked me this question because she had lost a few pounds in the beginning when she was breastfeeding but then gained it back within a few months. She claimed that breastfeeding actually made her lose weight. She mentioned to me that she used to buy diet food from the supermarket because she did not have the time to prepare anything at home. But after breastfeeding once a day, she was able to reduce her calorie intake by 200 calories a day and still has maintained her weight loss. That made me curious. So I went online to see if I could find out the truth about breastfeeding and weight loss.
The answer is yes and no. Yes, breastfeeding does make you lose weight because your body needs to adjust itself to the new breastfeeding routine. Breastfeeding also helps your baby to get used to you and the Breast pump so they do not feel like they are being abandoned. But, do these results last?
The answer depends on many factors. First of all, how long have you been nursing? Some nursing mothers only breastfeed for a couple months and do not gain weight at all. Other nursing mothers gain a little weight every month after stopping breastfeeding. And there are those who never breastfeed and just drink milk to give their babies the calories they need.
Once you become accustomed to breastfeeding, you will notice your baby getting hungry soon after nursing. You will probably notice that your baby seems to be hungry more often than before you started breastfeeding. That could mean that you are losing weight or just finding out that your baby needs more calories. It really does not matter how long you have been breastfeeding, you will lose weight eventually, especially if you are drinking milk or taking formula.
If you are breastfeeding for a few months and you are losing weight, chances are you were using the wrong methods to teach your baby to be hungry for mother's milk. Maybe you were using express milk and pumping yourself full of calories. If this is what you have been doing, you need to stop immediately. Once you find a way that is natural for you, your breastfeeding will start to make you lose weight!
Another common question about breastfeeding and weight loss is whether you can help your child by increasing your calorie intake. The truth is, you can, but you need to use low-calorie or even "negative calorie" foods. These are foods that still give your body energy, but they do not contain too many calories. When my daughter was starting to nurse, I made sure she was only eating foods with as many "carbs" as possible to make sure she only had a little calorie influx.
As you can see, the answer depends on many factors - how long you have been breastfeeding, the weight loss process you are going through, and what diet and exercise program you are on. With a little research, you should be able to figure it out yourself. It is definitely true that you do lose weight when breastfeeding, but it takes time and patience.
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